2nd Trimester 17-20 Weeks

Foetus

The foetal eyes are still shut even as little eyelashes have appeared. Fluttering or stirring may now be felt from the growing foetal body movements. These are all important signs in a pregnancy, so make a special note of this day.

The foetus is now about 20cm long, the size of a small bunny. The kidneys are producing urine, which is excreted into the amniotic fluid surrounding your baby, about 7-17 ml of urine every 24 hours pass through. At 20 weeks your baby’s head is about 1/3 of the size of the body. The baby weighs about 225 – 500g. As the baby matures, breathing becomes more regular, this is like a rehearsal for the moments after birth. The lungs are the last organ to develop, at this stage, tiny air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to form in the lungs.

Each baby tends to have its own characteristic rhythm of activity and moves most energetically at a particular time of the day. You won’t feel all the movements your baby makes, such as sucking, the fluttering of hands and breathing movements, these are all too slight to notice.

You and your body

You’re definitely looking pregnant and blooming. You’re putting on weight, mostly due to increased blood and other fluids, as well as your growing foetus. You will start to feel the foetus moving a little, first time mothers usually become aware of the movement at a later stage.

{module 4dscan|none}

{backbutton}