Pregnancy week by week · trimester 2
🍌 20 weeks pregnant: your baby is about the size of a banana
At 20 weeks pregnant, you are halfway. Your baby is about the size of a banana, swallowing and developing taste, and many mums have their anomaly scan around now.
Your baby this week
Halfway there. Your baby is about the size of a banana, and from now they are usually measured from head to heel, so the length jumps to around 25cm and the weight to about 300g. Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid, which helps the digestive system practise, and taste buds are developing. They are moving a lot, and you may start to notice a pattern of quiet and busy times. Hair on the head, eyebrows and eyelashes may be growing.
You this week
Many mums feel their first flutters around now, sometimes called quickening, although first-time mums may feel them a little later. Your womb is now around the level of your belly button. You may notice heartburn, backache, a dark line on your tummy, and leg cramps. Your appetite may be stronger. Halfway is a lovely moment to pause, take a bump photo if you like, and recognise how far you have come.
Kind things to do this week
- Start to notice when your baby tends to be most active; you will get to know their pattern.
- Take a bump photo for your journal, even if you do not plan to share it.
- Have your whooping cough vaccine if it has not been done yet.
Appointments around now
Your anomaly scan is usually offered between 18 and 21 weeks. You may be able to find out the sex if you would like to and if the hospital offers it.
Questions to ask your midwife
- What did the anomaly scan show, and do I need any follow up?
- When should I start paying attention to my baby's movements?
When to call your midwife or maternity unit
Once you have started to feel your baby move regularly, if the movements slow down, stop or change, contact your maternity unit straight away, day or night. Do not wait until the next day. Please also call if you have any bleeding, fluid leaking, a severe headache, changes to your vision, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet.
OBubba from bump to baby
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Questions
Why did the length jump at 20 weeks?
Until around 20 weeks, babies are measured from head to bottom. From now on they are measured from head to heel, so the number looks much bigger.
What if I have not felt my baby move at 20 weeks?
That is common, especially in a first pregnancy, or if your placenta is at the front. Most mums feel movement by 24 weeks. If you have not by then, contact your midwife.
Not sure how far along you are? Use the due date calculator.
Sources
OBubba gives general information. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Your midwife and maternity unit are always the right people to ask, any time of day or night.