Weekly Update: 21 Weeks Pregnant

Fig 1: www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment/21weeks/

 

Baby size at 21 weeks: 27cm long.

Baby weight at 21 weeks: 360g.

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I’m feeling great so far this week (today I’m 21+2 weeks today). My skin has all of a sudden cleared up and my hair is really shiny. I’m still having massive issues with my Sciatic nerve however and feeling breathless really quickly when walking up the street.

Baby boy however is having a whale of a time in my tummy! He’s moving around loads, I can feel him doing somersaults and kicking and punching! I’m only sad that DP can’t feel it yet.

This week we’re at the hospital twice. On Tuesday we have an appointment at the Fetal Medicine Unit at UCLH for another Echocardiogram. Then at Broomfield on Wednesday for an appointment with the Midwife and Consultant. Will post an update soon after each appointment.

 

So what is happening to baby boy this week?

The umbilical cord is growing thicker and longer in order to provide your baby with more nutrients and oxygen. Although most of the nutrition your baby needs is delivered via the umbilical cord, the developing digestive system allows small amounts of sugars to be absorbed from the amniotic fluid your baby swallows.

Until now your baby’s liver and spleen have been producing red blood cells. Around now your baby’s bone marrow starts to make them too. By the time they’re born, your baby will be producing all the red blood cells they need.

In baby girls, the uterus is fully developed now and baby boy’s testes are starting to descend. This usually takes two or three days. Occasionally this fails to happen, and some baby boys will need a minor operation after birth to bring the testes down.

MM.

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