Your Pregnancy at Week 20
by Your Baby ClubYou’ve made it halfway!
Put the baby on the scales and you will see a weight of around 300g and measure 23cm - getting bigger by the day! You should have your 20-week anomaly scan booked for this week which will take a good look at your baby’s internal organs and growth and you’ll finally be able to find out whether you’re having a boy or a girl!
If you’re having a girl, their uterus and ovaries are fully formed. If you’re having a boy, his testicles have begun to descend into the scrotum which is still under construction at this point. Otherwise, lots of activity going on inside that growing tummy of yours. If you lie down and relax you may even be able to see as your baby swims around.
Your baby is swallowing and excreting every day which helps with the development of the digestive system. Meconium, which is your baby’s first poo, is forming in the digestive system and is made up of dead skin cells, amniotic fluid and digestive secretions. This will be passed in the first couple of days following your baby’s arrival and will be black with a tar-like consistency.
Halfway and you may be starting to feel a little breathless as your uterus pushes up towards your lungs and pushes your abdomen forward making your bump more prominent.
Throughout pregnancy, your red blood volume increases significantly and you are at risk of becoming anaemic so ensure that your diet includes a good source of iron, as this is needed for haemoglobin which carries the oxygen around your body. Lima beans, kidney beans and green leafy vegetables are all high in iron.
Now is a great time to get booked onto you your chosen antenatal course if you haven’t done so already. We, of course, recommend Let’s Talk Birth and Baby, with our Official Midwife Louise Broadbridge.
