Happix Premium Baby Diapers - Happy Babies Week 20

You are now 20 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 21.

Your baby measures around 23 cm in length from head to toe (9 inches) and weighs approximately 420 grams (or 14.8 ounces).

During the 20th week your baby's nails form and their fingerprints are now visibly engraved in their skin. Your baby's permanent teeth now appear behind their baby teeth deep within their gums.

The bones in your baby's inner ear and their nerve endiings are now developed to the point where it's possible for them to hear sounds (although their ears are not structurally complete until week 24). The sounds your baby can hear include their mother's heartbeat and the sound of her voice. So it's the ideal time to start speaking to your baby - and even reading to your baby now.

Physical changes

Pregnant belly

If you lie down, you should be able to feel the top of your uterus (or fundus) around the level of your belly button now. Your caregiver may start using a measuring tape during visits to measure your fundal height, but this is not essential.

Baby kicking

Many women feel their unborn baby move for the first time around 20 weeks (sometimes earlier). However, if your placenta is in an anterior position (implanted at the front of your uterus closest to your belly), this can reduce the sensations and delay you feeling your baby until 22 weeks or later. Your partner and others will not be able to sense your baby moving by touching your belly until about 2 to 4 weeks after you do. Bear in mind this is a general guide and the timing may be longer, especially if the woman is sensing her baby move before 20 weeks.

Did you know? The medical term for when a woman feels her unborn baby move is called quickening and before the invention of modern pregnancy tests it was generally the first physical sign that confirmed a viable pregnancy.

Emotional reactions

Feeling your unborn baby move is something most women anticipate with great impatience. Sensing it for the first time is very exciting, as well as a wonderful confirmation of your baby's growth and presence. In the weeks that follow, the thrill and wonder of this sensation will become more regular and as your baby grows bigger, you can share their movements with your partner (if you have one) or others. Fathers (and siblings) will marvel at feeling their baby move, often helping them connect more closely with the unborn baby.

Other considerations

Belly size and shape

You may begin to notice other pregnant women more readily and start looking more closely at their belly size and shape. Each woman's pregnant belly differs, depending on their height and weight and whether it is their first or subsequent baby. Try to remember that every woman is unique in how she changes and responds to her pregnancy.

Your pregnancy - Week 20