At this time of pregnancy week 20, the growth of the baby slows down a little and now is 6.5 inches long. The digestive and the immune systems develop now. Areas of the brain specific to the sense of smell, taste, sight, hear and touch also develops. The heartbeat is strong and can now be heard using a stethoscope. More hair is there on the head and the eyelashes and eyebrows start taking shape. Legs are now in proportion with almost the rest of the body. The nervous system is also quite developed by now and the baby can coordinate her movements. The baby breathes and swallows as it grows week by week. During pregnancy week 20 the baby’s skin also starts separating in layers. The outer layer called epidermis has four layers which contain ridges. If the baby is a girl her uterus starts developing. Nails begin to grow at this time of pregnancy. Baby’s brain also starts to develop this week. Ears and nostrils are more defined now and the nostrils also open up. The baby begins to produce the supply of insulin on its own at this time of pregnancy week 20. The skin starts developing and now has four layers.

Development and changes in mother’s body

The uterus grows and is now visible. The growth of the baby and the uterus is regular from this point and the growth of the uterus is also quite rapid from pregnancy week 20. Now the mother is half way through her pregnancy. The growth in the womb is very fast. Itching in the abdomen is common which occurs when the skin stretches during pregnancy week 20. The breast also increases in size considerably.

Some symptoms during this period

Most women start snoring which occurs due to increased levels of estrogen. This also leads to selling of mucous membranes which causes more mucus. Sleeping on one side with the head elevated will help. Heartburn and indigestion might also cause problems in lying down on bed. A woman should let the food digest for two to three hours at least before going to bed. Getting cramps in the legs are also commonly experienced by most women. Legs cramps could be eased by straightening the legs. Sweating in the middle of the night is also experienced by most women by pregnancy week 20. Vaginal discharge is also found at this time which is thin, milky-colored and has a slight odor. There is also a change in skin texture and complexion.

A healthy and well –balanced diet

A well balanced diet should include the following:
Eating fruits and green, leafy vegetables, whole meal or whole grain bread, at least four glasses of whole fat milk. Due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, there is a change in complexion. This change in complexion can be taken care by drinking lots of water, eating nutritious diet and washing one’s face daily.

It might be difficult to get a sound sleep during pregnancy week 20. During pregnancy to avoid sleepless nights caffeine should be avoided, a warm bath, reading, listening music before going to sleep. Women should avoid having too much food before going to bed which might lead to indigestion.