It's the twenty-first week of your pregnancy and for your baby, the living is good, just sleeping, snacking, and schoolin' for life on the outside. And you're probably feeling pretty good right now too, mama! Read on to learn more about what to expect this week.
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Life In the Womb
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Wondering what your little one does in there all day? Well, s/he sleeps a lot, for one, about 12 to 14 hours a day. During waking hours your baby is getting to know what a whole lot of tiny little body parts do by engaging in a lot of movement (did you feel that?). Since baby weighs just 11 ounces and is only seven inches in length, s/he still has plenty of room to move. Soon though, that uterus of yours will begin to cramp both of your styles... and then the uterine cramping known as labor will begin!
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Hey Mom, Eat Something Tasty!
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Did you know your little one swallows a bit of amniotic fluid every day? And that fluid carries the flavors of the foods you've been nibbling? It's true: for a little nourishment and a whole lot of practice swallowing, your baby is sampling the liquid s/he's living in, and his or her tiny little taste buds are getting their first exposure to different flavors . And there's research out there that says babies will later show a preference for foods they were exposed to in utero. Here's your first chance to shape your baby's palate, mama!
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Marks of a Mama
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About half of pregnant women end up with stretch marks on their belly, breasts, hips, thighs, and/or booty, thanks to a whole lot of weight gain stretching your skin in not a lot of time. They often start off dark reddish or purple-y and gradually fade to shiny white or silvery. If your mama got them, it's likely you will too (sorry!), and lighter-skinned women are also more susceptible. Unfortunately there's not much you can do about them. Controlling your weight gain to keep it as steady and gradual as possible might help a bit, and while moisturizing with products containing cocoa butter might not be the miracle cure they claims to be, it sure smells good!