Week 20 of your Pregnancy

Congratulations! You have made it to week twenty, which is the halfway point of your forty week journey of making a new baby. Your baby has well developed legs now, so it makes sense to measure her from head to toe now, instead of head to bottom. So in week twenty, from head to toe, she is about 10 inches tall, and weighs about 10 ounces. She has a thick layer of creamy vernix all over her body, a greasy substance that will help her skin stay protected while immersed in amniotic fluid for another 4 or 5 months. This vernix will begin to disappear as the birth gets closer, although many full term babies have traces of it on them when they are born.

You are probably feeling lots of movement from time to time down in that expanding belly of yours. Those are special times, and give you a chance to connect with your child and begin to feel like a mommy. The baby hears your voice and Dad's, too, by now, and some experts feel like it is perfectly appropriate to talk to the little one, and even to read or sing to him or her.

As your abdomen expands, you may begin to feel itchy. Maybe you are starting to wonder about stretch marks, and how you may avoid them. Some moms swear by coconut oil as a moisturizer to help the skin stretch without leaving those marks behind. There are other good moisturizers on the market that are less greasy feeling, or you might see if the doctor or midwife has a recommendation.

Your hands and feet might begin to swell some now and in the weeks to come. Some moms remove their wedding rings and wear them on a necklace until after the birth. To control swelling, it is generally considered a better idea to drink more water than to limit salt intake, but see what your doctor or midwife advises.

Now is a good time to sign up for a birth preparation class. There are several natural childbirth methods, of which Lamaze is the most well known. A good birth class will cover things like positions for labor, breathing, relaxing, working as a team with your husband, and much more. If you are planning a special type of birth, such as a home birth, look for a class that will give you the information you need regarding supplies to have on hand and other helpful advice. Look for the class now, and see if you can schedule it during the last two months of pregnancy so the things you learn will be fresh in your mind.