-Beginning of New Minor Symptoms
You are 21 weeks pregnant now and the barricades of pregnancy stages are different from one phase to another; finally pregnancy remains a tough time to deal with. This week is the time to consider some aspects of your lifestyle.
As a future mother you are the one in control of what happens to you. Watching over your health and encouraging your peace of mind are the factors that prevent the postpartum depression.
Still there are various changes to take place throughout the remaining weeks of pregnancy. Your feet are more prone to feel the weight addition and your libido may experience some increase during this week.
Week 21 pregnancy symptoms and physical changes that occur in your body
Taking care of your well being
Compared to previous weeks, you don’t experience any major issues during 21st week of pregnancy.
There is no need to worry about any irritating pregnancy symptoms that you faced during the earlier weeks. Now you are in full swing pregnancy mode and most of the mothers feel pretty good at this moment.
Since you can consider this period as the easiest one from your pregnancy, you should focus on things that increase your well being. Also keep in mind that your connection with the baby is increasing starting with week 21 of pregnancy
Mild uterine contractions
You may notice some mild uterine contractions during this time. Don’t panic as these are completely normal during pregnancy. Generally, the contraction of the uterus exists throughout your life, but at this moment there is more pressure on the uterine muscles; so you will feel differently when they contract.
Some pregnant women notice that while moving, they can work through the discomfort. If you experience severe pain, or if the contractions are accompanied by loss of fluid from the vagina, you need to contact your health care provider.
Uterus measurement
During this week, you need to make an appointment with your doctor. He/she can measure the height of the uterus, because it now appears above the pubic bone. Generally, this measurement can correlate with your due date.
Sensitive gums
In pregnancy week 21, some women may have sensitive gums as the gums can swell and bleed because of the increased levels of pregnancy hormones and increased blood flow.
Pain in the legs and skin issues
You can notice pains and aches in your legs during or after week 21 of pregnancy. In order to alleviate these discomforts, do regular exercises and also stretching.
You can notice acne on your face during this week. Frequent washing of your face throughout the day and drinking lot of water can help in this type of skin issues.
Preventing urinary tract infections
When you are in pregnancy 21 weeks, the uterus has grown in size and you are more prone to get urinary infections. Drinking lot of water, urinating after the intercourse and wiping from front to back when you go to the bathroom can help prevent this pregnancy health issue.
Development of the Fetus in 21 Weeks Pregnant
Care to take when you are in 21st week of pregnancy
Increasing sex drive
Your libido will increase during this time. Be aware of the fact that having sex with your partner is perfectly safe provided you respect the hygiene rules. Showering before love making is recommended for both of you.
Exercise to prevent aches and pains
The doctor will encourage you to exercise. This will have a very large impact on how much your back will hurt or how much pressure is your pregnancy putting on the leg circulation. When you are 21 weeks pregnant, pregnancy yoga and walking are the right exercises and this is the week you should start looking for a Lamaze course if you have not yet found one.
Changes that occur in the fetus when you are 21 weeks pregnant
By this week, your 21 week fetus is about the size of 12 inches in length and weighs about 16.5 ounces – roughly the size of a banana right now.
Growth slows a little as the development of organs and central nervous system is taking place. Now your baby can hear your words, and if you sing, talk, or read, your baby can hear you.
Rapid eye movements and sleep pattern
This week, you can notice the rapid eye movements of your baby and this is the key component for a healthy baby sleep schedule. Your baby has regular sleep and wake cycles and you may notice that these cycles get more predictable as the weeks go on so the time of the baby being asleep or being awake becomes more consistent.
Physical appearance changes
Your baby’s skin appears very red and opaque and somewhat wrinkled, instead of translucent. Your baby is very busy in filling fat under his/ her skin preparing for life outside the uterus.
The baby’s face features are more and more distinct with 21 weeks pregnant ultrasound.
Primary digestion
During week 21 pregnancy, your baby’s digestive system is also undergoing changes. The baby’s tongue is fully formed at this time and more swallowing is happening this week.
The baby is hiccupping. This is common yet unusual. There will be slow contraction and relaxation of intestines during this week. The little one can swallow and absorb the fluids through the amniotic fluid which helps in maturing the digestive system of your child.
Important organ development
Until now, the baby’s spleen and liver are the organs responsible for the construction of blood cells. The spaces in bone marrow are well developed and lead to blood cell formation.
The immune system of the baby begins to develop and white blood cells are being produced to form the baby’s defense system.
If it’s a baby girl, her vagina and womb are formed and she has approximately 6 million eggs, a quantity that reduces to about 1 million by the time she is out into the world.
Health and safety tips for pregnancy week 21
Avoid doing strenuous exercises during pregnancy. Your ligaments become more relaxed during pregnancy, so you are at a greater risk of injury. It is better to consult your health care provider before you start any exercise program.
The communication with your baby becomes even more important when you are 21 weeks pregnant. Make sure you start reading and playing music for the baby.
Get more information on what to expect when you are 22 weeks pregnant.
Image source: pennmedicine
Some of this information is useful, however, it might be worth proof-reading and editing. Some sections seems like they’ve been taken from foreign websites without any amendments, making content difficult to understand.
i am 21 weeks pregnant, i have been regularly checking for info on this site and i have noticed acne on my face. thanks for the advice on how to handle it. i will try it out.what determines if one will have a CS or not?your web site is indeed helpful.
how can i control the leg swelling and pains please give me any suggestions for me.