Pregnancy Week 20

Your 20th Week of Pregnancy
The Second Trimester

Your Baby - 20 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy Week 20 Over the last four weeks, your baby has grown an incredible amount, and has just about quadrupled his weight. He's big enough that you should be feeling fluttering or quickening quite regularly now. In fact, from his movements you may be able to tell if your baby is awake or asleep. Your baby is anywhere from 20 - 26 cm (8 to 10 inches) long and weighs 285-300 grams (10-11oz).

Your baby has started to practice breathing motions, even though his lungs are not yet mature enough to breathe enough air to allow him to survive outside your body. Lanugo (the fine hair) covers your baby's whole body, and hair on his scalp is beginning to grow. Your baby's ears are fully functional now and he enjoys the sound of uterine noise. All the organs and structures of your baby's body are formed and your baby is now entering a period of simple growth. And you may be getting ready to be a grandma already: if your baby is a girl, her uterus is beginning to develop!

Ultrasound image submitted by Babies Online member Amber E of Albuquerque, NM: "This is my sweet little girl - we can't wait until October to meet her!"

Your Body - 20 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy Week 20 Congratulations -- you are halfway through your pregnancy!

As the baby and uterus grow, some moms report a little trouble breathing, or taking deep breaths, as their lungs become cramped with the internal organs. While not a serious complication, it can be uncomfortable. Once your baby drops or engages into the pelvis (which happens about four to six weeks before your due date) this will be relieved.

If you haven't yet, you might want to start coming up with some of your favorite baby names. It might help to look through family history for ideas or pay attention to names when you watch movies or read books. Don't forget: when thinking about a baby name, be sure to pay attention to the initials your baby will have. You wouldn't want to try to personalize something for your baby, only to realize that your baby's initials spell -- or sound like -- something you all won't be happy about down the road. (Think TOE, CRP, COW, HOR, GAG, BRF).

Ultrasound of Joshua submitted by Babies Online member Michelle S, 20 weeks pregnant

Your Pregnancy Week by Week Newsletter

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Common Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 20

Breast Changes: tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
Frequent Urination
Constipation
Heartburn or Indigestion
Headaches
Stretch Marks
Itching

Early Pregnancy Questions

Babies Online Members in their 20th week of pregnancy have commonly asked the following questions:

Of Special Interest

Free Online Pregnancy Journals - Chronicle your pregnancy to share with friends & family around the world and print for your baby book!

Your pregnancy is determined from the date of last menstral period, not date of conception. Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It is not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may recieve from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.