Your baby is the size of a banana

your baby this week:
You're halfway there! Can you believe it? And wow, your little one has really developed! In addition to hearing your voice and the voices of others, this week they can use their hands to cover their ears if sounds are too loud. They may even "jump" inside your womb if any sounds startle them. Also, your little one's taste buds can faintly taste the more intense flavors of what you eat, like garlic, curry, and other spicey dishes.
Your baby is very active, moving and stretching around inside of you. But if this is your first pregnancy, or if you have a larger frame, you may not feel these movements for another week or two. If you can feel your baby shifting and kicking, pay close attention because you may start to learn about their preferred sleep cycles, too.
If you're carrying a girl, her vaginal canal is beginning to develop this week; and she has a primitive version of what is nearly seven million eggs in her teeny, tiny ovaries (and that number will decrease to about one million eggs, by birth).
If you're carrying a boy, his testicles are presently in his stomach. Once his scrotum has fully developed, his testicles will begin their descent.
your body:
Congratulations! You’re at the halfway mark of pregnancy! Take a nice, full stop at the hypothetical "water table" (whatever you might make that be, personally) and take a moment to catch your breath. You should definitely go and do something to commemorate this special milestone in your journey!
Around this time, a good number of women discover their innie belly button has mutated, suddenly they are suddenly members of the outie club. If this is you, don't be alarmed over any tenderness you feel there. Your uterus is pressing on that outie. It's pressing really hard. And...
Everyone notices (and probably touches) your pregnant belly bump!
By week 20, you've likely gained about 10 pounds so far. You're expected to gain about one pound per week from here on out. Your appetite is... strong. You may even be wearing maternity clothing regularly now. But try not to use your obvious baby-on-board belly bump, nor your extra-stretch maternity clothing, as an excuse to turn rabid around food. If you started your pregnancy underweight, it may be that you're needing to gain a little more each week; but likewise, if you started your pregnancy at a heavier weight, there's a chance you haven't gained much at all or have been told you don't need to gain as much!
If you find yourself gaining too much weight... Keep healthy snacks with you to graze throughout the day and keep extreme hunger at bay, versus binging on the unhealthy snacks at the first chance you get. Some great snack ideas are baby carrots, walnuts, fresh fruit, and almonds. Choose tasty alternatives to junk food, like a bag of popcorn instead of a bag of potato chips, or yogurt and granola instead of ice cream.
Also at week 20, your nails and hair are likely making you very happy! This is your pregnancy hormones at it again, causing your nails and hair to grow faster than they did pre-pregnancy, your nails to feel stronger, and your hair to look thicker and more luscious.
Louise Broadbridge - Our Expert Midwife

Hi, my name is Louise, I am a Registered Midwife, founder of Let's Talk Birth and Baby and the face behind Instagram's The Honest Midwife. I have worked in health settings for the past 30 years, the majority of which have been working in children and family settings.
your tips & to do's:
Is getting out of bed a challenge? If it isn't hard yet, it will be! To make it a bit easier, roll over to your side, and then tip your feet down to the floor. Once your feet touch the floor, use your arms to push yourself into a seated position, and stand up! Take a pregnancy side profile picture and write in your pregnancy journal.
Work on your Baby registry.
If you don’t want to wait to find learn if your little one is a boy or girl, now's the time to ask your doctor, midwife, or an ultrasound tech to give you the news! Unsure if you want to find out your baby's sex? There is no right or wrong decision. It's completely personal - up to you (and your partner if you have one). Remember that even if you do find out the sex of your baby during the ultrasound, sonographers don't always get it right. This means that even if you are told the sex of your little one, you (and your partner) should be a wee-bit prepared for surprise. Like, maybe have a name for each sex picked out, just in case.
Speaking of names, it's time to narrow down your choices, if you haven’t already. If you need a little boost of unusual-birth-name confidence, glance at any list of student names at any elementary, middle, or high school. Because the truth is this, no name is off limits. Names are not predetermined by ethnicity, gender, or parts of speech. Children are named after family history, television and book characters, cars, numbers, foods, days of the week... Having an offbeat name sort of means you'll fit right in, nowadays. Of course, there are still classics. And popular names are used again and again (hence, popular). Where will your name fit in?
If you and your partner, or you and other family members or friends, find yourselves at odds over certain name choices, or you're still looking for a winning name for your little one altogether, here are two things to try:
1. Create a list of names you will not use, under any circumstances.
This list should make your skin crawl. It can include names of ex-romantic partners, family pets, coworkers and teachers, generally horrible persons, that one kid from third grade... you and your partner can add names to this list whenever the crawly skin feelings take strike. Names added to the list are immediately out of the running. It's important both you and your partner respect each other’s feelings on this and not try to coerce or bully any gross, yucky name off of the This Is Never Gonna Be My Baby's Name list. Feel free to ask each other questions, like why, my love, do you hate that name? You both might be surprised about and happy to learn each other's reasons.
2. Create your own lists
You and your partner should write down your top five names. Trade lists with each other and put a star next to the ones you like, or a frowny face by the ones you hate. For every name crossed off, the owner of that list can add a new name in its place. Continue this process, adding and subtracting names from each other's list, until you find your common ground.
If you are lucky enough to stumble upon a name loved by the only ones who matter (only mom and dad of baby should really have any say), be careful of who you tell! It can go so many ways. Maybe your friend, who is also expecting and has a due date sooner than yours and presently no clue what to name her little one, is suspect. She could love it, too. And can you blame her? Or... she could say, "You like Vienna? Well, let's hope she isn’t chubby. Because Vienna Sausages!"
Once you love a name, you may also start to hear it more often. Everywhere. Don't panic. This is just because you are paying attention now. Just like when you bought a new car and suddenly saw that car everywhere. If you love a name, really love a name, it doesn't matter how many Heathers, Toms, Davids, or Lemons there are out there. Yours will be your one and only.
your symptoms
You're still in the golden period of pregnancy; and even though you aren't exhausted or nauseous anymore, you aren't exactly sailing through the second trimester feeling entirely comfortable either! Here is a list of the symptoms you may experience this week.
- Innie became an Outie
- Heartburn and/or indigestion
- Edema (swelling in ankles or feet)
- Dizziness or faintness
- Leg Cramps
- Frequent nighttime wakings
- Crazy dreams
- Weight gain
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Our Top Rated Products to Buy This Week

POSHDIVAH Women's Maternity Yoga Shorts
$19.54
Our maternity yoga shortie shorts are made of moisture-wicking & quick-drying fabric.

Pharmedoc Pregnancy Pillow
$44.95
Our U shaped body pillow helps support your back, hips, knees, neck, and head to help ease discomfort associated with pregnancy.

Nature Made Prenatal with Folic Acid + DHA
$16.12
This Nature Made Prenatal with Folic Acid + DHA is a prenatal multivitamin supplement that contains Folic Acid and 19 other nutrients to support baby development and mom's health.

Pearhead Pregnancy Journey Milestone Markers
$9.99
Announce and document your pregnancy journey and your belly’s weekly growth throughout each of your trimesters.