20-weeks pregnant: baby development and diet tips

BABY DEVELOPMENT

Your baby is growing increasingly fast, especially when it comes to brain development, which is quite accelerated right now. Their body has really grown which makes their head seem less big now. If your baby is a girl, her ovaries are equipped with enough primitive cells to produce 7 million eggs! But from this stage of development on, that number will start to reduce, plateauing off at around 2 million at birth.  By this week, you can actually see your baby’s eyebrows and any hair they have on their head.

YOUR BODY

Have you felt your baby move yet? What a wonderful moment! To get the most enjoyment from it, lie down or sit down and relax. Then you will be able to feel the jerking most clearly. Most babies have their most active phase in the evening between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
But you may still need a bit of patience to be able to detect the movements. At the beginning, you will probably feel nothing more than a gentle twitching or jerking. The kicks against the belly become more pronounced from the 25th week onwards. And it will be several weeks before the father-to-be can also experience this great moment.

NUTRITION

Chances are, you’ve been told of the importance of oral health during pregnancy. Changing hormones can affect your oral health and increase your risk of gum disease. Continuing to eat well during your pregnancy, including foods high in calcium, can help and can also help to build strong teeth and bones in your developing baby. Make sure you are flossing daily, drinking fluoridated water where available, and brushing your teeth twice a day using a soft tooth brush and fluoride toothepaste. If you didn’t have a checkup and cleaning with an oral health professional in your first trimester, schedule one now. 

TIPS

Cats have been given a bad rap with relation to pregnant women. Could your cat transmit a potentially dangerous disease - toxoplasmosis - to the baby? Toxoplasmosis is a common infection, most often found in birds, animals, and people. While there is no need to send your pet away until the baby is born you do need to take certain precautions, particularly if your cat is young. For most people, toxoplasmosis doesn’t cause serious infection, but it can be dangerous for a pregnant woman’s growing baby. To avoid any risk of toxoplasmosis during your pregnancy, use the following precautions: Wash your hands often and before you prepare foods. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. Ask someone else to clean or empty the cat litter box. Regularly clean any surfaces the cat may walk on. Wear gloves while gardening. Avoid untreated drinking water. Speak with your doctor if you are concerned about your risk of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.