Welcome to week 20 of your pregnancy, 18 weeks from conception! You’re halfway there!! If you haven’t already, check out our Week 19 Pregnancy article to get caught up.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of contents
Week 20 Pregnancy: How big is your baby – fruit?
At this point, your baby weighs around a whopping 9-10 ounces (1)! He’s measuring 5 2/3 to 6 1/2 inches from crown to rump. (After week 20, your baby will be measured from crown to heel.) That puts your little one at about the size of a small banana (4)!
What should my belly look like?
Your uterus is growing, keeping pace with baby’s rapid growth. Now the top of the uterus is about even with your belly button, and your starting midway through your second trimester appointments, provider will be measuring the growth of your abdomen using a measuring tape. This is called measuring the fundal height, and it helps your doctor check that your baby is growing as expected. Typically it’s done from the pubic symphysis, an area near the pubic bone, up to your naval. Right now, this measurement will likely be somewhere around 8 inches long. Expect the distance to grow almost 1/2 inch each week!
Week 20 Pregnancy: Baby’s development
Your baby is continuing to grow and develop, and is doing some pretty amazing things this week (3)!
- Eyebrows and eyelashes are beginning to form
- Nails are present on both fingers and toes
- Lanugo (a fine, downy hair that typically falls offer before birth) now covers your baby’s body
- Vernix ( a white, cheesy substance that acts as a skin barrier) is starting to form on your baby’s skin
- Baby’s limbs are well-formed
Week 20 Pregnancy: Symptoms
Quickening
If you haven’t already, you’ll soon begin to feel your baby move! This is known as quickening. Pay attention to a gentle, fluttery feeling in your uterus. It’s almost like a little butterfly is flapping around in there! (Honestly, while this doesn’t sound cute, it may feel like you have gas.) You may have noticed this movement as early as 16 weeks, but most moms are able to recognize baby’s movement by around week 20.
Stuffy Nose & Nosebleeds
Elevated estrogen levels during pregnancy cause an increase of blood flow to all of your mucous membranes. This results in swollen mucosal tissue, and commonly nasal congestion. Additionally, always having to blow that annoying stuffy nose sets pregnant moms up for the occasional nosebleed.
Unfortunately, antihistamines and decongestants are typically discouraged during pregnancy. Ask your provider about the use of a saline spray. Running a cool-air vaporizer during the night may bring relief…or it may not. Either way, expect the congestion to stick around until baby is born.
Enjoy this amazing 20th week of your pregnancy! We’ll see you soon at week 21!
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References:
- Glade, B.C., Schuler, J. (2011). Your Pregnancy Week by Week, 7th edition. First Da Capo Press.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2010). Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month, 5th edition.
- Ladewig, P.A., London, M.L., Davidson, M.R. (2006). Contemporary Maternal-Newborn Nursing Care, 6th edition. Pearson Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
- Retrieved from http://parentingpatch.com/how-big-is-your-baby-week-week-food-comparisons/
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