Mothering Touch Blog - twenty weeks

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Twenty to Twenty Four Weeks Pregnant

Twenty to Twenty-Four Weeks Pregnant

You are perhaps still enjoying the glowing middle months of pregnancy. Your little bump is growing bigger and your hair is thicker and you don’t feel sick anymore.

How you might feel between twenty weeks and twenty-four weeks of pregnancy:

  • As your baby and your uterus grow, they may take up some of the space your lungs are used to enjoying. This can contribute to a feeling of breathlessness. Let your care provider know if it happens a lot.
  • For some women, lying on their back as their uterus gets bigger is very uncomfortable and causes nausea or unease because it makes their blood pressure drop. This is why women are told to sleep on their side. For other women, sleeping on their side is difficult because they are not used to it, or they cannot make it comfortable. There is no evidence that it is necessary to avoid sleeping on your back. For a reassuring post on this click here.
  • You may experience changes in skin pigmentation. Your nipples and areolas may become darker. You may develop dark patches on the skin of your face and a dark stripe down your tummy. These are made darker by exposure to the sun. They will fade again after your baby is born.

Things you may do between twenty weeks and twenty-four weeks of pregnancy:

  • You might want to start thinking about baby names. This might be a good time to start a list. Baby name books are available in the shops or at the library. And there are lots of resources on-line. BC Vital Statistics provides a fun gadget here.
  • Your baby can hear now. Talk to her! Sing to him! Read stories out loud. Beat little rhythms on your belly. See if you can tell what kind of music or stories your baby likes best. You don’t have to sing lullabies or read kids stories, unless you want to. You baby is just as likely to enjoy opera or jazz or heavy metal. And if you or your baby’s other parent read the newspaper or a text book or a novel out loud, you will find that you can tell from your baby’s movements that he or she is listening.
  • Some women worry about their weight gain. In this middle trimester, you do tend to gain weight faster than in the first three months. About 0.2-0.5kg per week (1/2 a pound to a pound.) Remember, healthy eating is what you should focus on, not controlling your weight.
  • You might want to start finding places to have naps. The library? Your car? On the floor in your office? Sleeping for 15-20 minutes after lunch is wonderfully refreshing. Lie down, set an alarm and practice deep, slow breathing.

 Between twenty weeks and twenty-four weeks of pregnancy, your care-provider will probably:

  • be seeing you every month at this stage
  • weigh you at each visit and discuss healthy weight gain
  • palpate and measure your abdomen
  • listen to the baby’s heart beat using a hand held Doppler ultrasound device
  • offer you a detailed ultrasound around 18 weeks to check for baby’s growth and development

Your care provider is one of your best sources of information.  Keep a list of questions to ask at your monthly appointments.

Things you can do for your health and your baby’s health:

  • You may start to feel a lot hungrier. Make sure that you choose healthy, nutrient-dense snacks. It’s a good idea to carry a little package of raw almonds, or some whole-grain crackers and cheese to help get through the day.
  • Wear your seatbelt. The lap belt should be under your belly, low on your hips. The shoulder belt should go between your breasts. Your seatbelt will keep you and your baby safe in the case of an accident.
  • Keep up with regular physical activity. Prenatal yoga classes will take the needs of your growing and changing body into account. And they are a great place to meet other pregnant women.
  • If you have not yet joined the Pregnancy Happy Hour on Fridays evenings at the Mothering Touch Centre come and try it out!

Resources:

Healthy Eating: www.healthlinkbc.ca
Prenatal Yoga: www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week
Songs and Rhymes for Baby: www.wordsforlife.org.uk

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Sixteen to Twenty Weeks Pregnant

 

Sixteen Weeks to Twenty Weeks Pregnant

This is the best part of pregnancy for most women. The nausea and fatigue of the First Trimester are over. You may have gotten used to the idea that a baby is growing inside. You’ve made a few – maybe a very few – lifestyle changes and you feel good about that. You may have told others about the pregnancy and this helps you to adjust to this new identity.

How you might feel between sixteen weeks and twenty weeks of pregnancy:

  • You may be “showing” now. A little baby “bump” may be a source of pride. Some women feel it says “I’m pregnant – I’m not just gaining weight.” Other women feel shy about the pregnancy becoming obvious.
  • Most women start to feel the baby moving sometime in this period. At first you may just wonder if those are bubbles in your gut. Soon, you will recognize those flutters are the movements of your baby.
  • Some women may feel short of breath at this time. Your lungs are increasing in capacity, but your baby is also growing and taking up space. Shortness of breath and dizziness may also be caused by low blood pressure. These are a normal part of pregnancy, but if they distress you or prevent you from functioning well, do talk to you care provider about them.

Things you may do between sixteen weeks and twenty weeks of pregnancy:

  • Plan for your maternity leave. You will also want to look into Employment Insurance coverage for your maternity and parental leave.
  • Buy some maternity clothes. Your pre-pregnancy clothes may have reached the limit. And you may want something new that says “I’m pregnant.”
  • You may find yourself thinking about what kind of a parent you want to be. This is a good time to talk with your partner (if you have one) and or your friends and family about parenting styles and philosophies. Some good books include: Becoming The Parent You Want To Be: A Sourcebook Of Strategies For The First Five Years, by Laura Davis and Parenting From The Inside Out, by Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell.
  • You may find yourself having very vivid (sometime scary) dreams. As your sleep is disrupted by the discomfort caused by your growing belly and your (seemingly) shrinking bladder, you are waking more often in the night and recalling more vividly, dreams which you might otherwise have forgotten. These dreams are common to pregnant women and reflect how seriously we take the changes that are coming in our lives.
  • Mood disorders – depression and anxiety – are just as common in pregnancy as in the postpartum period. Some sadness about the changes in your life, some sense of loss or anxiety about the future, these are normal feelings for this time in your life. If these feelings distress you or prevent you from functioning, do talk to your doctor or midwife about them. It is best to get help and support early.

 Between sixteen weeks and twenty weeks of pregnancy, your care-provider will probably:

  • be seeing you every month
  • weigh you at each visit and discuss healthy weight gain
  • palpate and measure your abdomen
  • listen to the baby’s heart beat using a hand held Doppler ultrasound device
  • offer you the option of having an ultrasound scan around 18-20 weeks.
  • In BC, ultrasound technicians are forbidden by law to identify the baby’s sex. If the baby’s genitals were visible, the sex will have been included in the report sent to your doctor or midwife. If you want to know, you can ask your care provider.

Things you can do for your health and your baby’s health:

  • Continue to stay active. As you get bigger, take care of yourself before and during your workout.
  • Eat a small snack about an hour before your workout. The calorie boost will increase your energy.
  • Sip water throughout your workout. It’s especially important to stay hydrated while you’re pregnant.
  • Take extra care with exercises that require balance. Your body is changing rapidly, and you can feel especially off-kilter while running or doing step-aerobics.
  • Continue to experiment with nutritious food. As you become a family, you will find that cooking and eating together is an important part of taking care of the whole family. When you and your partner shop and cook together, you are practicing making a home for your baby.

Resources: