- Preparing for Pregnancy
- Diet and Exercise
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Health
- Antenatal Care
- Preganancy at 1-3 Weeks
- Preganancy at 4 Weeks
- Preganancy at 5 Weeks
- Preganancy at 6 Weeks
- Preganancy at 7 Weeks
- Preganancy at 8 Weeks
- Preganancy at 9 Weeks
- Preganancy at 10 Weeks
- Preganancy at 11 Weeks
- Preganancy at 12 Weeks
- Preganancy at 13 Weeks
- Preganancy at 14 Weeks
- Preganancy at 15 Weeks
- Preganancy at 16 Weeks
- Preganancy at 17 Weeks
- Preganancy at 18 Weeks
- Preganancy at 19 Weeks
- Preganancy at 20 Weeks
- Preganancy at 21 Weeks
- Preganancy at 22 Weeks
- Preganancy at 23 Weeks
- Preganancy at 24 Weeks
- Preganancy at 25 Weeks
- Preganancy at 26 Weeks
- Preganancy at 27 Weeks
- Preganancy at 28 Weeks
- Preganancy at 29 Weeks
- Preganancy at 30 Weeks
- Preganancy at 31 Weeks
- Preganancy at 32 Weeks
- Preganancy at 33 Weeks
- Preganancy at 34 Weeks
- Preganancy at 35 Weeks
- Preganancy at 36 Weeks
- Preganancy at 37 Weeks
- Preganancy at 38 Weeks
- Preganancy at 39 Weeks
- Preganancy at 40 Weeks
- Labour and Birth
- The First Few Days
Pregnancy at 21 Weeks
Your baby is now a smaller, thinner version of how he will look at full term. He may already have recognizable family features! The next few weeks are crucial as his lungs mature, which is essential for his survival outside of the uterus. Even though he won't take his first breath of air for another 19 weeks, he still 'practises' breathing movements.
Development
The growth of your baby's brain is very rapid. It is at around this time that he is thought to develop memory, so play soothing pieces of music - they may also calm him after he is born. His tongue, complete with taste buds, is fully developed. He already has a high number of red blood cells and it is now that white blood cells are produced. These cells are essential for helping him to fight infection. If your baby is a girl, her uterus and vagina will have developed. If your baby is a boy, his testes will probably have started to descend towards the scrotum.
Appearance
Lanugo now covers your baby's entire body, but the hair growing on his head is far more visible, with eyebrows and eyelashes becoming more defined. His skin is growing, and he will soon start to lay down some fat. Over the next few weeks he will become less thin but will still be red and wrinkled.
Movement
Your baby is very active and you will probably be aware of his movements. Babies appear to use the umbilical cord as a toy, trying to grab it and even squeeze it.
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I've been told that I'm definitely carrying a boy because of the shape of my bump. Is this true or not?
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| Among all of the myths associated with pregnancy one of the most common is that the shape of your bump - to the front or all round, is dictated by the sex of the baby that you are expecting. The reality is that the shape of your bump depends on a number of factors related more to you dian to your baby, including which way die baby is lying in your uterus, how much weight you have put on during your pregnancy, your height, if your muscles have been stretched during previous pregnancies and the shape of your pelvis.
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