Hooray — you’ve made it halfway! Welcome to the official midpoint of your pregnancy. This is an exciting milestone, which may be emphasized by your anatomy scan this week if it hasn’t already happened.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on with your little ones, and with you, during this defining week of your pregnancy journey!
What’s new with your babies?
Your babies’ legs have begun to uncurl, which means they’ll now be head to toe instead of crown to rump.
As your babies’ senses continue to develop, your little ones now have some taste buds that can transmit taste signals to the brain. Since your babies can swallow, they’re consuming molecules of the food you eat that pass into the amniotic fluid through your bloodstream.
The jury is still out on whether or not babies are able to truly detect the taste of these molecules. Still, researchers believe what you eat during pregnancy may influence a baby’s food preferences down the line.
Your babies now weigh about 10.2 ounces — about the size of a banana!
How are you doing?
If you found out the sex of your babies this week, you may be feeling a different kind of connection with them since hearing the news. You may have already picked out names and can now start calling your little ones by their monikers, which makes it all seem a bit more real for many parents.
As your babies (and belly) grow, you may find you’re experiencing some pain and irritation. You can alleviate this with a support band, a lifesaver during pregnancy — especially when you’re carrying multiples! Round ligament pain is normal at this stage as your ligaments stretch to accommodate your growing uterus.
It’s also common for the skin on your belly to start feeling itchy as it stretches. Scratching may seem to be the obvious solution, but it can actually exacerbate the issue. Instead, try slathering your skin in a moisturizing cream or using cool packs to ease the itchiness.
Will testing take place this week?
The big one this week is your anatomy scan! This level 2 ultrasound is typically done at 20 weeks. In addition to revealing the sex of your babies to parents who want to know, the technician will also be taking multiple measurements of your little ones.
The technician will be examining your babies’ organs, spine, and face during this ultrasound. There will be an added focus on your babies’ hearts and brains to ensure they’re developing properly. The ultrasound will also help the technician check your placenta and umbilical cord to ensure no issues. If you’re curious about anything you see on the screen, ask your technician whether they can elaborate.
You may also have an amniocentesis this week. Amniocentesis is an elective test that can be performed between weeks 15 and 20 of pregnancy. This diagnostic test is more invasive and is generally only done to provide definitive results if you have an abnormal MMS result or if your babies are at an increased risk for genetic abnormalities. If you decide on amniocentesis, your physician will guide you through the steps of the procedure and how the testing results will help guide your care.
Let’s plan ahead!
If you found out the sex of your babies this week, you may be eager to share the news. Some parents decide to make a simple phone call, while others prefer making an announcement or having a gender reveal party. How you choose to spread the news is your decision, but it’s certainly a fun one to make!
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Multifetal gestation: Twin, triplet, and higher order multifetal pregnancies.” National Guideline Clearinghouse. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 2014. Retrieved May 15 2021.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Twin pregnancy: What multiples mean for mom.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, December 13 2014. Retrieved May 15 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/twin-pregnancy/art-20048161.
- “FAQ: Multiple pregnancy.” American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, July 2015. Retrieved May 15 2021.
