how often the child should move. How many months is it?

So you have come to the finish line. A period of 21 weeks is a kind of equator (middle), this corresponds to 19 weeks of fetal development. So, you are in the sixth month, and you are probably already used to light floundering and movement in your stomach (these sensations will accompany you until childbirth).

The content of the article:

Feelings of a woman in the 21st week

Twenty-first obstetric week – opening of the second half of pregnancy. Half of the difficult but pleasant path has already been passed. In the twenty-first week, it is hardly possible to find any constantly disturbing discomfort, however, there are periodic painful sensations, which are compensated by one pleasant one (distinct movements of the baby in the tummy):

• Pulls the stomach (reason: tension of the ligaments of the uterus and expansion of the pelvis);
• The appearance of hemorrhoids and bleeding from the anus;
• Back pain;
• Profuse vaginal discharge;
• The appearance of colostrum;
• Less painful contractions Breston Hicks (this phenomenon does not harm either the mother or the child. Most likely, these are the so-called “training” contractions. If they are too painful for you, see your doctor);
• Increased appetite (will accompany the expectant mother up to 30 weeks);
• Shortness of breath;
• Frequent use of the toilet, especially at night;
• Heartburn;
• Swelling of the legs.

As for external changes, they take place here:

• A sharp increase in weight (about half of the weight that you have already gained);
• Enhanced hair and nail growth;
• Increased sweating;
• Increased leg size;
• The appearance of stretch marks.

What do they write on the forums?

Irina:

So we got to 21 weeks. Thank God, I began to feel like a person, although sometimes I feel unwell. The mood is changeable. Now everything and everything enrages, then again a smile on all 32 teeth, especially when the baby is moving!

Masha:

We already have 21 weeks. We have a boy!
I think I put on a lot of weight and it worries me, but the doctor said that everything is normal. Sleep problems recurred. Every two hours I wake up to the toilet, and then I can’t sleep.

Alina:

We have recently been for an ultrasound scan! The husband is just in seventh heaven with happiness that we have a son! I feel like in a fairy tale. There is only one “but” – problems with the chair. I just can’t go to the toilet. Hellish pains and occasional blood!

Albina:

My tummy is very small, my weight gain is only 2 kg, but the doctor says that everything is fine. Toxicosis just recently left me alone, but I don’t feel like eating at all. I eat mostly fruits and vegetables! It often pulls my back, but I lie down a little and everything is fine.

Katia:

There is something strange with appetite, I want to eat as if from a hungry edge, then I do not want anything. The weight gain is already 7 kg! The toddler moves very often, and the folder has already been heard! We will soon find out who God has awarded us with!

Nastya:

I have already gained 4 kg, now I weigh 54! I began to eat a lot. I can’t live a day without sweets! I try to walk often so as not to gain that weight that is not needed at all! Our puzzler often moves and kicks!

What happens in the mother’s body at 21 weeks?

This is a relatively calm period, in contrast to the first three months of waiting for the baby.

• An additional circle of blood circulation appears – the placental, through which the placenta can pass up to 0.5 ml of blood every minute;
• The uterus is enlarged;
• The bottom of the uterus gradually rises, and the uppermost edge reaches a position 1.2 cm above the navel;
• The mass of the heart muscle increases;
• The volume of blood circulating in the body increases by an average of 35% relative to the norm of the average non-pregnant woman.

Fetal development at 21 weeks

Fruit appearance:

• Your child is already growing to an impressive size of 18-28 cm, and already weighs about 400 grams;
• The skin becomes smoother and acquires a natural color due to the subcutaneous fatty tissue;
• The baby’s body becomes more rounded;
• The formation of eyebrows and cilia is finally completed (he already knows how to blink);
• The rudiments of milk teeth are already appearing in the gums.

Formation and functioning of organs and systems:

• The internal organs of the fetus by week 21 complete their formation, but they are not yet debugged;
• Almost all endocrine glands are already performing their functions: the pituitary gland, pancreas, thyroid, adrenal glands, and gonads;
• The spleen is included in the work;
• The central nervous system (CNS) is improving and the child is awake during the period of activity and rests during the period of sleep;
• The digestive system is developed so much that the baby can swallow amniotic fluid, and the stomach, in turn, separates water and sugar from them and passes it all the way to the rectum;
• Gustatory papillae develop in the tongue of the stomach; very soon the baby will be able to distinguish sweet from salty, bitter from sour. (Attention: the taste of amniotic fluid is directly related to the mother’s nutrition. If the mother is fond of sweets, then the liquid will be sweet, and the baby will grow up to be sweet);
• Leukocytes are formed, which are responsible for protecting the baby from infections;
• The kidneys are already able to pass up to 0.5 ml of filtered fluid, which is excreted in the form of urine;
• All “extra” elements begin to accumulate in the large intestine, turning into meconium;
• The lagoon continues to grow on the baby’s head.

Ultrasound at week 21

With ultrasound at 21 weeks, the size of the child is approximately the size of a fairly large banana… The size of the baby completely depends on the physique of the mother (it is unlikely that a miniature mother can have a large child). With the help of ultrasound at week 21, you can find out who you are expecting in the near future: a boy or a girl. It is at 21 weeks that you will be able to see your baby at full length on the screen for the last time (later, the baby will not fit on the screen). You may notice that the baby’s legs have become much longer. Due to the growth of the lower limbs, the entire body of the child looks proportional.

Video: ultrasound in the 21st week of pregnancy

With an ultrasound scan at 21 weeks, all the necessary measurements of the fetus are mandatory.

For clarity, it provides you the norm of the size of the fetus:

• BPD (biparietal size) – the size between the temporal bones – 46-56 mm.
• LZ (frontal-occipital size) – 60-72 mm.
• OG (fetal head circumference) – 166-200 mm.
• Coolant (fetal abdominal circumference) – 137 -177 mm.

The norm of the size of the bones of the fetus:

• Femur 32-40 mm,
• Humerus 29-37 mm,
• Forearm bones 24-32 mm,
• Shin bones 29-37 mm.

Photo of the fetus, photo of the mother’s abdomen and video at 21 weeks

Video: What happens at the 21st week of pregnancy?

Recommendations and advice for the expectant mother

• As the fruit begins to grow vigorously, you you need to increase the calorie content of your diet by 500 kcal… The required daily calorie intake for a woman at a given time is 2800 – 3000 kcal… You need to increase the calorie content of your diet at the expense of dairy products, fruits, vegetables, easily digestible meat and fish. Read the article on pregnancy tastes if you are drawn to new foods.
• You need to eat 6 times a day in small portions… The last meal should take place no later than 3 hours before bedtime;
• Do not overuse fatty, spicy and overly salty foods to avoid harm to your baby. Keep in mind that you are already asking your child about future eating habits;
• Legs in the sixth month can swell and hurt, so you need to take the choice of shoes with all responsibility. Walk barefoot at home, and on the street wear sneakers or any shoes without heels;
• Clothing should not contain synthetics and should be loose, not obstructing breathing;
• New underwear needs to be purchased. Any item of underwear should be cotton;
• The bra should not squeeze the chest and interfere with free breathing;
• To support a sharply growing tummy, purchase a bandage;
• Limit physical activity, try to explain to your loved ones about the need to take on some household chores;
• Make sure that your menu includes the required amount of vegetable fiber to avoid constipation;
• In order to avoid additional pressure on the veins of the rectum, try to choose a comfortable sleeping position. Sleeping on your side is ideal.…
• Do not sit up for a long time and do not stand;
• Do not strain during bowel movements – otherwise cracks may form;
• Do Kegel exercises to stabilize circulation in the pelvis;
• EVERY TIME after a bowel movement wash from front to back;
• If you still have discharge, use panty liners and change your underwear as often as possible;
• Have sex in positions in which you cannot harm yourself or your baby. Avoid poses in which the man is on top.;
• Avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety. If your doctor says that everything is going well, then it is so;
• At 21 weeks, your baby hears everything that happens and feels what you feel, so avoid quarrels and scandals. Sit down and read him a book at night or sing a lullaby;
• If you have not yet had time to feel the movement of the crumbs, consult your doctor;
• Count the number of fetal movements using the Cardiff method. Fine for 12 hours of activity, a woman should feel at least 10 movements;
• Go to the store to shop for your baby, later it will be even harder for you to flutter around the city in search of this or that wardrobe item;
• Week 21 is the time of the next scheduled ultrasound scan. Decide if you want to know the gender of your baby or if you want it to be a surprise.

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