how often the child should move, what happens to the baby and mother

Adam December 29, 2021 0 Comments

Pregnancy 20 weeks - fetal development and woman's sensations

Child’s age – 18th week (seventeen full), pregnancy – 20th obstetric week (nineteen full).

You have successfully completed the half. Congratulations! And although some new unpleasant sensations can darken your condition, do not be discouraged. Your baby is growing under your heart, for this it is worth enduring all the unpleasant moments.

What does 20 weeks mean?

This means you are in obstetric week 20, week 18 from conception and week 16 from delay. You are in your fifth month.

The content of the article:

Feelings of a woman in the 20th week

It has been 18 weeks since conception and your pregnancy is already visible. By this time, both the internal state and the appearance are improving.

Your waist is no longer a waist at all, and your tummy is already like a bun… In addition, your belly button may protrude and look like a button on your tummy. Naturally, the volume of the hips will also increase;
Your foot may also grow in size. due to edema;
Vision may deteriorate, but do not panic, after childbirth everything will return to normal;
The upper edge of the uterus is just below the level of the navel;
The growing uterus presses on the lungs, and on the stomach, and on the kidneys: hence there may be shortness of breath, dyspepsia, frequent urge to urinate;
It is possible that the uterus presses so much on your abdomen that the navel sticks out a little, like a button;
Brownish or red streaks appear: this stretch marks;
You may feel a general loss of energy due to low blood pressure;
During this period, appear light mucous discharge in small quantities;
A frequent occurrence during this period may be nosebleed… This is due to increased blood circulation;
Dizziness and fainting are also common, and this is also associated with low blood pressure.

You can feel your baby moving for the first time! These sensations are very peculiar and difficult to describe accurately. Usually, they are compared to mild trembling, fluttering in the abdomen, but also similar to elbow bumps, gas movement in the intestines, gurgling of liquid.

The child moves almost all the time, only some of the movements are not felt by the mother, and some are so strong that you can hear them. The most active movements of the child are at night, during your sleep. A calm position of the mother and a fresh dose of energy can activate it, therefore, in order to feel the movements of the child, it is worth drinking a glass of milk and lying down;
Most mothers experience an emotional uplift, because half have already passed safely;
This week from the chest colostrum may be excreted;
The joyous event this month, both for you and for your husband, will be the renewed sexual desire. Hormonal changes in life greatly increase both desire itself and sex in general. Sex during this period is safe, but it is better to first check with the doctor if there are any contraindications in your particular case.

What are the women saying on the forums?

Marina:

When I first felt the stirring of my baby, I was driving home from work in a minibus. I was so scared and glad at the same time that I grabbed the hand of the man sitting next to me. Fortunately, he was the age of my father and supported my impulse by taking my hand. I was so happy that it was beyond words.

Olga:

I just couldn’t get enough of my reflection in the mirror. I have always been thin, but now I have roundness, my chest has grown, my tummy has rounded. My husband and I began our second honeymoon, because my desire was unpredictable and frequent.

Katia:

I don’t remember anything special during this period. Everything was the same as a few weeks before. This was my second pregnancy, so my daughter was most happy, she was 5 years old. He often listened to how her brother lived in the stomach and read him bedtime stories.

Veronica:

Week 20 brought a great mood and a feeling of a second wind. For some reason I really wanted to create, paint and sing. We constantly listened to Mozart and Vivaldi, and the baby fell asleep to my lullabies.

Mila:

I went on maternity leave and went to my mother at sea. How pleasant it was to eat various fruits and vegetables, drink fresh milk, walk along the shore and breathe the sea air. During that period, I improved my health well, and I myself recovered. The kid was born a hero, for sure, my trip affected.

Fetal development at week 20

Some peoples believe that during this period the child has a soul. He already hears, and his favorite sound is your heartbeat. This week he is half the height he will have at birth. Now its length from the crown to the sacrum is 14-16 cm, and its weight is about 260 g.

Now you can distinguish the sound of the heart without the help of sophisticated equipment, but only with the help of a listening tube – a stethoscope;
Hair begins to grow on the head, nails appear on the toes and handles;
Begins laying of molars;
This week, the baby’s skin thickens, becomes four-layered;
Baby already distinguishes between morning, day and night and begins to be active at a certain time of the day;
He already knows how to suck a finger and swallow amniotic fluid, play with the umbilical cord;
The crumbs have a little eyes open;
The unborn child is very active. He can react to external sounds;
If the pregnancy is proceeding normally and the unborn child is comfortable, then his feelings may be accompanied by specific images of the phenomena of the real world: a blossoming garden, a rainbow, etc. These images arise under the influence of information received by his mother;
A primordial lubricant appears on the baby’s skin – a white fatty substance that protects the skin of the fetus in the uterus. The original lubricant is retained on the skin by the original lanugo fluff: it is especially abundant around the eyebrows;
The appearance of the fruit becomes more attractive… His skin continues to be wrinkled;
Its nose acquires a sharper outline, and ears increase in size and take their final shape;
The future baby the formation of the immune system ends… This means that it can now defend itself against certain infections;
The formation of the parts of the brain ends, the formation of grooves and convolutions on its surface.

Recommendations and advice to the expectant mother

Ultrasound. You will find out the gender of your unborn child! Ultrasound is performed for a period of 20-24 weeks… It will allow you to get a good look at your baby, and you will finally know its gender. However, keep in mind that even an experienced ultrasound diagnostician can make a mistake;
Also the volume of amniotic fluid is assessed (polyhydramnios or low water is equally bad for the expectant mother). The specialist will also carefully examine the placenta, find out in which part of the uterus it is attached. If the placenta is too low, the woman may be advised to lie down for sparing. Sometimes the placenta overlaps the pharynx. In this case, it is recommended to have a cesarean section;
A female fetus is less active in the uterus than a male fetus… However, the cerebral cortex develops faster in future girls than in future boys. But the brain mass of boys is about 10% more than that of girls;
Make sure your posture is correctso as not to overload the lumbar spine;
Be sure to listen to your inner feelings and try to get more rest.
Wear shoes with low, wide heels;
Sleep on a firm mattress, and when standing up, do not roll onto your side.… First, lower both legs to the floor, and then lift the body with your hands;
Try to keep your arms out of the way in a raised position.…
Now is not the time to experiment with hair. Avoid dyeing, curling, as well as dramatic changes in the haircut;
From about the 20th week, doctors advise expectant mothers to wear a bandage. Check with your doctor about this!
Keep in touch with your wonderful baby!
Well, in order to cheer up, get rid of resentment and calm down, draw!
Right now purchase a prenatal bandage… You can wear a prenatal bandage from the 4th to 5th month. It is important to choose the right size and style. Then he will gently support the growing belly, relieve the load from the back, reduce the load on the internal organs, blood vessels, and help the child to take the correct position in utero. In addition, the bandage protects the muscles and skin of the abdomen from overstretching, preventing and thereby reducing the likelihood of stretch marks and skin laxity. There are also medical indications for wearing a bandage: diseases of the spine and kidneys, back pain, threat of interruption, etc. Before buying a bandage, consult your doctor about the appropriateness of wearing it, as well as about the model and features of the bandage you need;
Alternatively, you can buy bandage panties… The bandage panties are very popular among pregnant women, it is easy and quick to put on, it fits well on the figure and does not stand out under clothes. The bandage is made in the form of panties with a dense and wide elastic band with a belt that runs along the back, and in front – under the belly. This provides the necessary support without crushing. As the tummy is rounded, the tape will stretch. The bandage of the panties has a high waistline, completely covers the abdomen, without putting pressure on it. Special reinforced knitting in the form of a central vertical strip fixes the navel area;
Also you may need prenatal bandage tape… This bandage is an elastic band that is put on underwear and is fixed with Velcro under the belly or on the side (therefore, the bandage can be adjusted by choosing the required degree of tightening). A wide (about 8 cm) and dense support tape will give a better effect and less deformation when worn (roll, gather in folds, cut into the body). Antenatal bandage tape is especially convenient in summer. It will give your tummy the support it needs without getting hot in the bandage. In addition, even under light clothing, he will remain invisible to others.