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🌿Second Trimester•Weeks 14-27
Week 21 of Pregnancy
Your baby is the size of carrot
📏
Length
10.5 inches
⚖️
Weight
12.7 ounces
🍎
Size Comparison
Carrot
👶 Baby Development
- •Baby can hear your voice clearly and may recognize it after birth
- •Eyebrows and eyelids are fully formed and visible
- •Fingers and toes are completely formed with distinct nails
- •Bone marrow has taken over producing red blood cells from the liver and spleen
- •Baby drinks several ounces of amniotic fluid daily for digestive practice
- •Rapid brain development continues with billions of neurons forming
- •Movements become more coordinated and purposeful
💭 Common Symptoms
- •Significantly increased appetite as baby grows rapidly
- •Possible varicose veins in legs from increased blood volume and uterine pressure
- •Stretch marks may appear on belly, breasts, hips, or thighs as skin stretches
- •Braxton Hicks contractions (practice contractions) may start - they feel like tightening
- •Increased vaginal discharge
- •Possible leg cramps at night
- •Continued backaches and pelvic pressure
🥗 Nutrition Tips
- •Eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to prevent constipation
- •Include 75-100g of lean proteins daily from varied sources
- •Stay hydrated with 10-12 glasses of water to support blood volume
- •Eat foods rich in vitamin E like almonds, sunflower seeds, and avocados for skin elasticity
- •Include healthy fats for baby's brain development
- •Eat small, frequent meals to accommodate growing uterus
- •Include iron and vitamin C together for optimal absorption
✅ To-Do This Week
- •Talk, sing, and read to your baby regularly - they can hear you!
- •Continue exercising safely with approved activities like walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga
- •Apply moisturizer or oil to your belly, hips, and breasts twice daily to help with stretch marks
- •Research and register for childbirth education classes that start in third trimester
- •Start planning your baby shower with friends or family
- •Begin thinking about childcare options if returning to work
- •Elevate legs to reduce varicose veins
💡
Did You Know?
Your baby can now taste flavors from the foods you eat through the amniotic fluid! Research shows babies exposed to certain flavors in utero show preferences for those flavors after birth.