Congratulations! This week marks the half way point of your pregnancy. It has been 18 weeks since the date of conception and your baby's crown-to-rump length is 5.6 to 6.4 inches. The fetus weighs about 9 ounces and your belly definitely has an obvious bulge. Your waistline has expanded and is no longer visible. Your uterus has now moved up enough that it is pushing your abdomen outwards. The top of your uterus is even with or just below your navel.
Sex organs are showing clearly on this girl
For the remainder of your pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on your lungs, stomach and kidneys. This will make you feel short of breath, the need to urinate more frequently and can cause indigestion. The added pressure on your abdomen can also cause your bellybutton to protrude and cause an `outy` instead of an `inny`. Many pregnant women begin to notice stretch marks around this time as well. Your abdominal muscles are being stretched and pushed apart as your baby grows inside of you.
Your baby's skin begins to thicken this week and will develop four layers. Your baby's sebaceous glands secrete a waxy substance called vernix caseosa. Your baby will be born with this wax and it will look like paste. The vernix caseosa is crucial because it protects the fetus' fragile skin from the continuous immersion in amniotic fluid. Lanugo hairs secure the vernix caseosa in place and it is thick around the eyebrows. Scalp hair and toenails are beginning to form at this point. Hair can also be seen on the upper lip and eyebrows.
Around twenty weeks, most doctors will order a routine ultrasound to check the baby's development. Measurements will be taken and the sonogram technician will check to make sure there are no defects or abnormalities. Your ultrasound technician can also see how long your cervix is and can tell you approximately how much your baby weighs at this time. Most expectant women also find out the sex of their baby during this time! If your sonographer does not offer pictures, ask them for a copy of the photos.
tabathan - 5.6 hours ago
20 weeks is 5 months. There are on average four weeks in a month so just divide the weeks by 4 and you got the month...
mama mia cha cha cha - 6.5 hours ago
20 weeks! wow I think i am ready for this! This is my first pregnancy! I have done as much research as I can and I am planing a home birth! I have awesome midwives! I feel good! We have a hospital to go to, Just in case! I still have a long way to go yet getting excited!!!!!
lmv@newmom2010 - 8.2 hours ago
lol Muffin!!! my baby was sleeping and they put the ball on my tummy and he went crazy lol no shame was in his game just a kicking and stretching wide open legs my tech was like well hes deff a healthy mover i was like tell me about it lol he loves my bladder :p
muffin87 - 14.9 hours ago
I'm having a booooooy....yaaaaay......super exciTed can't waiT Ta see him....tell meeh why when I was having my u/s he was playing with his middle leg LOL.....how funny is that....too cute...
Jenette - 20.3 hours ago
What month is 20 weeks concidered to be?
Jenette - 20.4 hours ago
im 20weeks 1 day today... yay.. i'm so excited.... halfway there... i posted some belly pics if you guys want to see....I feel like i am huge for 20 wks.. my friend was so tiny at 20 weeks... but i am soo glad i got a baby bumb... :) i love it when my hubby kisses my tummy and me everytime he leave to work. :)
vinessalynn - 22.5 hours ago
The U/S tech said that intelligender almost always gives the opposite result with the patients she sees. I took 2 of them and got a boy and a girl result and the scan showed a boy.
GMarie - 1 days ago
Lord have mercy...found out today we're having a girl! We're naming her Vivan Adele and will call her Vivi.
dragonfly18 - 1 days ago
BerryMama - I've got the same question about having a shower prior to birth w/o knowing the sex! Let me know if you get any good ideas!
naunilee - 1 days ago
You ladies will do fine with 2 kiddos, just like having 1 having 2 will come naturally, just make sure to spend quality time with your oldest. We are on baby #4 (our others are 8,7 and 1 tomorrow) and loving having our 3 and can't wait for our 4th and final baby!
naunilee - 1 days ago
Maddies momma~ Just get a sit and stand stroller! They make life so much easier!!!!
Maddies Momma - 1 days ago
lol, yea my intelligender test was wrong too..i took two of them (1 bought, 1 they sent free)..both said girl..and im having a boy! lol
lmv@newmom2010 - 1 days ago
its a boy that dang test was sooooooo wrong lol
haven1095 - 1 days ago
I am ready for baby number two my daughter will be 8 in Dec. so I will have a little helper she can't wait.Alot of things happend this year for me I turned 30 that was my big one.
haven1095 - 1 days ago
I saw a lady the other day with a stroller for five she special ordered it she only had triplets but uses it for storage.
Maddies Momma - 1 days ago
does anyone have any suggestions for a stroller? my 2 1/2 hated the stroller as soon as she was mobile. but, I can already see it now...once this new baby is here, and using a stroller, i just know shes going to want to be in it too. so ive been looking at double strollers just in case she does that, but cant seem to find one i am for sure about just yet?? as well as a Carseat, since i wont be using a travel set like my first time, i need to know whats recommended for a carseat??
Maddies Momma - 1 days ago
20 weeks today! very excited, had my ultrasound on wednesday and im having a boy! i already have a 2 1/2 yr old little girl...very excited!! they placed me at 20 weeks today..almost a week ahead of what i was originally. the baby is 12 ozs as of wednesday and looked healthy and perfect! it was moving so much during the ultrasound the lady could hardly keep up with him! he even did a summersault during the exam! lol I am definately feeling like you sarah...VERY worried and nervous about taking care of Two little ones, but im sure once the baby is here and everythign gets rolling it'll gradually blend together =) my next appt. is on dec. 9th, just before we leave for florida for our wedding on dec. 13th! then off for a week long cruise...YAY!!!
lydynicole - 1 days ago
hey ladies how are all of you doing? i found out im having another boy so yes sarah i feel the same way you do my first is 18 months im really nervous about having two. i have a question i starting feeling this little guy kicking about two weeks ago but i can feeling him kicking towards my back is this normal? has anyone else had that happen?
sarah... - 1 days ago
well, following my most dissapointing 20 week sac on monday, im off for a private scan tommorow, cant wait eeeek!
is anyone having those 'omg how am i going to cope with 2 children' doubts?
im quite worried at the moment.
find out the sex tommorow, yay!
HeCallsMeChula - 1 days ago
off to week 21 see you ladies there.
goingtobemomof3 - 1 days ago
Half way there finally, Woot woot!
preggy pop - 1 days ago
I'm am finally getting my energy back and all of the morning sickness is gone:) I can't wait to meet our baby girl, Paisley GraceLynn!!!!!
SHanz - 1 days ago
YAY, Tomorrow I move to week 21. This has flown by so far! How is everyone feeling?
lmv@newmom2010 - 1 days ago
Good morning ladies i go for the U/s finally today this week has been dragging by to get to this point :P but i cant wait i have been up since 6 that's way crazy for me but it feels like Christmas morning when i was a kid lol well with the exception to the rule not knowing what your going to get because i used to peeks at my presents :P but its the excitement yay :p
HeCallsMeChula - 1 days ago
babymother-from what she new she was in good health. i will not be getting it i got really sick the first time i got the flu shot i was in the hospital so i dont even want to think what the H1N1 is going to do to me.my son got the shot on Tuesday at his 4yr check up.he is doing fine only reason i really got it for him is becasue there is a shortage of flu shots around here an not H1N1 so he will be protected in some away.
Berrymama - 2 days 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.
muffin87 - 2 days ago
You said that right GMarie can it go any slower til 2moro comes my u/s is 2moro.....sheesh..LOL...I hope its a boy. Girl would be fine...jus want a healthy lil muffin.
GMarie - 2 days ago
My ultrasound is tomorrow morning. Could today go any slower?
SharaLynn - 2 days ago
Just had the US today and we're having a girl! I'm so excited, but I feel kind of sad cuz my husband is a bit bummed for some reason, and he's really nervous about raising a girl. I'm sure he'll be ok though.
babymother - 2 days ago
mama mia cha cha cha, I think i am going to hold off getting it for now....just to see how the first trials run! Not feeling happy to get it at this point!
BreeNoel - 2 days ago
With all that said..Chula I really am sad to hear about your friend's reaction to the vaccine. I wish her a speedy recovery!!
BreeNoel - 2 days ago
I made the decision to get my H1N1 shot yesterday after discussing everything with my doctor. I told her how nervous it made me to get the shot, and she said 'well it's going to make ME and YOU really nervous if you catch the swine flu virus.' That made my decision right there when she said it would make her nervous if I were to get the swine flu. I'm very happy with my desicion and it really is a sigh of relief for me to know that me and my baby are both protected.
So it has been over 24 hours since I got the vaccine, and everything is just A OK with me. And little Miss Addilyn has just been kicking up a storm since, so all must be well with her too.
vinessalynn - 2 days ago
neris- I have complete placenta previa which can lead to accreta.
muffin87 - 2 days ago
Hey we are aLL haLfwaY There. Tomorrow I found out what I'm having I'm sOOO exciTed. My LiL MuFFin is just resting on my sciatic nerve. Boy is iT uncomForTabLe n a biT painfuL.... PLEASE do research before you get the H1N1 shot.
mama mia cha cha cha - 2 days ago
20 weeks and 1 day! YESSSS! Half way done! My heart gos out to anyone who has problems with h1n1 or flu V. I wouldn't get the shots myself. Be safe, do research!
Neris82 - 2 days ago
At my appt today it was discovered that I have Placenta Accreta. Has anyone else ever had this?
txlady - 2 days ago
It's a boy for me! Just found out at my u/s...
greta - 2 days ago
babymother, I got both. The H1N1 was nothing campared to the reg flu shot. I was really nervous about it, but in the end, I dediced to trust my doc.
babymother - 2 days ago
HeCallsmeChula, thats crazy... did she have any underlying problems/conditions? That's scary...I haven't had it yet because I am sceptical thus far but that's not reassuring me at all... are you getting it? When did your son get it and how did he react to it?
HeCallsMeChula - 2 days ago
melissabp-she got the shot friday at work she works in a nursing home an when she tried to get up saturday morning she could not move her legs an her hands are numb.
melissabp - 2 days ago
He calls me chula- I'm so sorry to hear about your friend.. When did she get the shot.ie how many days before she lost the use of her legs??
Neris82 - 2 days ago
I don't recall the exact numbers but the odds are pretty low of someone becoming paralyzed but it can happen with the h1n1 and the regular seasonal flu shot. It's one of those chances we take to protect ourselves. I hope your friend doesn't have that though, I will pray for her.
Tommygirl - 2 days ago
Congrats to everyone who's made it thus far...every week feels to me like a milestone i've reached...i thank God for this blessing!
HeCallsMeChula - 2 days ago
i have some scary news ladies i was talkin to one of my good friends yesterday an she was telling me how she got the H1N1 shot an when she woke up on saturday morning she could not move her legs an her hands were numb.so when she went to the ER on saturday they told her its from the shot an that they dont know if she will be able to use her legs again an she is only 23 i talked to her last nite an she is still not able to move her legs.it has been 4 days with this.now i am scared because i got the H1N1 for my son an i dont want anything to happen to him.on the bright side huddy didnt go to work today so maybe we can go baby shopping;0)
tabathan - 2 days ago
abby07-18-08 wow that sounds crazy! I bite myself often but never that bad! Good luck, I know how scary things are when your prego.
babymother - 3 days ago
is everyones appetite increasing...my has decreased drastically.... i eat just cos im pregnant!
lovelyluney - 3 days ago
abby07-18-08 dang girl! that sucks! youll be ok of course. how did you bit your lip so hard? i always bite my lip, tounge, and cheeks lol. it hurts so bad!
mamamuller - 3 days ago
Hello all! Week 20! Hooray! I had an u/s today and posted the pics on my profile. They are sooo neat. The U/S tech did a few freebie 3D ones and they are soo amazing! I also got a DVD, but dont have a decoder on my laptop so cant do anything but play it right now. Frustrating, but at least I have it! Today just made me want to see my little man more than ever! Hope everyone is doing well!
abby07-18-08 - 3 days ago
I am so upset. I somehow bit the skin under my inner lip and it is so bad, it damaged a saliva gland and i need surgery to take it out! the maternal fetal medicine
The due date from members in week 20 is from Sunday 4 April 2010 up to & including Saturday 10 April 2010. See the full timeline here
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