Your baby's blood circulation is completely functional. The umbilical cord system continues to grow and thicken as blood travels with considerable force through the body to nurture the baby. The placenta is now almost equal in size to the baby.
Your baby will be getting much larger during the second half of your pregnancy. Your baby's crown-to-rump length at this time is 7.2 inches and she weighs approximately 10.5 ounces. Your growing baby is about the size of a large banana. You should be able to feel your uterus about a half of an inch above your navel. Your weight gain so far will be around 10 to 15 pounds.
As your baby begins to lay down more fat, your weight will also increase. During the next 10 weeks, you will gain about half of the total gain for your entire pregnancy. Strangers can now tell that you are pregnant! You might notice an increase in appetite because you need 500 more calories a day to support your charged up metabolism. It is best to avoid processed foods or foods high in fat, calories or sugar. Some women also get strong cravings for foods. If you notice a craving for something unhealthy, you should contact your doctor. Craving for unusual things is known as pica. Some women crave cigarette ashes, charcoal, beer and other non-food items during this time.
Your baby's different organs and systems are maturing. The fetal digestive system is functioning in a simple way and your baby can swallow amniotic fluid. After your baby swallows the amniotic fluid, she is able to absorb water and sugars from the fluid and then the waste is passed as far as the large bowel. Your baby swallows the amniotic fluid in order to prepare itself for life outside of the womb. Some babies consume as much as 17 ounces of amniotic fluid in a 24-hour period. Your baby already has a high number of red blood cells and the white blood cells are beginning to be produced. Taste buds are being formed on your baby's tongue this week also.
Don't be surprised if your legs and feet become swollen throughout the day. You should try to get off of your feet some throughout the day and prop your legs up. If you notice a substantial amount of swelling, you should contact your healthcare provider for evaluation.
mere-and-girl - 1.1 hours ago
Laura: it was just all very irritating. As of my last doc appt I still haven't gained any weight, my shape is just changing. I feel that if someone is genuinely concerned about my weight, then it is something he/she should address with me privately, not in a room full of people that have all of their attention on us because we're just walking into the room. Chris has already given me permission to put him in his place if he says anything next time...
oliviasmom510 - 1.3 hours ago
Man you guys have some crazy stories about your hospital adventures. With my first daughter I went in at 5 am to be induced and my nurse was as nice as could be. Then at 7 I asked for my epidural...big props to women who can do it all natural. Then at 8 my nurse came in because it didn't feel like the epidural was working and it was time to push. The doctor had just been there and checked me 15 mins before that and I was a 3. You heard right I went from a 3 to pushing in 15 mins. no wonder the epidural wasn't working. :) Anyways the nurse helped me breathe and stay calm without pushing until my doctor was there to deliver. He didn't even have time to get back to the parking lot when she called to tell him it was time. The staff was amazing. I am in a new state with a new hospital and a new doctor, but I know a few of the labor and delivery nurses and I will pray they are on duty when I go into labor. Hope this experience is just as amazing as the last.
laurae2001 - 1.4 hours ago
mere-and-girl
I was talking to my ol mans ma and was saying how big our son was and she had to comment on my weight as well..it irritates me ...as a woman she should know how sensitive we are when we are preg..she said ...im not surprised at his size...laura eats everything in the house...like im some fat pig who sits around eating all day and doing nothing else..i exsersize 5x a wk..do house work and eat a mostly veggitarian diet..at least i take care of myself...is what i was thinking ...people are dam irritating..like shut up with the fat comments and look in the dam mirror!!
RemingtonsMommy - 1.5 hours ago
O ya and this is kinda related but kinda not but when we went to florida over this past summer for a vaca, my now 20 month old caught a virus and was running a fever and stuff so we had to take him in since we were going to be there another week and wanted to catch it soon if it was bacterial. So I went in there and told her that he had been running a 103 temp taken rectally and that I had been giving him tylenol but it was not going down. So she rudely took me back and took his temp rectally and of course there it was 103. So when she was taking me back to the room she tried to tell me that taking a temp rectally usually adds about 1 degree or so and that since his temp was only 102 theorhetically that really I should not get worried until his temp gets up to about 104. WHAT!!! That lady shoudl be fired. A rectal temp is the most accurate cause you actually are taking and internal temperatue. how much more accurate can you get? THE NERVE! So anyway. I encourage anyone who has the desire and passion for treating people with respect and compassion to become a nurse so that we can weed out all the women who think they know everything and think that they can pass on their 'knowledge'! psh... whatever!
RemingtonsMommy - 1.6 hours ago
3rd... I am too eventually going to get my nursing degree and work in labor and delivery just so that I can be that one supportive nonjudgmental nurse that everyone will love. My sister just had her baby about a month ago and I swear her first nurse was so judgemental about everything and tried to tell her not to give her baby a paci and made her feel bad for not wanting to breastfeed. I personally support bfing too, but seriously it was not her place! My sis is only 19 and she will have to learn on her own. I just hate that these nurses think they know sooooo much that they feel the need to tell you everything like you are some kind of idiot. So anyway. I want to be a labor and delivery nurse that everyone loves and remembers!!!
i love baby - 1.9 hours ago
hey girls, ive been following your comments since around week 7 and i have to say ye are a funny bunch , have made me laugh along the way,so said i might aswell join the fun...... xxxxxxx
phonics - 2.4 hours ago
They had no choice, BUT to put me in a room when I went to the hospital. I remember my first two contractions were 7 minutes apart. The third 6, and then an hour later they were 2 minutes apart. She was coming and fast. So by the time we got home, packed the car, and went to the hospital they were 1 minute apart. They had to pick me up off the floor. I walked in the door in betweek contractions and was so tiured and in so much pain. He had to fill out hte paperwork and ask questions in between. I mean they were bearable, but just not fun.
3rdbabyat38 - 2.6 hours ago
Titangoddess, i sure would have loved having you as my support person with 2nd baby. Hubby is wonderful but always so scared. I was in too much pain to even tell them to kiss it. I just seem to remember stupid comments such as 'Its always the girls that want to do it naturally that things go wrong?' and 'no more ice chips for you' when I was in transition. My labor was going so fast and I was so tired, contractions with no rest inbetween... I know that baby's heart rate was having a hard time rebounding so they were probably more vocal with me b/c of it. Your right though, when it came down to it I got in a position that was good for me and they had to work around me being on all fours on the bed because I wouldn't budge until doc was ready to deliver me. Ya know when I went to the hospital at 2:45 am the nurse sitting at the desk looked stupidly at me and asked what I was there for... I should have told her 'a hospital tour...' Seriously though, I told them I was in labor with contractions less than 5 min. apart and that my doc had stripped my membranes that morning. She said 'well sometimes when they strip your membranes you 'think' you are in labor.... AHHHHH!!! I dealt with a lot of stupidity last time. I won't deal with stupidity this time...
titangoddess - 3 hours ago
LOL.. you guys are so funny. Sorry about the uncle Mere! Just tell him you would have eaten more but he got to it first. Make it a game... LOL... I was 19 when I gave birth to my first child. I was in labor for four days. I had a nurse slap me across the face for screaming in front of my mom and dh. My mom spent the next two days putting her hand over my mouth to stiffle the cries. I didnt scream again. A few years later the same lady came into where I worked as a paralegal and I 'lost' some of her paperwork... Karma! My second birth was awesome. I was not induced and it was unmedicated and fast. I did the leg work way before I went into labor. Studied so many different styles of birthing I could have given birth on my head by that time. I ended up giving birth the way my body wanted me to give birth. No one can tell you that you can't move, change positions, scream and yell, and they can't tell you how to birth. They do however have restrictions that vary at every hospital. You need to know what they are before you give birth at that hospital. They are not going to change their rules dependant on your birth plan. They can not give you med's without your permission, if they do it is a lawsuit. They can not make you lay on your back unless they need to do something like check on your progress. These are things you need to know prior to going into the birth process. If you can tell them this is what I want and I do not appreciate you telling me how I am going to birth they really can not make you do anything. They get nasty with you, ban them from your room. You have that right. Unless it is a life or death reason they cant do alot of things to you. Once you are there they have to help you give birth. They cant tell you they are not going to birth your child. If they tell you to cross your legs tell them exactly what body part to kiss. IN the end it is risk over want. You can birth anyway you want to birth even if you are in a horrible place to do it in. The more you know before birth the better your overall experience will be. I wish someone would have told me this with my first one. My first birth was so bad I tied my tubes so I never had to do it again.. LOL.. see where that got me huh? LOL... goodluck ladies!
phonics - 3.1 hours ago
mere-and-girl - What an ass. WHy do people feel the need to just up and say anything to preggo women? NO! THat was just rude.
phonics - 3.1 hours ago
3rdbabyat38 - yes. nurses like the ones I had make a real difference. SHe made my experience for me and out of everyone i saw there I rememberd her and appreciated her the most.
3rdbabyat38 - 3.3 hours ago
mere, ooohhh girl. I would love to run into that uncle of your hubby's... I think you should say something funny to him like, 'well my baby's due in March when's yours finally gonna be born?' or you might say 'Heck no I'm no stranger to food, don't we run into eachother there all the time!!!' This way no one in dh's family will get an earfull of what you'd really like to say to this fat pervert!!! PEOPLE MAKE ME CRAZY right now...What an A**!!
mere-and-girl - 4.3 hours ago
I also need to vent about people's comments, only mine are coming from people I have to be around... So chris' uncle is the true definition of a pervert. That's all the detail I'm going to go into, but let's just say he has a history. About a month ago all of chris' family got together at his mom's house to celebrate a few birthdays. After lunch we all had dessert, and I tried 3 of them (all very small pieces though). Chris' uncle had the audacity to tell me that I needed to watch what I shovelled in my mouth because they didn't want me to lose my figure. Uhh hello, I'm 16 weeks pregnant! I didn't say anything. So last night we had a thanksgiving dinner at the alzheimer home chris' gma is in, and his uncle was there. We walk in the door, and the first thing this a**hole says to me is, 'well, we can see you've been no stranger to food!'. It took every ounce of self control to not make a scene. I wanted to tell him that with his history that I didn't think he shoud be commenting on ANY female's figure, but that if he was going to start commenting on mine, that maybe he ought to make sure he's lost the extra 70 lbs of fat he's carrying around! I'm still furious thinking about it. I didn't ask him his opinion, didn't want it, and given his history, felt it was completely inappropriate!
mere-and-girl - 4.6 hours ago
I love when my little girl kicks!! She is getting so much bigger and stronger than she was just a week or two ago!
HeCallsMeChula - 5.5 hours ago
laurae2001-i also got to see my little girl in 3D an 4D but it was for medical reasons but she is so pretty an my little on is also 12oz but she is shot they said she is only 7inches so i dont know if that is just corwn to rump or body lenght.well congrats on your lil boy.
HeCallsMeChula - 5.5 hours ago
babyat38=thank you so much you always put a smile on my face.ok well i am off to put lil man on the bus then i am going to watc the sisters keeper..i hear its a very good movie.
3rdbabyat38 - 5.7 hours ago
Chula you are precious. I know everything is exaggerated in pregnancy. Take a step back and know that you keep a wonderfully clean house and cry when you need too. xxx ooo
laurae2001 - 6.2 hours ago
well ladies im excited to report i had my ultrasound yesterday and it went realy well ...the tech was so nice ...she even let me see him in 3d..hes so cute..and i got to find out that my lil one is a boy..hes growing beautifly and he weighs 12onces..over the average for his gestation and she changed my due date from 4/2 to 4/9 wich sounds more accurrate...good luck ladies on your u/s if you havent gotten one yet..im so excited for you...and i cried when i found out i was having my 2nd boy...
HeCallsMeChula - 6.3 hours ago
babyat38-i am a neat freak so i am always cleaning.but i have been in this mood where i cry because nothing is clean to me an i start to think i am crazy an dont know why i act like that i have been like this from as far as i can remember an when i am pregnant its 10x's worse.i just dot like anything dirty..lol.
Madilynsmama - 6.4 hours ago
22 weeks tomorrow!! Everything is going by so fast, but then again it feels like forever till she will be here.
kjm315 - 6.4 hours ago
Good morning ladies hope everyone is well!! So my son is better his fever stopped last night thank god but he still has his soars which make it uncomfortable for him but all in all he is better!! So on the nursery my 2 1/2 year old and the baby will be sharing a room we have all the furniture from him so all we did was get a toddler bed !! I do need alot of stuff that i gave to someone in need like the infant car seat, bassinet but i did keep alot of the clothes and shoes (both boys so its nice) All i need are the small stuff which well but on our registry or if not buy it ourselves but this weekend i am going to go through the stuff i have to see what i want to use!!
HeCallsMeChula - 6.4 hours ago
mom2dom- i still dont understand what soft markers are.what are they looking for or at??
3rdbabyat38 - 6.7 hours ago
Chula, I wish you were in my city/state... I have lots of stuff for you to clean... lol. Maybe you don't think things are clean because they are never really dirty and you don't have anything to compare them to LOL... Yea, nesting can set in pretty early but I'm still waiting for that from my 1st pregnancy 13 years ago... haha xxx ooo, Now I feel like I need to do something other than sit on this computer. Maybe a nap will snap me out of that...
3rdbabyat38 - 6.7 hours ago
Phonics, I am in the process of becoming a nurse. I graduated from college in 1994 and didn't know at that time that I would ever want to go into nursing. I have a long way to go yet but the main thing I want to do as a nurse is work in Labor and Delivery and be the kind of nurse that you had! It sure does make a difference!!!
HeCallsMeChula - 6.7 hours ago
does anyone else feel like when there cleaning that what they just cleaned is not clean enough. i have mopped my kitchen floor an hallway floor 5 times already an it still seems dirty.an let me not eve nget started on how many times i have cleaned the kitchen an bathroom today.lol.i dont know if the nesting is hitting really hard or i am just going crazy..lol..
HeCallsMeChula - 6.8 hours ago
i had the worst birth with my son.i was induced because he was almost 2 weeks late.anways i dont really remember much because after 36 hours of labor with no pain meds you are kinda out of it but anyways i do remember my son crowing an the nurse told me to close my legs an cross them because she was not going to deliver my son.the doctor would be here in about 10 minutes she told me.so what ended up happening was my mom went in the hallway an started screaming for help an a very nice nurse came in just when my son was making his way out.so now i am scared to have this baby because of what happend last time.i pray i dont have that nurse again or i will go home.
phonics - 7 hours ago
I must admit my nurse was with me from the moment I started crowning until the end. Now they were not in there with everything else, but they came in periodically. However when she was crowning the pain got a bit much and I got off track in my breathing. SHe was there with me, stayed right by my side, and helped me to breath and calm down a little because my blood pressure had gone up I think. Now I just assumed they were all like that. lol maybe not. I did not knwo that there were some hospitals that would want you to do things their way. I was medicated for my vaginal birth though and had no idea that you still feel things in the end so she just helped me out a bit.
phonics - 7 hours ago
3rdbabyat38 - I do nto think you are being opiniated. You are telling how you feel and your experiences. Hopefully we are all adult enough to know that we are not going to always agree and still respect each other's opinions.
mom2dom - 7.2 hours ago
A soft marker is something they screen for at your 20 week ultrasound. An ultrasound tech isnt qualified to screen for all 12, but they can look at basic abnormailites for down syndrome, like 6-8 soft markers. At a level two ultrasound, they can screen for all 12. My doctor sends all his patients for level two ultrasounds, even if we arent in high risk groups, which i am not.
3rdbabyat38 - 7.2 hours ago
Sorry ladies I don't mean to be so opinionated and fiesty today... Must be one of my pregnancy symptoms this week... I love you all and value all of your thoughts and opinions!!! TTYL
3rdbabyat38 - 7.2 hours ago
Thank you Phonics, I needed to hear that. It is nice to have a voice of reason regarding what people say. Thanks again, you are precious. xxx ooo
3rdbabyat38 - 7.2 hours ago
My nurse with my 1st daughter was great. She was supportive and encouraging. Some are absolutely wonderful. Not all nurses will stay with you the whole time and if you have your heart and mind set on an UNMEDICATED/NATURAL childbirth then a doula is a wonderful thing. If you think that you don't need one than by all means do not even think about spending the money. I have a wonderful support team from my husband to my mother and I will still get a doula if i choose to have an unmedicated birth this time b/c the hospital is not really that supportive eventhough they 'act' like they are. Hospitals want you on your back being monitored and they really want to manage your birth. They aren't as comfortable with you choosing how you feel the most comfortable laboring that is why they don't mind giving the meds...
phonics - 7.3 hours ago
Vent away. I think it is a little of both. Them being rude and you being sensitive. But mostly on them. I mean I come here and see preggo women venting about how others come up to them (strangers) saying how big they are, are they having twins, and other rude comments. Now if you don't want non preggo people saying mess to you about hwo big you are why would you say something like that to someone else? I think maybe she just was not thinking. A lot of times people comment without thinking how it might effect you.
phonics - 7.3 hours ago
From what I hae heard from my friends who had had doulas they are not worth it. One of hte nurses was helping me to breath and everything and I was fine. I would have been ticked had i paid money for her to do that.
3rdbabyat38 - 7.7 hours ago
Just need to vent a little, I've been a little fiesty lately and this will help me not go to the person directly and start a tiff... When we post pics of our pregnant belly's and don't ask for comments, such as 'How do I look?' or 'Big or small for x # of wks?' why do people think they can leave a comment that might be perceived as negative? Such as 'WOW, 20 weeks?!' or Your bump is SOOOO much bigger than mine... Is it just me being sensative or is it kinda rude? Pregnat bodies like non-pregnant bodies all look different. Some we look at and wish 'wow,i'd love to look like that or maybe even I'm glad I don't look like that' but do we need to say the latter? No, we need to encourage our pregnant sisters that they are beautiful in their pregnant body or keep the pie hole shut!!! I guess I'll stop sharing my weekly pics on the belly and pregnant photobook pages because that is usually where the insensative comments come from. Thanks for giving me a place to vent.
3rdbabyat38 - 7.9 hours ago
I think doula's are well worth the $$, especially if you are interested in a non-medicated birth. Even with a birth plan and prepared childbirth classes the hospitals are sometimes very rigid in there beliefs and practices. With my last daughter my docter seemed on board with my 'natural' birth plan, the prepared childbirth class given by the hospital seemed to be right on target with my wishes. On the hospital tour they made like the 'birthing rooms' were very soothing and they would support a 'natural birth' but when it came down to it the nurses looked at me as if I was an alien and they had never heard of a 'birth plan' in their lives. I think if you have a doula she can also be a go between with your birth attendants and are a solid reminder to your hospital staff that you have done your homework and are serious about your choices. Thats my 2 cents...
Llamakeeper - 8.3 hours ago
I disagree Titangoddess. My personal experience and those others that I know who have used a doula found them irreplaceable and worth every cent. They also reduce the likelyhood of a c-section and support not only the mom but the dad as well.
HeCallsMeChula - 9 hours ago
what is a soft marker i have never heard of that before??
HeCallsMeChula - 9.1 hours ago
good morning ladies its nice to be joining you in week 21 so excited!!!
titangoddess - 15.9 hours ago
andababymakesthree~ I have had some experience with doulas and dont personall feel they are worth the money. They talk to you to help relax you. Show you the proper way to breath and relax and basically are just there for support and they are expensive. My SIL is a doula and she loves to be there when ladies have their babies so I can say they have the want to add something special to your experience but not more than you could get for free from a close friend, dh, mom/dad, or someone that supports you and can talk to you in an understanding manner. If money is not important to you, because insurance does not cover a doula, go ahead and get one. But in the same breath you can take the money you would use on one to start a trust fund for your little man. It's your call.
AndaBabyMakesThree - 16.7 hours ago
berrymama - neutrals are the way to go! My best friend had a baby 2 years ago and didnt know what she was having until he was born, I was surprised at how much stuff I could find for the new baby in neutrals. Personally, although we found out we're having a boy, we're not telling anyone the gender until after birth because we dont want a lot of gender-specific stuff. We've told everyone that if they're going to get us something, please get it in neutral colors and patterns. This is also helpful with subsequent births because it will be no problem to reuse most things. This is just my opinion! Good luck!!
lindseymm - 16.7 hours ago
When it comes to Brazillian Waxing its really not that bad. You don't get into a bunch of awkward positions. You lay on ur back and turn your leg out. They keep a towel over you and you can decide how far you want them to wax by moving the towel. Your bum is completely up to you. And just so you know its actally illegal in most states to double-dip a wax stick. Most hair stylists are trained to do brazillians, but if you go to a higher end salon they have estiticians do it because they have more training when it comes to skin and are more experienced.
Berrymama - 16.8 hours ago
What can you do for a shower if you will not know the gender prior to birth? Any ideas or anyone who has done this please comment on my poll. Thanks.
mrsjmickens1 - 17.3 hours ago
for aall you frisky moms.....i did a pregnant streaking through the livingroom today.....worked out great. he loved it! and followed me right back to the room..... i cant wait to do it again! i think ill wait till im like 8 monthes. i was feelin real sassy today
brandyv - 17.4 hours ago
KMarieH, I may try getting a small kennel for the kitty to sleep in at night, but I don't think he'd like that especially since he's most active at night.
mrsjmickens1 - 17.6 hours ago
i too have gained 20lbs! but my dr said she is happy with my weight gain. n in no wayu shape or form was i underweight to begin with....today i laid on the floor on my back to do some stretching...n i couldnt get up!!!! i felt like a turtle except my shell was on my belly.
brandyv - 18.1 hours ago
Croissant, There are different types/styles of brazilian waxes. Which includes removing all hair on the bum and however much you prefer on the front. Yeah, from what I read, the girls get into really awkward positions, bending over, stretching legs up in the air, etc to let the stylist do what they do. I wouldn't be into that. I have a hard enough time going to the doctor. Plus for a reputable place the average cost is $60 and you have to worry about sanitary conditions. If the stylist dips into the wax after it touches the clients skin, diseases can be spread from client to client. Yeah, having the hair gone for a couple weeks vs a day sounds nice, but I'll just stick with shaving.
AndaBabyMakesThree - 18.2 hours ago
Is anyone considering or planning to get a doula? I'm thinking about it because I want a very natural childbirth and my doctor says the doula is great for helping you to relax and manage pain. Anyone have previous experiences they'd be willing to share?
AndaBabyMakesThree - 18.3 hours ago
Hey ladies hope everyone is doing well! I finally posted my ultrasound pictures from last week's appointment, including a 3D ultrasound. Didnt even know I was going to get one, but am glad I did! Baby was looking so beautiful and you can see most of his body. So beautiful!
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