In weeks 20 to 23 of pregnancy baby has a lot of growing to do and so do you!

Week 20

Baby is now anything up to 6.5 inches long. Baby is now swallowing and kicking and you are probably beginning to feel baby’s movements more regularly. You are half way through pregnancy. For the many women who do not go the full 40 weeks you are over half way! Your baby is covered in greasy white vernix caseosa which will still be on most babies when they are born and is most noticeable after birth in their hair.

Week 21

Just call that baby banana! Your baby is now the size of a banana or large carrot at about 7 inches long. Some babies will begin to practice breathing movements which often end up in hiccups. As your pregnancy advances you may be able to feel these hiccups. Your baby will also begin to hear what you are saying. This is a great time of pregnancy for most women as the early pregnancy symptoms have subsided, you are not yet suffering the aches and pains of late pregnancy and your bump is nice and noticeable but not yet giving you the appearance of a whale!

Week 22

As your bump starts to grow you may become clumsier and start to lose your balance on occasions. Always be careful on stairs and hold the railings. You may begin to develop stretch marks on your ever growing stomach. You can work towards preventing these by moisturizing however even this cannot guarantee a lack of stretch marks. Your belly button may also pop out sometime soon. You may begin to get cravings, increased vaginal discharge and an increased need to wee.

Week 23

Baby now looks like a real baby and is large enough to hold in your arms and can be up to 11 inches long. Baby can hear more clearly and is now “viable” which means that if he or she were born early they would have a chance at survival (between 10% and 70%). Each day in the womb after this point increases baby’s chance at survival if born prematurely. Once a baby reaches 26 weeks they have a 80% chance of survival.