What Can U Tell About a Baby at 20 Weeks

What'due south happening in my body?

You may have your anomaly scan this calendar week. The sonographer will exist checking your baby'south evolution and volition as well examine your placenta (that'due south the pancake-shaped organ that feeds your baby and removes waste material).

You might detect yourself being woken upward at night by sudden sharp pains in your calves. It'southward probably cramp, which is common in pregnancy and caused by muscular spasms. Rub the muscle hard or pull your toes up towards your talocrural joint. Exercising more in the day could aid you lot avoid this and you could try these human foot exercises.

Whooping coughing jab

Whooping cough is on the ascension – but you lot can protect your babe from this dangerous condition by having a vaccination. The NHS recommends that all pregnant women should have the jab, ideally between 16 and 32 weeks. The immunity that you get volition be passed on to your baby through the placenta and then offer protection until the routine jab that nearly babies have at 2 months. Find out more well-nigh the whooping coughing vaccination.

Your Motherhood Certificate

Ask your medico or midwife for a Maternity Document, also known equally a MAT B1 form. Information technology's issued from 20 weeks onwards, and yous'll demand it to merits maternity pay and benefits.

Second trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 20 weeks)

Your signs of pregnancy this week could include:

• tiredness and sleeping problems
• stretch marks
• bloated and bleeding gums
• pains on the side of your belly, caused by your expanding womb (known every bit "circular ligament pains")
• headaches
• nosebleeds
• bloating and constipation
• indigestion and heartburn
• sore breasts
• leg cramps
• feeling hot
• dizziness
• bloated easily and feet
• urine infections
• vaginal infections
• darkened skin on your confront or brown patches – this is known every bit chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
• greasier, spotty skin
• thicker and shinier hair
• symptoms from earlier weeks, such equally morning sickness, weird pregnancy cravings, a heightened sense of smell, mood swings, a white milky pregnancy discharge from your vagina and light spotting (seek medical advice for any bleeding)

Tommy'southward, the baby charity, has a further list of common symptoms.

What does my babe look similar?

Your baby, or foetus, is around 25.6cm long, which is the size of a banana. Measurements are at present taken from head to heel. In before weeks, babies are measured from the head to the bottom because the legs are curled up and hard to encounter. Your infant weighs effectually 300g. That'south approximately the weight of three apples.

Your baby is now covered in a white, greasy layer of "vernix". It'south thought that this protects their delicate peel from drying out in the amniotic fluid. This slippery layer also helps babies to make their fashion down the birth canal.

Your babe will be getting more active each day. As well as kicking, punching and turning around, your infant could be sucking their pollex – this develops their sucking reflex, which they'll need to feed once they're built-in.

You may outset to feel a bubbling or fluttering in your belly – this could be your baby moving effectually.

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This week you could:

You don't accept to tell your employer for several more weeks, simply as before long every bit yous practice, you will have maternity rights and can attend antenatal appointments during paid piece of work fourth dimension. You can likewise ask for a hazard assessment of your piece of work place. If you want to look, the latest you can leave it is fifteen weeks before the babe is due, which is around calendar week 25. It will probably be rather obvious by then anyway!

It's a skilful fourth dimension to tone up those muscles "downwards under". Gentle exercises can assistance to foreclose leakage when you laugh, sneeze or cough. Get the muscles going by pretending that you're having a wee and stopping midflow. Visit Tommy's for more ideas.

Enquire your midwife or doctor near online antenatal classes – they may be able to recommend ane. The charity Tommy's has lots of useful information on antenatal classes and preparing yous for birth.

Ask your partner if they would like to have part in the antenatal classes. Even if you've had children before, they're still worth going to every bit you tin meet other parents-to-exist. The NCT offers online antenatal classes with small groups of people that live locally to you.

We can usually get enough vitamin D from sunlight, but between October and March information technology's all-time to take a vitamin D supplement every twenty-four hours. Only ten micrograms is all yous need (it'south the same for grown-ups and kids). It'due south worth checking if you're entitled to complimentary vitamins.

It's recommended that meaning women do 150 minutes of exercise throughout the week. You could start off with simply 10 minutes of daily practise - perhaps take a brisk walk outside. Check out Sport England's #StayInWorkOut online exercises (ringlet to the pregnancy department). Listen to your torso and practise what feels correct for y'all.

Don't eat for two! Eat for you. You don't need whatever extra calories until the third trimester, which starts in week 28. Try to eat healthily, with plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and avoid candy, fatty and salty foods. You lot may be able to get costless milk, fruit and veg through the Healthy Showtime scheme.

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Source: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/2nd-trimester/week-20/