Week 21

Your Body

Congratulations you are over half way there! As a 21 week pregnant mum-to-be, it probably feels like you’ve been pregnant forever and you could be kept awake at night by an active baby due to 21 weeks pregnant movement. You may find that your baby develops a routine to his movement, with periods of activity and then rest. Exercise can be a great way to stay in shape during pregnancy and can even keep some symptoms — such as varicose veins, excessive weight gain, and backache — to a minimum. But pregnancy is not the time to start training for a triathlon — going slowly is the name of the game. Because ligaments become more relaxed during pregnancy, you’re at higher risk for injury, so low- or non-impact exercise such as yoga, swimming, and walking are your best bets. Talk to your health care provider before beginning any exercise program while you’re pregnant.

Although some of your symptoms lessen, you may feel anxiety about labor or motherhood. Try some activities to bond with your baby such as reading aloud or listening to music together. Begin getting the nursery together.

You might feel a little down about your weight gain but you don’t have to feel frumpy, lots of shops do great maternity ranges so find one that suits you!

If you’ve noticed a clear or white vaginal discharge, don’t worry – this is normal during pregnancy. But, if it becomes thick or yellow, seek medical advice as it may be a sign of infection. Your ankles and feet may be swelling, particularly at the end of the day. Drink lots of water and rest with your feet elevated.

You should be attending your next monthly practitioner appointment soon. This appointment should be a fairly routine affair, as the doctor will simply be making sure that everything is progressing smoothly.

Your Baby’s Development

Your baby is growing fast, developing eyelashes and eyebrows, and is covered in white stuff called ‘vernix caseosa,’ to protect the skin from its long soak in your amniotic fluid.
The vernix will also stop your baby from scratching himself as his fingernails are beginning to grow.

Your baby’s eyelids will still be closed, this is to help protect against wandering hands and toes. He’ll still be able to tell between light and dark though. The heart grows stronger this week. As the amniotic fluid is a great place to explore arm and leg movements. It is also still fairly easy for your baby to stretch out, so he or she will be taking the opportunity to do just that.

The amniotic fluid that has cushioned and supported your baby in the uterus now serves another purpose. The intestines have developed enough that small amounts of sugars can be absorbed from the fluid that is swallowed and passed through the digestive system to the large bowel. Almost all of your baby’s nourishment, however, still comes from you through the placenta.

Until now your baby’s liver and spleen have been responsible for the production of blood cells. But now the bone marrow spaces are developed enough to contribute to blood cell formation as well, and bone marrow will become the major site of blood cell production in the third trimester and after birth. (The spleen will stop producing blood cells by week 30, and the liver will stop a few weeks before birth.)

Baby is 10.51 inches (26.7 cm) long (now measured from crown to heel instead of crown to butt) and 12.7 ounces (360 grams).