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20th week of pregnancy – the baby’s development accelerates

07.08.2019

3 min. Reading time

This week of pregnancy is the time when your baby's senses of hearing, sight and touch are developing faster and faster. It is already able to taste the foetal water, which is reflected in the frequency of its swallowing. The sweeter it is, the more readily the baby accepts it. This is why the expectant mother's diet is so important during this time.

The moment when the baby starts to develop more and more intensively is in the 20th week of pregnancy. The foetus develops teeth. Its face becomes more and more visible: eyes, ears and nose.

The 20th week of pregnancy – which month is it?

Week 20 is the 5th month of pregnancy. So half the time has already been reached. This is the ideal time for a mid-term ultrasound (which should be done between the 18th and 22nd week). Many parents also opt for a 3D or 4D ultrasound, the image of which later becomes a beautiful keepsake. Besides, the baby’s movements can already be clearly seen on the ultrasound image.

Your baby’s size and weight at 20 weeks’ gestation

The weight of your baby in the 20th week of pregnancy is about 300 g. However, it should be noted that this is an approximate value. There is no need to worry if the foetus weighs a little less or more.

Week 20 of pregnancy – What can you see on the ultrasound images?

With the ultrasound in the 20th week of pregnancy, you can see the baby’s movements quite accurately, of course only when it is not asleep. In addition, you can already see increasingly clear shapes of the face: Eyes, mouth, nose. However, the eyes are still closed. The baby makes quite funny grimaces, which, with a bit of luck, you can also see during the ultrasound examination.

In the 20th week of pregnancy, the baby’s skin is covered by the so-called cheesy goo, a foetal white covering whose job it is to protect the baby from the water of the foetus. It consists of exfoliated skin (epidermis) and secretions from the fetus’ sebaceous glands.

The development of the baby in the 20th week of pregnancy

The baby’s movements in the 20th week of pregnancy become stronger and begin to be associated with reactions to sounds. During this time, a toddler very intensively develops various senses – sight, hearing, touch. He actively responds to his mother’s heartbeat and her voice. It is advisable to avoid a noisy environment and to speak to the baby in a quiet tone. It is also the ideal time to tell the child its first stories and play quiet music. Many mothers turn to classical music during this time.

The sense of taste is developing in the foetus. It can already recognise the taste of the amniotic fluid, which is why the mother’s feeding is so important. The sweeter the foetus’ water is, the more readily and often the baby swallows it, which in turn means it absorbs more nutrition. In the 20th week, the baby also develops tooth buds, although these do not become visible until the teething period, many weeks after birth.

Well-being in the 20th week of pregnancy

In the 20th week of pregnancy, the weight of the future mother should increase by 5-6 kg compared to the time before conception. At this time, the first traces of the linea negra, the pregnancy line, may appear on the abdomen. In the second trimester, there is increased melanin production, which can also lead to a slight darkening and discolouration of the skin.At the 20th week of pregnancy, the weight of the future mother should increase by 5-6 kg compared to the time before conception. At this time, the first traces of the linea negra, the pregnancy line, may appear on the abdomen. In the second trimester, there is increased melanin production, which can also lead to a slight darkening and discolouration of the skin.

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