You are 20 weeks pregnant and officially halfway done with your pregnancy! By now you have had your ultrasound or having it this week. See what else is happening during week 20.
20 Weeks Pregnant
Congrats! You are 20 weeks pregnant this week! It’s official. You are halfway through your pregnancy.
20 weeks pregnant is an exciting time. You are so happy, but yet start to wonder about the unknown like what will labor be like. Am I ready for motherhood? Will I get any sleep? And will my child love me for the next 18 + years?
It is normal to have uncertainties about labor and delivery and motherhood but don’t let it stress you out. I am a firm believer in motherhood intuition and you will get it too when the baby is born.
As far as labor and delivery go, childbirth classes really help feel better about what is to come.
How Big Is Baby at 20 Weeks Pregnant?
Your baby is now the size of a banana. Weighing about 10 ounces
Is My 20 Week Fetus Developing?
You have quite the gymnast inside you. Your baby can now flip inside you.
Their senses are still developing but they can hear you and your heartbeat very well from the inside. They can also hear sounds from the outside like others talking and even music.
Meconium is being produced now. This is amniotic fluid they have swallowed along with dead skin cells and will be what forms their first bowel movement after birth.
20 Weeks Pregnant Belly
Wow, your 20 week pregnant bump has really popped out and you are looking more and more pregnant.
You may even be bumping into things with your belly.
Don’t fret if your belly is smaller or bigger than someone who is about the same weeks pregnant as you are.
Everyone’s body is different and carry their baby differently, So don’t compare.
As your 20 week pregnant bump gets bigger be careful. Your balance is slightly off now that you are carrying so much weight in the front that you could easily trip and fall.
I remember not paying attention while walking one day and slipping on black ice while pregnant. It was scary thinking I might have harmed the baby. So be careful walking and going up and downstairs too.
20 Week Ultrasound
By now you should have already had your ultrasound or you will be having it this week.
It is an exciting time to see your little baby and to know the sex of your baby if you so choose.
This is also the time to see if your baby is developing as it should.
I remember with our last baby we chose to bring the kids with us to the ultrasound because they were desperate to know if it was a boy or a girl.
Quickly after receiving the news it was a boy, we were bombarded with asterisks getting marked on his brain by the tech.
We soon learned that our baby had cysts on his brain.
It was good to know this news so that we could plan for what was to come, but sad at the same time.
If you receive abnormal ultrasound results they will send you to a level 2 ultrasound with a specialist to look into at the abnormalities.
In our case, it was just a misread by the original tech and he was growing fine with no cysts. Nonetheless, it was still scary to wonder about our baby.
20 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
At 20 weeks pregnant you are bound to have some pregnancy symptoms creeping in, although there are a handful that still at 20 weeks pregnant with no symptoms and that is just fine.
Just because you have no symptoms does not mean you are not growing a beautiful baby in your 20 week pregnant belly.
Hair and Nail Growth
With all the extra hormones surging in your body they are causing your hair and nails to grow. You may be finding that you are having to trim your nails way more often than usual.
Don’t get too attached to your longer thicker hair because after birth it starts falling out.
Again, this is all normal just keep taking your prenatal vitamins after birth to help with supply your body with the vitamins it needs.
Swelling
Swelling is a totally normal thing in pregnancy.
You may be starting to notice the extra fluid build up in your feet, ankles, and even hands.
Try to minimize the amount of time you are on your feet standing and anytime you get to sit down prop your feet up.
Don’t constrict your feet with tight shoes.
Mom Brain
Mom brain is a real thing. This is also referred to as pregnancy brain. Mom brain is basically when you walk into a room and can’t remember why you went in there.
Being forgetful comes with being a mom to be.
Try helping yourself not be as forgetful by making a shopping list before going into the store, or making a to-do list for the day.
I have found that giving myself extra breaks through the day to help me not be so forgetful.
I like to call them brain breaks!
How Many Months Is 20 Weeks Pregnant?
At 20 weeks pregnant you are 4 months!
What to Do at 20 Weeks Pregnant?
Stretch
If you are working a job where you sit for long hours you need to make time every hour for 5 minutes to get up, walk and stretch out your legs.
Even at home if you are relaxing on the couch it’s important to get up and move around.
Consider doing exercises like ankle pumps while sitting in a chair.
The more you move the more your blood circulates
Eat Healthy
Around 20 weeks you aren’t nausea or battling morning sickness and excited that whatever you eat you will be able to keep down.
You should be gaining only a pound a week so don’t eat just because you can!
Choose foods that are healthy and benefit you and the baby. Cut up and apple and dip it in peanut butter instead of eating powdered doughnuts even though they look way more delicious.
You could be struggling with low iron. Choosing foods that help increase your iron is important.
It’s official you are in week 20 of pregnancy! What is your favorite thing about being pregnant so far? Share in the comments.
Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It’s just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal – a trained medical professional.