Development of the Baby

We know that while your baby is growing in your belly, you are curious about their developmental process. Here are the details about 20 weeks of baby development…

At twenty weeks of pregnancy, your baby continues to mature. The baby’s nails and eyebrows began to grow. Their hair, which started to grow earlier, continues to grow.

At 20 weeks, the baby continues to swallow and breathe.

At 20 weeks, the baby in the womb can open and close its mouth regularly. They e can make a tongue sticking out movement.

Black poop called meconium continues to accumulate in their intestines.

In the 20th week of pregnancy, the uterus of female babies begins to develop, and the testicles of male babies begin to descend from the abdomen. It will take several months for the testicles to fully descend into their bags.

Your baby spends some of his time sleeping. Sleep can last from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Although they can move their eyes left and right, their eyelids are still closed.

At the 20th week of pregnancy, the baby’s skin thickens as thin layers of fat begin to form on the skin. Therefore, they continue to gain weight.

In the 20th week of pregnancy, the baby’s skin surface is covered with a thin layer of hair called lanugo. This layer of hair begins to disappear after 36 weeks. Very little remains after birth. These remaining hairs fall out in a few months.

The layer of vernix caseosa, which will decrease over time on the skin surface, started to form last week and continues to increase during the 20th gestational week. There are 40-50 kinds of proteins in this fatty structure. The varnish layer protects the baby against various infections while in the womb and in the days after birth. It also has the task of protecting the baby’s skin from the acidic effect of amniotic fluid. This dark viscous oily structure, which looks as if it is plastered on the skin, also facilitates the passage of the baby through the birth canal during birth.

As nerve cells develop in the 20th week of pregnancy, nerve connections between the brain and the senses also develop. The structure that provides this connection is myelin, a fatty substance that covers and isolates nerves throughout the body. In this week, the baby has as many nerve cells as an adult. As nerve cells develop, the baby becomes able to control his body.

At 20 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s sense of taste has developed enough to feel bitter and sweet. Of course, he only tastes the amniotic fluid for now.

Your baby can hear sounds for a few weeks. They can hear your heartbeat, the sounds coming from your intestines and stomach. Since he/she also hears sounds coming from outside, you can make him/her listen to soft music in the classical music style. The heart rhythm may react differently to sounds coming from outside.

The amniotic fluid in which the baby grows increases 10-fold in the last 8 weeks, reaching 320 ml at the end of the 20th week.

Baby Movements at 20 Weeks Pregnancy

At 20 weeks, baby movements are getting faster and faster. They continue to stretch his body, throwing punches with their arms, small kicks and flips. As their ability to use their body improves, they probably enjoy these new discoveries. If you haven’t felt them already, get ready to feel these tiny and fast movements in a few weeks.

Ultrasound Image

In 20-week gestational ultrasound images; It can be seen that the baby’s head constitutes less than a third of the whole body length.

Heartbeat sounds are heard stronger on ultrasound this week.

The 20-week-old baby is still scrawny in ultrasound images. And considering that baby will get fatter and fatter, it will be weeks before he becomes a cute chubby baby.
Bones that continue to harden and develop now appear brighter on 20-week-old baby ultrasound images.

In the 20-week ultrasound images, you can see that your baby makes a tongue extraction, sucks his finger, and moves his arms and legs. Or maybe see them sleeping…

In the 20-week color ultrasound images, you can see your baby’s face clearly enough to comment on who they look like.At the 20th week of pregnancy, your uterus can be seen a little below on ultrasound. Don’t worry about it, the uterus grows both up and down throughout pregnancy. The placenta is not expected to be near the bottom this week. If it is close to the bottom at the 20th week, the doctor will check the placenta again at the 32nd week.

Changes in the Mother's Body

One of the most curious questions: How many months is 20 weeks? You are now in the 5th month of pregnancy.

Congratulations, you are leaving the first half of your pregnancy behind and are about to move on to the second half.

At 20 weeks of pregnancy, the mother’s womb gradually grows. Now you feel like you’re pregnant.

At 20 weeks of pregnancy, your uterus is most likely at your navel level. Your waistline begins to shrink. Your back and low back pain may continue.

During the 20th gestational week, your groin pain may continue to increase. These sharp pains, which can also hit your hip and abdomen, are caused by the uterus stretching the ligaments and muscles in the abdomen as it grows.

Points need to be considered

So, how much weight should be gained in 20 weeks of pregnancy? At the end of the 20th week, you are expected to gain an average of 5-6 kilos. If your appetite has increased, it’s time to curb it. Otherwise, you may end the pregnancy with excess weight. Being overweight is not only unhealthy but also disadvantageous for the recovery and tightening of the body after childbirth.If everything is fine, it’s okay to plan a vacation. The holiday, as always, is very good for couples during pregnancy. However, when traveling during pregnancy, you should pay attention to some points:

– Be sure to consult your doctor before your long trips,

– You should take a break every 2 hours during your trip by car. You can walk or stretch your legs during breaks,

– If you are going to travel by plane and your journey is going to be long, ask your doctor’s recommendations. Airlines do not approve travel after 36 weeks. Some airlines require a doctor’s authorization after a certain number of weeks. Be sure to ask the airline company for this detail. Find out if they also want a report for the return,

– Do not eat foods that make you nauseous before and during the trip. Do not overfeed. Keep foods such as chickpeas, dried fruits, raw nuts, walnuts, almonds with you that will balance your blood sugar and suppress your stomach,

– Find out the name and location of the nearest health facility where you will be vacationing.

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