Pregnancy Diary

Archive for the ‘Pregnancy Week 21’ Category

Your Baby Growth and Development

Your baby is approximately 27-30 cm (11 inches) and weighs about three quarters of a pound.Almost all of your baby’s nourishment, however, still comes from you through the placenta.

The beginnings of what is commonly called “brown fat” is just starting to fill in to help your baby retain some body heat, which is crucial as they’re not yet capable of regulating their own body temperature. Your baby is beginning to show evidence of eyebrows and eyelashes and the hair on his scalp is much more visible.

Your baby is still able to move about inside the amniotic fluid and will only settle down towards the end of this trimester, where it will turn and settle in a head down position.
Growth is starting to slow down and the heartbeat is starting to get stronger. Legs will also be reaching their relative proportions. Baby’s liver and spleen have been responsible for the production of blood cells. The bone marrow spaces are now developed enough to contribute to blood cell formation as well.

their thin soft skin is very red, rather translucent, and a bit wrinkled. Not to worry, it’s not a premature aging disease. It’s just their clever little body setting them up with extra space that will smooth out once your little one starts packing on the baby-fat.

Mom during Pregnancy Calendar Week 21

Average weight gain is about 10 – 15 pounds; but again, don’t be concerned if you are a little off. As long as you are eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water, don’t pay too much attention to the calories or numbers on the scale.

Most moms are feeling pretty good right about now, hormone levels have stabilized. But you may still be experiencing constipation, indigestion, heartburn, occasional headaches, round ligament pains, stretch marks, itching, or frequent urination. Funnily enough, you may already be noticing some mild uterine contractions—don’t panic, this is completely normal.

Your ankles and feet may be swelling or be swollen by the end of the day. The water you drink will help so be sure to get plenty. Also, plan to rest for at least 30 minutes with your feet up in the evening. Some women start to develop varicose veins that may appear as painless blue or purple spots on the legs, also appear as swollen and painful veins that require elevation.

At this point in your pregnancy, you may also notice that your palms seem to be red and itchy. This pregnancy symptom occurs in over 60 percent of white women and about 30 percent of black women. It’s caused by fluctuating hormone levels and doesn’t indicate a problem. The redness should fade shortly after delivery and the itching can be relieved with a moisturizing cream.

Common Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 21

• Breast Changes: tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
• Frequent Urination
• Constipation
• Heartburn or Indigestion
• Headaches
• Stretch Marks
• Itching
• Round Ligament Pains

pregnant in week 21 have commonly asked Questions:

Can I eat fish while I’m pregnant?

Actually, there are benefits and risks to eating fish. Eating fish is good for your heart, but eating certain types of fish can be harmful.Read more…

Choosing The Right foods during pregnancy?
Choosing the right foods is important because you will be able to loose weight more quickly after delivery if you manage your diet during pregnancy.
There are many things that you can do to improve your diet and ensure that you gain a minimal but healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.
Read more…

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Choosing the right foods is important because you will be able to loose weight more quickly after delivery if you manage your diet during pregnancy.

There are many things that you can do to improve your diet and ensure that you gain a minimal but healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.
Tip #1
Choose whole foods that are dense in nutrients, don’t include waffles and pancakes! Think wild rice, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.
Tip #2
Drink extra water. You’ll be thirstier than normal anyway during pregnancy. Drinking water helps flush toxins from your system and helps prevent excessive edema. Believe it or not you can actually fight weight gain associated with edema if you drink more water!
Tip #3
Add calories during the second trimester. Eating for two doesn’t literally mean eating for two. In fact during your first trimester your baby is about the size of a small bean! Most women don’t actually need to start adding 300 calories a day to their diet until the second and third trimesters.
Tip #4
Be sure you get a serving of protein, carbohydrate and fat at every meal. It will help you if you break your meals into six mini meals per day. This will help rev up your metabolism. Next be sure that you eat some protein, carbohydrate and fat at each mini meal session. This will help nourish your body more completely and help prevent cravings later in the day.
Tip #5
Choose foods high in fiber. High fiber foods will help fill you up when you are ravenous during pregnancy, and they will also help relieve constipation and help you feel great! A high fiber diet is good for anyone, whether or not they are pregnant.

Actually, there are benefits and risks to eating fish. Eating fish is good for your heart, but eating certain types of fish can be harmful.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain high-quality protein, other essential nutrients, and omega-3 fatty acids, and fish are low in saturated fat. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to a healthy heart and to healthy, well-developed children. But nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury, that can be harmful, especially to unborn babies and young children whose nervous systems are still developing. The risks depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the seafood.

Women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children should avoid the types of fish and shellfish with higher levels of mercury and eat only those that have lower levels.