Archive for the ‘Pregnancy Week 20’ Category
Pregnancy Calendar Week 20
Now that you’re halfway through your pregnancy. At this stage, your health care provider may recommend that you get an ultrasound, that usually done around the twentieth week of pregnancy and are used to determine the size and position of the fetus , uncover any structural abnormalities of bones and organs that are visible by this time and he sex of your babyhe sex of your baby.
Your Baby Growth and Development
This week, your fetus weighs around 10.6 ounces (300 grams) and measures just over 6 inches (15.3 centimeters) from crown to rump and has the same sleep and awake cycles as a newborn.
Now your baby’s skin is thickening under the vernix caseosa (this is a protective, waxy coating). The skin is also developing layers which include the dermis, epidermis and subcutaneous layer. Baby’s hair and nails also continue to grow this week. Their limbs have reached their relative proportions—no more alien baby! Their cute pink lips are more defined, and might be helping out in a bit of prenatal thumb-sucking. What’s more, eyelashes and eyebrows are also visible.
Your baby’s ears are fully functional now and he enjoys the sound of uterine noise. Your baby has started to practice breathing motions, even though his lungs are not yet mature enough to breathe enough air to allow him to survive outside your body.
He’s big enough that you should be feeling fluttering or quickening quite regularly now. It continues to grow, there will be more pressure put on mom’s lungs, stomach, kidneys and bladder.
Mom during Pregnancy Calendar Week 20
A few interesting things may happen during when you are 20 weeks pregnant. your uterus is pressing outwards and up, your may discover that your belly button “pops out.” Don’t worry – it’s not permanent. It will be an ‘outy’ until your baby drops down into the pelvic area.
Some moms report a little trouble breathing, or taking deep breaths, as their lungs become cramped with the internal organs. While not a serious complication, it can be uncomfortable. Once your baby drops or engages into the pelvis (which happens about four to six weeks before your due date) this will be relieved.
You may also notice that the line between your navel and pubic hair has darkened. This is completely normal and the line will fade after you deliver.
Common Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 20
• Breast Changes: tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
• Frequent Urination
• Constipation
• Heartburn or Indigestion
• Headaches
• Stretch Marks
• Itching
pregnant in week 20 have commonly asked Questions:
What is Placenta Previa?
Placenta Previa is one of the most common problems spotted at the 20 week ultrasound. Placenta previa that a potentially dangerous condition is where the placenta is nearby, or actually covering some or all of the cervix. It blocks baby’s way out, requiring a cesarean section to deliver the baby. And more seriously, as the cervix dilates towards the end of pregnancy, the placenta can be torn and bleed, which can be life-threatening to mom and baby.Read more…
Should I start Saving for Baby’s College Now?
This is the very best time to realize that you should start saving for your baby’s eventual college education. You have many years before your Little Genius starts comparing different options for college.Read more…
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Should I start Saving for Baby’s College Now?
This is the very best time to realize that you should start saving for your baby’s eventual college education. You have many years before your Little Genius starts comparing different options for college.
Suppose you only put $30 a month away in your baby’s college savings account, but you do it from the month your child is born. $30 is an amount that most people can manage easily and without really missing the money at all. That $30 per month over a period of eighteen years will grow to an impressive amount, even at a modest rate of return. For example, at an interest rate of 4%, the $30 a month will grow to nearly $9500 in eighteen years. That’s an impressive amount of money for a monthly deposit that you probably won’t even notice being gone from your expendable income. You’re earning money on money you’ve already earned. This is how even the most modest savings account can grow exponentially over the years.
If your income allows, you can always increase the $30 to $100 a month and you’re child’s college fund will be close to $32,000 by the time he graduates from high school.
Be sure that you put the money into an account that is specifically designed for college savings because there are tax advantages to these accounts. You have plenty of options available to you – such as educational IRAs and state-sponsored prepaid tuition programs – so be sure to do some research and speak to a representative at your financial institution to find out which option is best for your situation.
What is Placenta Previa?
Placenta Previa is one of the most common problems spotted at the 20 week ultrasound. Placenta previa that a potentially dangerous condition is where the placenta is nearby, or actually covering some or all of the cervix. It blocks baby’s way out, requiring a cesarean section to deliver the baby. And more seriously, as the cervix dilates towards the end of pregnancy, the placenta can be torn and bleed, which can be life-threatening to mom and baby.
Complete or partial placenta previa, where the placenta covers at least a quarter, or even all of the cervix, occurs in around 1 in 200 pregnancies, and requires careful monitoring by your doctor. And more common is a marginal placenta previa, where the placenta is close by, or touching the cervix, but not actually covering it.
At 20 weeks, when the placenta is relatively large compared to the size of the uterus, many women appear to have placenta previa. The ultrasound technician will note the position of the placenta, so your doctor is aware and can discuss it with you. The doctor will probably tell you to avoid intercourse, heavy lifting, and strenuous activity. Your husband will be thrilled that he has to do the vacuuming instead of sex.
The good news is that for most women who have marginal placenta previa at 20 weeks, as your uterus grows, the placenta gets further from the cervix and you’ll likely be given the all-clear to get back to normal activities by 24-28 weeks. Your doctor will schedule another ultrasound to check the position of the placenta at that time. If the placenta is now clear of the cervix, then vaccuming, etcetera are back on.
If you are pregnant, and experience any vaginal bleeding, get checked by a doctor asap. If you have been told you have, or may have placenta previa, it is important to let the doctor who examines you know, as they will need to take extra precautions when they examine you to avoid causing any damage to your placenta.