Pregnancy Guide for Couples: Week 21
This week, we will discuss a coating of hair covering your baby (which sounds weird, but its role is pretty cool) and what symptoms you may be experiencing.
What’s Going on with Baby
At Week 21, your baby is the size of a medium-sized plant pot!
Recently, we mentioned that your baby was covered with vernix caseosa. Well, it gets a little weirder this week. Baby is now covered with a downy hair called ‘lanugo.’ This hair helps hold the vernix onto the baby’s skin so it doesn’t go anywhere. Crazy, right? But it's super cool. Here are other developmental milestones your baby is hitting this week:
Baby’s sucking reflex has formed so well that baby can suck their thumb or fingers. You may even get to see this on an ultrasound!
Your baby’s skin isn’t smooth and perfect just yet. Right now, it’s wrinkled and translucent. Because the skin is thin, red blood cells can be seen, making your baby’s skin look red.
What’s Going on with Mom
Unfortunately, Mom does have to deal with some unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. For one, Mom is at a greater risk of obtaining a UTI (urinary tract infection). This is due to hormones (thosehormones again) relaxing the urinary tract muscles, making it easier for bacteria to enter and infect the urinary tract. Another symptom is increased vaginal discharge. Here’s what you should know about this pregnancy symptom:
Hormonal fluctuations can increase vaginal discharge because of the increase in estrogen and blood flow to the pelvic area.
Normal discharge during pregnancy is white, thin, milky, and mild-smelling.
Increased discharge serves a purpose for Mom, including helping to prevent vaginal infections and keeping vaginal tissues lubricated which can be helpful leading up to childbirth.
If your vaginal discharge has a foul odor, looks green, yellow, brown, or is accompanied by itching or burning, you could have a yeast infection or other infection. You’ll want to notify your doctor immediately to resolve this issue.
What’s going on with Partner
Now is the time to start thinking about all those house projects you want to accomplish before baby arrives. You certainly don’t want to wait until the last minute or anywhere near baby’s due date in case baby arrives early and you’re left with a mess back at home that you never got the chance to clean up. Some house projects you may want to do now include:
Nursery room prep (e.g., painting)
Babyproofing the house
Preparing the baby’s closet (e.g., adding shelves)
Room renovations/upgrades
Ensuring heating and cooling units are running well
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
There's more than just house projects to accomplish in the second trimester! Make sure you've downloaded your second trimester to-do list. Click the button below to get your copy!
