Your Pregnancy at Week 20

Congratulations! You’re at the halfway mark of pregnancy! Take a nice, full stop at the hypothetical "water table" (whatever you might make that be, personally) and take a moment to catch your breath. You should do something to commemorate this special milestone in your journey!

Around this time, a good number of pregnant individuals discover their innie belly button has mutated suddenly they are suddenly members of the outie club. If this is you, don't be alarmed over any tenderness you feel there. Your uterus is pressing on that outie. It's pushing really hard. And…

Everyone notices (and probably touches) your pregnant belly bump! By week 20, you've likely gained about 10 pounds so far. You're expected to gain about one pound weekly from here on out. Your appetite is... substantial. You may even be wearing maternity clothing regularly now. If you started your pregnancy underweight, it may be that you need to gain a little more each week, but likewise, if you started your pregnancy at a heavier weight, there's a chance you haven't gained much at all or have been told you don't need to gain as much! Everybody is different. Listen to your cravings and honor them. They are teaching you what nutrients and macros you need.

Keep healthy snacks with you to graze throughout the day and keep extreme hunger at bay, versus binging on empty snacks at the first chance you get. Some great snack ideas are baby carrots, walnuts, fresh fruit, and almonds. If you find yourself craving something sweet and tasty, don’t hesitate to have some. Just remember to add some protein to that delicious snack to balance it out.

Also, at week 20, your nails and hair will likely make you very happy! This is your pregnancy hormones at it again, causing your nails and hair to grow faster than they did pre-pregnancy, your nails to feel stronger, and your hair to look thicker and more luscious.         

You're still in the golden period of pregnancy; and even though you aren't exhausted or nauseated anymore, you aren't exactly sailing through the second trimester feeling entirely comfortable either! Here is a list of the symptoms you may experience this week.

Innie becomes an Outie: If you had an “innie” belly button before pregnancy it is possible that it has turned into an “outie” with your expanding middle!

Heartburn and/or indigestion: as your baby continues to grow and press on internal organs, your digestive system is likely to feel the impact of cramped quarters. This, paired with continuing hormone fluctuations can result in heartburn or indigestion. Talk to your medical care provider about options for relief if you’re feeling too uncomfortable.

Edema (swelling in ankles or feet): some swelling is normal and expected during pregnancy, especially if you are on your feet all day, but it’s best to keep an eye on any sudden changes. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing swelling, as this could be a warning sign of a dangerous complication called preeclampsia. 

Dizziness or faintness: hormonal changes will continue to affect everything in your body during pregnancy. That, and increased blood flow, may  be responsible for headaches and/or dizziness that you may experience. Take time to be sure you are well-hydrated and getting enough rest. Talk to your healthcare provider if headaches and dizziness is frequent, especially if accompanied by additional symptoms such as blurred vision or heart palpitations. 

Leg Cramps:  aches and pains are an uncomfortable, albeit normal, part of pregnancy. Avoid staying in the same position for too long, stay hydrated, and talk to your doctor about safe pain relief options that may offer some comfort.

Frequent nighttime wakings: between getting up to use the bathroom, leg cramps, shortness of breath, and even heartburn– you may be struggling to get a decent amount of sleep during the night. 

Crazy dreams: vivid dreams can be some of the more interesting pregnancy symptoms. While the cause is unknown it may have something to do with hormones, or the fact that nausea or frequent urination means you are not sleeping as deeply and can remember your dreams more easily. 

Is getting out of bed a challenge? If it isn't hard yet, it will be! To make it a bit easier, roll over to your side, and then tip your feet down to the floor. Once your feet touch the floor, use your arms to push yourself into a seated position, and stand up! Take a pregnancy side profile picture and write in your pregnancy journal.

If you don’t want to wait to find out if your little one is a boy or girl, now's the time to ask your doctor or midwife to give you the news! Unsure if you want to find out your baby's sex? There is no right or wrong decision. It's completely personal - up to you (and your partner if you have one). Remember that even if you do find out the sex of your baby during the ultrasound, sonographers don't always get it right. This means that even if you are told the sex of your little one, you (and your partner) should be a wee-bit prepared for surprise. Like, maybe have a name for each sex picked out, just in case.

Speaking of names, it's time to narrow down your choices, if you haven’t already. If you need a little boost of unusual-birth-name confidence, glance at any list of student names at any elementary, middle, or high school. Because the truth is this, no name is off limits. Names are not predetermined by ethnicity, gender, or parts of speech. Children are named after family history, television and book characters, cars, numbers, foods, days of the week... Having an offbeat name sort of means you'll fit right in, nowadays. Of course, there are still classics. And popular names are used again and again (hence, popular). Where will your name fit in?

If you and your partner, or you and other family members or friends, find yourselves at odds over certain name choices, or you're still looking for a winning name for your little one altogether, here are two things to try:

Create a list of names you will not use, under any circumstances

This list should make your skin crawl. It can include names of ex-romantic partners, family pets, coworkers and teachers, generally horrible persons, that one kid from third grade... you and your partner can add names to this list whenever the crawly skin feelings take strike. Names added to the list are immediately out of the running. It's important both you and your partner respect each other’s feelings on this and not try to coerce or bully any gross, yucky name off of the This Is Never Gonna Be My Baby's Name list. Feel free to ask each other questions, like why, my love, do you hate that name? You both might be surprised about and happy to learn each other's reasons.

Create your own lists