21 Weeks Pregnant - Being The Parent

Sneak Peek into Week 21

ou are now entering the sixth month of pregnancy. Wow!!! What a journey it has been until now!!! We are sure you have made the most out of this experience. Have you started searching for baby names yet? Some couples find the name easily and some search for it until the end. At 21st week, you can feel closer to your baby than ever before. Starting this week, your baby is measured from crown to heel. If you see the sudden increase in growth, it’s because until now your baby was measured from crown to rump. Check the following checklist you have to do this week.

Keep your feet slightly elevated using a footrest.
Take a warm bath to relieve yourself from back pain.

Know Your Body

n the first trimester, you may have faced heartburn and indigestion. In the second trimester, it may get worse since your uterus is growing and thus pushing your stomach higher. This causes heartburn more often. Chances are , there's no hiding the fact that you're pregnant now. Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect in Week 21:

Sore Back: Pain in the lower back is quite common during pregnancy. Your growing belly is shifting your centre of gravity and pulling your lower back forward which is causing a sore back.
Hot Flashes: Yes, it is real and not just meant for women in menopause. Increased metabolism and pregnancy hormones can leave you sweaty and hot. Try to wear comfortable clothes and load up on fluids.
Stretch Marks: We know you may be worried about those reddish-brown, pink, or purple lines on your skin. Consider these stretch marks as a symbol of accomplishment. Reward your body with deep nourishing creams rich in cocoa or shea butter for working so hard to keep your lil one healthy. These stretch marks can appear anywhere on hips, buttocks, belly and breasts. Your skin is getting stretched for a short period of time. If you feel itchy, apply coconut oil or creams that help keep moisture intact.
Leg Cramps: Drink lots of water and fluids. Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. Cramps occur mostly at night. Try to stretch your calf muscles or have a warm bath before going to bed to beat those cramps.
Braxton Hicks Contractions: As your body is preparing itself for birth, your uterus may feel tight at times. It’s like a practice session before the real event. Try switching positions and these contractions may go away. If it doesn’t subside, then contact your doctor immediately.

Know Your Baby's Development

our baby is now the size of a Carrot. Your baby is now around 10.5 inches(26.7cms) in length and weighs about 0.36kgs. Yea, are you feeling that belly dancing in your tummy? That’s because your baby has enough space to turn, twist and do those somersaults. If your lucky some ultrasounds might show the babies most favourite sleeping position while in the womb. Following are the development of your 'foetus' this week.

Baby’s heartbeat can be heard loud and clear. It’s faster and beats at 120-160 beats per minute. That’s twice as fast as your body, dear mom-to-be.
Baby is already starting to sleep and wake in quite a regular cycle.
Your baby’s fingers and toes are completely formed. It is complete with fingerprints and toe prints. Unborn babies start sucking on thumb this week.
Baby’s ears now fully formed can hear sounds. Try playing soothing music and observe how your baby responds to it. Meanwhile, you can start talking to your bump too and encourage your partner to do the same. This way the baby will learn to identify different voices once he/she steps foot into this world.
Baby's liver and spleen are working hard towards producing those red blood cells. The bone marrow spaces are now mature enough to help the process.
Baby is developing taste buds this week and now it can taste the food you consume.
Arms and legs are now in proportion along with baby’s movements and are more coordinated.

Tips for Mom's this Week

Avoid spicy, oily food that is known to trigger heartburn/acidity.
Eat food rich in iron like Spinach, red meat, leguminous veggies, and fish.
Avoid caffeine.
Consume foods that are rich in Vitamin C like lemons, grapes, watermelons, and chillies.

Article of Relevence

Is It Safe To Get The House Painted During Pregnancy?

The season of festivals is here. Most of us get our houses to look great during the Diwali season. As the season sets in, many people renovate their houses and give a new and fresh look to their homes. Getting your house painted or distempered can be quite a daunting task and a huge responsibility. Is It Safe To Get The House Painted During Pregnancy?When pregnant, your body and mind need extra rest, undertaking responsibilities like these can take a toll on your health. Besides, paints and distemper can somewhat affect your and the baby’s health. Can Wall Paints Be Harmful In Pregnancy? Oil-Based Paints Latex/ Acrylic Paints Lead-Based Paints What Precautions Can I Exercise To Get My House Painted In Pregnancy? Do one room at a....

Already Pregnant?

4 minutes

Signs Of UTI During Pregnancy

This is a complete UTI guide that would help you deal with it during your pregnancy. Also, UTI can often be misunderstood for other things or vice versa, so we need to be careful. UTI is not a big problem in itself and can be resolved easily, but the key is early detection and proper medication. Well, precaution is always better than cure, so it would be better to take care of beforehand. Find out everything about Signs Of UTI During Pregnancy. What Is UTI During Pregnancy? The full form of UTI is a urinary tract infection. It is also referred to as bladder infection. It is a kind of bacterial infection that happens in the urinary tract of the pregnant woman. Pregnant women have a risk of UTI from 6 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. UTI is more common among pregnant women because of the changes that occur in the urinary tract. What Are The Odds Of Contracting UTI During Pregnancy? A UTI is an infection that occurs in the urinary system, which may also include the bladder and kidneys. According to different researchers, it is very common for pregnant women to get infected by....

Already Pregnant?

4 minutes

Communication:The Mantra For Expecting Parents

It is essential for any married couple to share a good rapport but it becomes all the more important for a couple expecting a baby to understand and communicate about the changes they are likely to face in the near future. During pregnancy, an expecting mother’s body undergoes major physical and hormonal changes, and that leads to a number of behavioral changes. Due to hormonal changes, the expecting mother might become very sensitive over trivial issues, may easily get frustrated, sad or extremely emotional, but her partner may need to understand that this could be just a temporary and reversible change in her behavior. Some couples may not share their inner thoughts about their partner, leading to a communication gap while it is important for them to discuss the issues that are likely to become a cause of worry for them. Most common issues faced by an expecting couple may include: Mood Swings: This could become the major cause of drift between the couple. An expecting mother might become hypersensitive and emotional owing to the hormonal changes. The chances of flaring tempers and....

Already Pregnant?

3 minutes

Oral Care Tips During Pregnancy

Almost fifty percent of expectant mothers-to-be experience red, swollen, tender gums that often bleed when brushed or flossed. Oral care assumes a lot of importance during pregnancy. Owing to changes in the hormonal secretions, multiple dental problems appear to bother women who conceive. There are risks of bacterial infections, plaque formation and gum bleeding due to high blood pressure. The progesterone and oestrogen in the body can cause the gums to be sensitive to bleeding making you all the more susceptible to gum diseases. Therefore, every pregnant woman needs to follow a healthy oral care routine consisting of mouth washing and flossing, even if it hasn’t been on the list the earlier years. Toothaches During Pregnancy Toothaches are mostly caused by injury or trauma. Tooth sensitivity can be caused by traumatic blow and injury can be due to tooth decay or cavity. Here is a list of some important causes of toothache during the time you are expecting Abscessed tooth: It can be defined as the infection originating from within the tooth up to the roots of the neighboring bone. Damaged or fractured tooth: Fractured....

Already Pregnant?

4 minutes

Ranitidine During Pregnancy

Every woman’s journey of pregnancy is more or less like a rollercoaster ride. You might entice the joy of the kicks of your baby. At the same time, you get drenched in a world of discomforts in the name of hormones. The hormonal changes and increase in the uterus create an imbalance of the body. Hear burn is a common issue during pregnancy and Ranitidine is a medicine that effectively fights heart burn. But is it safe to have during pregnancy? Find out. Heartburn During Pregnancy Heartburn is frequent during pregnancy as a progesterone hormone relaxes the valve. As a result, indigestion and heartburn occur frequently. The growing uterus aggravates heartburn with increased pressure on the intestines. Heartburn is more prevalent in the third trimester. Heartburn is the most observed discomfort. The pressure on the intestine and hormonal changes are the culprits. Pregnant women do follow a strict diet regime and eat in intervals or have small meals. Still, there are many cases where acid reflux or heartburn is prevailing. They even try natural....

Already Pregnant?

4 minutes

Dry Cough During Pregnancy- Causes, Treatment And Prevention

A cough is sufficiently troublesome at the best of days. When you are pregnant, cough can be more inconvenient, especially, if it hinders with the sleep. Expecting mothers may have a dry cough during any point of the pregnancy, but mostly the issue is found to increase during the final stages of pregnancy, as the breathing turns out to be more troublesome in the later stages of gestational period. There are two forms of a cough. A dry cough and wet cough. In this article, let us find out the reasons, and remedies for a dry cough. What Is A Dry Cough? If a dry cough is not helping the body to get rid of the mucus, then, what is its purpose? What Causes A Dry Cough During Pregnancy? What Can Be Done To Prevent Cough During Pregnancy? What Complications Can Cough Bring About During Pregnancy? Home Remedies For Cough During Pregnancy When Should I Seek Medical Attention For Dry Cough During Pregnancy? How Can A Dry Cough Be Treated During....

Already Pregnant?

7 minutes

Hemoglobin Levels During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an extraordinary experience in the life of a woman. There are quite some challenges that an expecting mother has to conquer in the course of the pregnancy. Among them, some health issues are found to occur often, like issues with the hemoglobin level of the blood. What Is Hemoglobin? What Is The Importance Of Hemoglobin Levels During Pregnancy? Why Do Hemoglobin Levels Drop During Pregnancy? What Are The Effects Of Low Hemoglobin Level During Pregnancy? Am I At A Risk Of Decreased Hemoglobin levels During Pregnancy? How Can I Boost My Hemoglobin Levels During Pregnancy? When Do Hemoglobin Levels Become High During Gestation? What Are The Affects Of High Hemoglobin Levels During Pregnancy? How Can High Hemoglobin Levels Be Treated During Pregnancy? What Is Hemoglobin? When we breathe in, hemoglobin, the (complex) protein seen in a red blood cell carries oxygen from the lungs) to the body’s tissues.....

Already Pregnant?

6 minutes

8 Indian Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Once the initial excitement of having conceived settles down, you begin getting lots of advice on what to eat and what not to during this crucial period, especially in India. Women influence by umpteen customs, fads, food habits and religious customs in India that make them confused about what can be included in your diet to make it healthy and nutritious. The taboo foods that most Indians steer clear of during pregnancy include pineapple, papaya, brinjal and sesame seeds to mention the most common among them. Read on to see the foods to avoid during pregnancy how they are harmful to you and your baby growing within you. Indian foods to avoid during pregnancy Indian foods to avoid during pregnancy: 1. Eggplant/brinjal: This is one of the most common vegetables used in the majority of Indian homes. However, eggplant is quite effective in treating amenorrhoea and premenstrual syndrome in Ayurveda. It was found that having half a brinjal every day would help to trigger off menstruation that had been irregular for more than a year. Based on this property, the eggplant is....

Already Pregnant?

5 minutes

Week 21 of Your Pregnancy

Sneak Peek into Week 21

Know Your Body

Know Your Baby's Development

Tips for Mom's this Week

Article of Relevence

Is It Safe To Get The House Painted During Pregnancy?

Signs Of UTI During Pregnancy

Communication:The Mantra For Expecting Parents

Oral Care Tips During Pregnancy

Ranitidine During Pregnancy

Dry Cough During Pregnancy- Causes, Treatment And Prevention

Hemoglobin Levels During Pregnancy

8 Indian Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Already Pregnant? Go directly to your week..

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42