At 21 weeks pregnant, your baby has more control over limb movements, which explains why y'all might be feeling more kick and stretching going on in there.

From the outside, your petty one may be leaving his marker in the form of stretch marks — pinkish, red, purple, cherry-chocolate-brown or dark dark-brown streaks that tin announced as your abdomen expands.

Your Baby at Calendar week 21

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It'southward week 21 and your little monkey is about the size of a medium assistant — around 7 inches long and almost three-quarters of a pound. Every bit he gets bigger and bigger, you'll exist able to feel those movements more and more than…at least when he'southward not hunkering down for ane of his many naps. Naps? Yup. Though it may not experience similar information technology with all the kicking and poking going on in in that location, your snoozer sleeps as much as 14 hours a day.

But not because it's ho-hum at Hotel Uterus. On the opposite: You proceed things very interesting simply by switching up the catering carte. Those teensy taste buds on his tiny tongue are now developed plenty then while he can't actually eat the foods you do, he can taste them in the amniotic fluid.

And sense of taste them he will as he gulps several ounces each twenty-four hours for hydration and diet…and to practice swallowing and digesting. So sup on something spicy and within an hour or two it'll experience like a trip the light fantastic party in your belly equally your budding infant burrito gets a hint of that enchilada. Enjoy some scampi, and your little shrimp will grab a wave of garlic.

Need some other reason to add variety to your 2d and tertiary trimester menus? Studies bear witness that babies who take sampled certain foods while in utero are more than inclined to eat them once they hit the high chair. So putting broccoli, carrots, and kale on your plate now packs a i-two punch: peachy nutrition for you and your baby, and a greater likelihood your potentially picky eater will savor those veggies afterward on.

At a Glance

He's got the moves

Your infant's arms and legs are in proportion this calendar week and his movements are now much more coordinated. Also, notice a jump in babe's length this week? Up until at present, we've been measuring from crown to rump, but now we start to measure from crown to heel, which explains why he suddenly "grew" so much.

More claret cells

Your baby-to-exist's liver and spleen have been working hard producing claret cells, but now the os marrow is adult enough to help too.

Infant's drinking

While the placenta is even so #ane when it comes to nourishment, now your baby takes in small amounts of amniotic fluid, too.

21 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 21 weeks significant, y'all're in month 5 of your pregnancy. But 4 months left to go! Still accept questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken downwards in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 21 weeks?

How big is your infant? Switching from crown-to-rump to crown-to-heel length, he's 10½ inches long and weighs 11 to 12½ounces, about the size of a large banana.

Your developing baby nonetheless has a bang-up deal of room in your womb — though like anyone who lives in 1 infinite for a long time, this tenant will soon brainstorm to experience cramped.

Baby's moving and sleeping

Until those uterine walls offset closing in, nevertheless, there'south enough of space for twisting, turning and even an occasional somersault — so that'due south what you lot were feeling last nighttime!

With all that belly dancing going on, information technology's hard to believe your babe is getting any close-center at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps every bit much as a newborn. At present if only you could get some slumber yourself!

Baby'southward taste buds develop

Speaking of milestones, whatever y'all eat this calendar week, in that location's a skilful adventure your infant will gustation it, too. That'southward considering when you're 21 weeks pregnant, your babe swallows a chip of amniotic fluid each day — not only for nutrition and hydration, just as well to exercise swallowing and digesting, skills he'll demand as before long as he arrives in your arms.

And proceed this in mind: The sense of taste of the amniotic fluid differs from twenty-four hours to day depending on what you've eaten — spicy enchilada i twenty-four hour period, sweetness assistant the next. That smorgasbord of flavors won't be lost on your baby since your piddling one has very developed taste buds already.

In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with those same tastes after birth. Want your peanut to swallow his broccoli later? Swallow yours now!

Infant's getting coordinated

Your fiddling activeness figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves at 21 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now continued between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the torso is turning to bone.

All these upgrades combine to give your baby more command over limb movements, which explains all that kicking, stretching and bodysurfing, or rather bellysurfing, you may have started feeling.

Your Body at Week 21

21 weeks pregnant woman

Stretch marks

At 21 weeks pregnant, your baby might exist starting to exit his mark — in the form of stretch marks, that is — all over your breadbasket, butt, thighs, hips and breasts.

These pink, cherry-red, purple, blood-red-chocolate-brown or nighttime brown streaks appear as your body expands and your stomach and breasts just keep on growing: The supporting tissue under your skin gets torn as the skin stretches.

Estimates vary, just at least 1 in 2 women get stretch marks, though y'all're a likely candidate if your mom had them during pregnancy.

Rapid weight gain can also predispose you to getting stretch marks — another good reason to add your pounds slowly and steadily, at an average of about a pound a week these days.

Depending on your complexion and the genes you inherited, these lines get-go show up as red, pinkish or brown streaks, and with time, will eventually fade.

There's no proven style to prevent stretch marks from zigzagging their manner beyond your body (though there's no damage in applying moisturizers similar cocoa butter; if naught else, it will prevent the dryness and itching associated with pregnancy-stretched skin). After delivery, they ordinarily fade to a less noticeable shade.

Relieving anxiety

Now that you're starting to wait pregnant — and not just like you ate a especially large lunch — and those kicks can no longer be mistaken for gas, the reality of pregnancy is probably beginning to sink in.

And with information technology, you may find, a few clashing or anxious feelings you're even ambivalent about admitting: Me, a mom? There must be some mistake! Don't worry — and hang on.

At some signal in pregnancy, and usually once that pregnancy becomes a very visible reality, simply about every expectant parent begins to experience anxiety and fear — almost as if you lot're on a runaway train and there'due south enormous changes coming round the bend.

And not only is information technology completely normal to feel anxious, it'south especially healthy to acknowledge it. Talk your feelings over with your friends who've had babies — they'll reassure y'all that they experienced the aforementioned kind of thoughts. Nigh of import, hash out your fears with your partner, if y'all accept ane, who's probably but as in need of a expert heart-to-heart.

Learn more near anxiety during and afterwards pregnancy.

Pregnancy Symptoms Calendar week 21

Fetal movement

By at present yous may exist able to experience your baby twisting, turning and kicking in the womb — though many new expectant moms fault the feeling for gas. Enjoy these first gentle love taps — soon enough your growing babe's kicks will get more aggressive. Read More than

Increased ambition

Are you always in the mood…to swallow? Carry healthy snacks such every bit nuts, raisins, trail mix or granola confined and then you'll take nutritious fuel to go on you lot and your baby-to-be nourished, even when you're on the get. Read More

Bloating and gas

The increasing pressure your uterus is placing on your rectum can mean that you're having a hard time containing yourself (your gas, that is). Drink plenty of water and eat fiber-rich foods to avoid becoming constipated, which can brand gassiness worse. Read More

Backaches

Non only is your center of gravity shifting and putting extra strain on your back, just the hormone relaxin is likewise causing your ligaments and joints to stretch and loosen, which means additional achiness in your back. If you tin can, splurge for a prenatal massage from a trained professional and bound for a pair of supportive shoes. Read More

Bleeding gums

If your inflamed, haemorrhage gums are turning your toothbrush pink, avoid eating sticky candies, especially when yous tin can't brush afterward. The sweetness stuff increases leaner in your rima oris and further irritates your gums. Read More

Fast-growing nails

Have you noticed that your hair and nails are growing at tape speed? Pregnancy hormones are partly the cause — as is the increased circulation in your torso — bringing actress nutrients to your hair, nails, and of class, to your baby. Read More

Tips for You This Week

Unstuff your nose

Seasonal allergies may non be to arraign for all that nasal congestion y'all've been experiencing. Alas, starting in the second trimester, a stuffy olfactory organ is a common pregnancy symptom — one that tends to stick around until delivery.

To clear your nasal passages, use your thumb to shut one nostril, while gently bravado out the other. Then, repeat on the other side. If yous're really stuffed up, enquire your doc if there's a condom OTC decongestant or antihistamine you can use.

Elevate your anxiety

Finding information technology harder to necktie your shoes than usual? Swollen anxiety and ankles may be to blame. Because your body has about 50 percent more than claret and fluid than it did pre-baby, your extremities are more prone to swelling. Then be sure to clock in a few sit-and-elevate sessions throughout the day.

Irksome and steady wins the race

Chances are your practitioner advised you on your target weight gain at your first prenatal appointment — and that it was calculated based on a number of factors, including what your pre-pregnancy weight and BMI were.

Your practitioner probably also talks to y'all at every visit about where y'all are on that up bend — and where you should aim to exist.

If you've been instructed to proceeds the standard 25-to-35-pound total in your pregnancy, by this week y'all're likely to have gained anywhere from x to 16 of those pounds.

If you raced past that number weeks agone, or are gaining faster than your practitioner recommended, y'all'll want to slow down. And if you're not gaining enough, you'll want to speed things up. Ask your doc or midwife for tips.

Walk for thirty minutes a day

Is your plumbing chock-full? And then commencement walking for exercise. Both during pregnancy and in those first postpartum weeks, physical activity like a brisk walk is one of the best ways to stimulate your bowels and fight constipation.

Just a one-half-hour walk a solar day can exercise the trick, especially if you drinkable plenty of water and favor fiber-rich foods. Just call back to take some trail mix when you hit the trail. And fifty-fifty if you're not doing it to relieve constipation or other pregnancy symptoms, walking is a bang-up way to become the exercise you lot need when you lot're pregnant.

Avoid lasers

Your legs, armpits, bikini line and upper lip may exist hairier than usual due to all those raging hormones. Just think twice earlier you turn to lasers, electrolysis, depilatories and bleaching.

No reliable studies have been washed to decide for sure whether these pop hair-removal and lightening treatments are harmful or not, but it's probably best to skip them until after yous requite birth.

Accept heart, though — you may pluck or shave to your eye'south content. Fifty-fifty waxing is fine if your skin's not too sensitive. That'due south not making you feel better? Mentum upwards — you're more than than halfway to the finish line!

Clear your calendar

It's non a lack of sleep that'southward causing you to forget where y'all put your keys (though that certainly doesn't help). Brain fog is a mutual pregnancy symptom, and causes forgetfulness and problem concentrating.

Since so-chosen "pregnancy brain" could well be here to stay for the remainder of your pregnancy, now'southward the fourth dimension to start making to-do lists, leaving notes for yourself in obvious places and outsourcing some of your regular tasks to your partner or not-significant friends and family.

Limit empty calories

Emphasis on "empty." You nonetheless desire to consume plenty nutrients to continue your baby fed and growing. After all, the idea isn't to lose weight — losing weight is e'er a bad idea when you're pregnant — information technology'south to eat a healthy diet and go on your weight proceeds wearisome and steady.

Easy, nutritious strategies, like substituting fresh fruit for dried, baked potatoes or yams for French fries, and grilled white-meat chicken with no peel for fried dark meat with skin, can make a large difference.

Other calories that can go? The ones y'all'll notice in sugary treats.

From the What to Expect editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, writer ofWhat to Await When You're Expecting. What to Wait follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such every bit peer-reviewed studies, bookish research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Larn how nosotros keep our content authentic and up-to-engagement past reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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