20 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby has had a HUGE jump in growth and by now you will be feeling pregnant! It’s all happening mumma, embrace these fabulous new changes!

Babys Development

• At week 20 weeks of pregnancy, your baby will now be about 23 cm in length from head to toe. From now on, the top of your uterus will grow 1 cm per week towards your rib cage – your care provider will measure this with a tape measure at each appointment.
• As your baby’s digestive system continues to develop, he or she will be swallowing more and as a result will produce meconium, a sticky, dark substance stored in the bowels, which you will see in the first dirty nappy!
• Your incredibly intelligent body is now transferring immunities to your baby as their hair and nails grow and their muscles build. A white, creamy substance called vernix begins to cover your baby which protects the skin during its time in the fluid environment of the womb.

What’s Happening For You

• Yay! You’re halfway to meeting this new little soul! You may feel excitement as you reach this halfway mark in your pregnancy. You are starting to LOOK pregnant now. As your uterus and baby grow, you may notice some twinges in and around your hips, as your ligaments stretch.
• The quality of your sleep may be changing – you may experience strange dreams, start snoring and generally start to feel more uncomfortable.
• Try sleeping on your side with your knees bent and a pillow between your legs. As baby grows place another pillow under your belly and one behind your back for extra comfort and support. Or look for a specialist maternity body pillow.
• Leg cramps can be annoying and intense! To ease the cramp, straighten your leg and gently flex your toes back toward your shins or walk around for a few minutes. Spray-on magnesium can also help.
• If you suffer from heartburn or indigestion at night time, it can be uncomfortable to lie down so try propping yourself up with extra pillows in upright position – avoid foods that cause indigestion and ensure your last meal is at least 2 hours before bedtime.
• You may feel hot and sweaty at night, this is due to hormones – keep the bedroom cool (your partner may have to put another layer on!). When you get out of bed, make sure to roll to your side and use your arms to push yourself up, rather than using the core. Sometimes even when you’re exhausted, you just can’t sleep – try listening to some audio meditation tracks. Even if you don’t sleep, you and your baby will both benefit as your nervous systems is soothed.

Things To Consider

• If you haven’t yet already booked into a Hypnobirthing class – then get yourself organised! From this point on is a great time to start the 5 week course, leaving you lots of time to absorb the content and practice the techniques.
• Consider joining a specialised prenatal yoga course to help strengthen and open the body in preparation for birth. These classes are a great way to meet other expectant mums and learn safe alignment and modifications as your body continues to change. Read our in-house yoga experts blog on The Benefits of Using HypnoBirthing and Yoga in Pregnancy and Preparing for Birth.
• Are you happy that your care provider is willing to support you in your wishes for the birth that you’re hoping to achieve? If not, search for someone who is. Have you thought about hiring a doula? Even though your partner will or may be your main support, having a doula has so many benefits. Here’s a great blog to read about 3 Ways Doula’s Help Dads at Birth.
• Make sure you’re getting enough iron to meet the needs of your growing baby and placenta as well as your increasing blood volume. Foods rich in iron include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

Read more about what to expect next week.