Changes During Pregnancy - Week 21

Mother

This is a good period. You are mostly past the morning sickness and other discomforts of early pregnancy. And you are still away from the increased heaviness and other discomforts of the third trimester. Use this time to take as much rest as you can.

You may suffer from leg ache starting this week and throughout the rest of the pregnancy. Maternity support hose prevent swelling and varicose veins by encouraging blood circulation throughout the legs. Keeping your legs raised when you are seated is a good choice. You can also try stretching and regular exercise to lessen the minor discomforts due to pain. Do consult your doctor before you start any exercise. Remember, the pregnancy hormone relaxin makes you more susceptible to injury due to the increased relaxation of the joints in your body.

You may suffer from most of the symptoms that you faced earlier. These include breast changes, frequent urination, constipation, heartburn, headaches, stretch marks, itching, and round ligament pains.

Baby

Your baby may be more active at night and he might keep you awake with his kicks.

His digestive system is now capable of absorbing nutrients from the amniotic fluid. This strengthens and prepares the digestive system for milk after your delivery. When he becomes active, your baby may start having hiccups. This is quite normal. His nervous system and organs continue developing. Fat layers are formed on his hardened bones. His bone marrow spaces are developed considerably. They are the major source of producing blood cells in the third trimester and after delivery.

Your baby can move about freely, but he will settle with his head downwards. He will stay that way until birth. The baby also establishes a regular sleeping cycle similar to the one after birth.

His source of nutrition is still mostly from the placenta. His white blood cells start forming and his skin is less transparent than before. His tongue is fully developed.