WHAT’S GOING ON WITH BABY?
Your Baby at 20 Weeks Pregnant
Baby’s growth and size
This week baby is just over 6 inches and about 10 ounces – packing on those ounces!
What’s new developmentally?
Your baby has come a long way in the last 20 weeks but still has lots of developing to do over the next 20 ish weeks. Baby has been spending a lot of time mastering their sucking reflex.
If you have your anatomy scan ultrasound this week, you might even catch baby sucking their thumb! The thick coating is still all over baby’s skin but the skin is beginning to thicken and the layers of skin are forming as well.
Baby’s sleep and wake cycles begin to form, which you might be familiar with if you have started feeling movement and noticing patterns.
The external genitals on your baby are formed enough to dete
Fun facts about your week 20 baby
- Baby is beginning to produce meconium (black sticky poop substance)
- Baby is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid everyday
- Most of baby’s taste buds can send signals to their brain aka they can taste!
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH MAMA?
Week 20 of Pregnancy
Week 20 pregnancy symptoms
- Breast changes – areola and nipple get darker and larger
- Skin changes – linea nigra
- Constipation
- Round ligament pain
- Leg cramps
- Hemorrhoids
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
- Swelling in feet and ankles (make sure to familiarize yourself with signs of preeclampsia so you can differentiate between what’s normal and what’s not)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Stretch marks and itchy boobs
- Occasional headaches
- Pregnancy brain
How should I be feeling at 20 weeks pregnant?
Congratulations mama, you are halfway (give or take) there! Reaching 20 weeks is a big milestone and one that should be celebrated so go ahead and treat yourself to that prenatal massage or pedicure or whatever relaxing activity is your preference!
There’s a wide range of normal when it comes to baby bumps – both when you start showing and bump size. Don’t be concerned if your bump is bigger or smaller than your coworkers, friends, neighbors, cousins, embrace that bump, mama!
Speaking of bumps…there’s a chance that the extra weight you are carrying around from your growing uterus and baby is causing you some back pain. I highly recommend investing in a belly band or support garment.
My personal favorite is the one made by Motif Medical, but there are tons out there! When you have the chance, stick your feet up for a few minutes to give your belly and your body a little break.
20 weeks pregnant not showing
I can’t say it enough, pregnancy looks different on every single person. There are so many things that impact when a woman starts showing and how she looks as she progresses through pregnancy.
Here are a few, of the many, things that affects when your belly pops during pregnancy: number of previous pregnancies, your pre-pregnancy size, torso length, and number of babies you are carrying.
There are many women out there that are 20+ weeks pregnant and not showing in the least. On the other hand, there are also plenty of women that get that “pop” in their first trimester. Both are okay, both are healthy, and both are beautiful!
Check out my article: When Will I Start Showing in Pregnancy? to learn more!
20 weeks pregnant weight gain
While it is very important to take care of yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, I strongly encourage you to not compare yourself to other pregnant women – little to no good will come from it.
Recommended weight gain during pregnancy has a lot to do with pre-pregnancy BMI. If you are beginning your pregnancy at healthy weight, steady weight gain in the second and third trimesters is important.
Most people don’t actually need to gain much weight in the first trimester. In the second trimester, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), recommends a half to a one full pound per week in the second trimester. This is for women that are considered a healthy weight prior to or early in pregnancy.
20 weeks pregnant not gaining weight
To refresh your memory, pregnancy looks different on everyone. Weight gain and pregnancy shapes and sizes is far from a “one size fits all” kind of situation.
In addition to pre-pregnancy size, torso length, and number of pregnancies, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and food aversions can also contribute to why someone isn’t gaining weight as quickly during pregnancy.
Try to focus on putting healthy food in your body, if and when you feel up to eating, and staying hydrated. While your weight should be taken at each prenatal appointment, if you have concerns about your weight gain timeline, be sure to bring them up with your provider.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
More Week 20 Info
20 weeks pregnant ultrasound
This is typically when most women have their anatomy scan! The anatomy scan is completed somewhere between weeks 18 – 22 weeks so don’t panic if yours isn’t this week.
Also called a level 2 ultrasound, the anatomy scan is a super exciting, and sometimes a little scary, milestone! The sonographer will take a deep look into things like baby’s health, organ development, growth, and screen for some of the more common issues that can be spotted before birth.
A very exciting time because you get to check on baby and see lots of ultrasound pictures (maybe even learn baby’s sex!!) but also a bit scary because it’s the time when you might learn about possible defects, delays, or other abnormalities.
Just remember, early intervention, education, and knowledge are key to giving baby the best possible outcome.
For lots more information and details about what to expect at your anatomy scan, be sure to read this article!
20 week ultrasound 3D
A lot of women are drawn to the idea of a 3D ultrasound because they produce sharper and clearer images of your little one. Performed just like any other abdominal ultrasound, a 3D ultrasound is typically not covered by insurance because it’s considered elective and not medically necessary.
You can get a 3D ultrasound as early as 13 weeks but the recommended timeframe to have one done is 26 – 34 weeks for better visualization of facial features.
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOUR BUMP?
12 Weeks Pregnant Belly
TIPS & RESOURCES FOR WEEK 20
Tips for 20 Weeks Pregnant
- Invest in a belly support band – my personal favorite
- Do some research on baby nurseries to figure out what you might want
- Start documenting your bump with a weekly picture – I used the Baby Story: Pregnancy Pictures app during my pregnancies
- Purchase a pregnancy pillow – I have a couple on my Amazon Storefront to help you narrow your search
- Start thinking about that baby registry
- Start thinking a babymoon if you plan on taking one
- It’s never too early to start looking into childcare options – trust me on this one, mama, preschools and daycares fill up fast
- Make a point to check in with your mental health – it’s never too early to start doing this and mama, you sure deserve it
- Treat yourself to a prenatal massage or pedicure this week – you have earned it mama
- Begin researching birth classes – there are SO MANY out there but I actually have online birth classes available for you to take from the comfort of your own home! Learn more about my online birthing classes today
- Sign up for my free second trimester prep pack to receive my second trimester checklist, baby registry checklist, and old wives’ tales checklist!
- Sign up for MLN weekly pregnancy updates to stay up to date on everything going on with your pregnancy. So much good information and it’s all free!
TIPS & RESOURCES
Blog Articles
TIPS & RESOURCES
Podcast Episodes
