Welcome and congratulations on the 17th to 20th weeks of pregnancy. It means you have completed half the journey of your pregnancy. You feel a bit clumsier than usual. Your body is also changing, with potential symptoms like a growing belly, stretch marks, and a linea nigra. Let us discuss what physical/emotional changes in these weeks.
Physical Changes/Emotional Changes :
Breathing Issue: Sometimes, shortness of breath due to the pushing of the diaphragm when the uterus grows.
Baby Bump: The baby bump becomes more noticeable in these weeks or the upcoming weeks.
Stretches Belly: The skin on your abdomen stretches rapidly, which can cause dryness and itchiness.
Lower Back Pain: As your uterus expands, you feel discomfort due to the sitting or phase lower back pain issue.
Leg Cramps: Painful cramps in the calves, especially at night, can occur.
Increased Appetite: You may suddenly feel hungrier, or it may occur after some time, as your body supports your growing baby.
Skin Changes: A Mask of pregnancy on your face, and new stretch marks may appear on your abdomen, breasts, and thighs.
What’s Happening with Baby?
To learn more details about the baby, the doctor performs an anatomy scan (usually between 18 and 22 weeks). During this scan, various things are observed, such as the baby being covered in a protective white coating called vernix caseosa.
Week 17: In this stage, the baby’s size looks like that of a pomegranate or a pear. Baby sucking their thumb or fingers, which is great practice for nursing or bottle-feeding after birth.
Week 18: The size of the baby is kind of a bell pepper, 5.5 inches. As your uterus expands, it pulls and stretches ligaments, which can cause occasional sharp pains or a dull ache in your lower abdomen, and most pregnant women also experience back pain.
Week 19: The size of a baby is a large heirloom tomato, measuring around 6 inches skin is still very thin and translucent, but fine.
Week 20: Congratulations, you are 20 weeks pregnant. Omg, this week, your baby looks like a banana. Scalp hair and tiny fingernails, and toenails are starting to grow. Movements are getting stronger. An Anatomy scan gives a strong idea of the baby’s major organs, measures growth, checks the placenta, and confirms the due date.
Related Blogs :
- Pregnancy Week By Week | 4th Week of Pregnancy | (Month 1) | First Trimester
- 5th to 8th Week of Pregnancy (Month 2) – First Trimester
- 9th Week to 12th Week Pregnancy (Month 3) – First Trimester
- 13th Week to 16th Week Pregnancy (Month 4) – Second Trimester
