Congratulations, half of your pregnancy is over! Every day your body changes more and more, so now you have to pay more attention to your wardrobe, "tailoring" it to your new parameters.
Changes in the body at 21 weeks of gestation
At the 21st week of pregnancy, your uterus rises about 1 cm above the umbilicus level. Hip bones begin to gradually prepare for the upcoming birth, their joints become more flexible. There is an improvement in appetite and overall well-being, as early toxicosis, which annoyed you in the first half of pregnancy, was finally left behind. Your total weight continues to increase, and for normal body movements you now need to make more efforts. In this regard, increased sweating can bring some discomfort.
The load on the spine also increases, so that by the end of the day you can feel pain in the lower back, fatigue and loss of strength. To avoid these problems, discard high-heeled shoes and try to relax more during the day.
The condition of the fetus at 21 weeks of gestation
Your baby is already 20 cm tall and weighs approximately 300 grams. He is already pushing with might and main, during the day reminding you of himself! From 21 weeks, the child’s growth rate is slightly slowed down, but all his organ systems continue to improve actively. By this time, the baby has already learned a lot of things, for example, he can swallow amniotic fluid, from which his small intestine absorbs sugar and water. The urinary system of the child also works actively, passing about 450 ml of fluid through the kidneys per day. White blood cells and red blood cells appear in the fetal blood, and special enzymes necessary for digesting food appear in the digestive tract. At this stage, your baby is still free to swim and move in the amniotic fluid, but very soon he will assume a head down position.
Possible sensations at 21 weeks of gestation
In addition to unpleasant sensations in the lumbar region, at the 21st week of gestation, you can be disturbed by quite painful leg cramps, which are especially often felt at night. Doctors believe that this is due to a large load on the leg muscles. If you have a cramp, bend your leg or just move your fingers, or better yet, ask your husband to massage you.
In other manifestations, this period is quite calm, so many women mainly focus on communicating with their child. Each new push of the baby is his statement to the world about himself and a great joy for his parents, so try to talk to him more often, stroking his stomach. Even being in the womb, the child is already able to pick up your intonations and respond to the timbre of your voice, then freezing, now actively kicking your stomach from the inside. That is why try to be less nervous and transmit only positive emotions to the baby.
Necessary medical supervision
During this period, the doctor continues to monitor the course of pregnancy, paying particular attention to the presence of edema of the lower extremities. The fact is that due to a change in blood circulation in the body of a pregnant woman, there is a danger of such a complication as venous thrombosis. Its main symptoms are painful swelling, redness and burning in the legs. This can be quite a serious problem requiring treatment in a hospital, so doctors must monitor the condition of your legs. At the same time, your blood pressure, your general condition are monitored, and if necessary, you can be referred for ultrasound.
General recommendations
Since your legs can bring a lot of discomfort to you during the twenty-first week of pregnancy, try to provide them with comfortable shoes. Do not forget about moderate physical exercises, which have a positive effect for maintaining yourself in good shape. But keep in mind that due to a shift in the center of gravity, the coordination of your movements may be slightly impaired, so be very careful to engage in the presence of one of your relatives - in the event of a fall, they will immediately provide you with the necessary assistance. A set of exercises should be designed for your position, only then it will be really useful for you. The best option for physical activity at this time for you would be yoga, walking or swimming.
Weekly Pregnancy Calendar:
Comments
