Mom’s Tip of the Week 21
Did you know ... ?
Focusing on healthful foods may benefit your pregnancy. In a recent study, women who ate a diet that included plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and water had a much lower risk of preterm delivery. Another perk: The flavors of the foods you’re eating will wind up in the amniotic fluid your baby is swallowing. Eating a variety of healthful options today can help your baby develop a taste for them after his birth.
Your Baby at 21 Weeks Pregnant
What’s Happening in There
- Your baby at 21 weeks is about the size of a long banana —weighing about 11 ounces and measuring seven inches long. He continues to use the nutrients you provide him to gain weight and fill out.
- His bones are continuing to harden and lengthen. Cartilage throughout your little one’s body is turning to bone, and those bones are continuing to grow and get stronger each day.
- His digestive system is maturing. Your baby is still getting most of his nourishment through the placenta, but he is also able to swallow amniotic fluid, digest it, and pass the waste to his large bowel.
- His blood cell formation is taking the next step. Up until this point, your baby’s blood cells were produced by his liver and spleen, but now his bone marrow is ready to contribute. It will be the major production site for his red blood cells —which ensure oxygen gets to every part of his developing body —starting at 21 weeks pregnant and continuing after birth.
Baby Brain Waves
Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing
At 21 weeks pregnant, your baby’s cognitive development is hard at work. Inside your baby’s brain, neurons are connecting to muscle, so your baby is becoming more active—especially since he still has plenty of room to stretch and move.
Pregnancy Symptoms
Real Issues, Real Solutions
The issue: Eating healthfully can be tough—especially when your energy for cooking may be low at certain periods in your pregnancy.
The solution: These easy and healthy recipes for pregnancy will help you stay on track nutritionally, for you and your baby.
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