20 Weeks Pregnant: Let's Talk About Gender



20 Weeks Pregnant



In this article

• Pregnancy Week 20: All About You
• Pregnancy Week 20: All About Baby
• How Big Is Baby?
• Most Common Pregnancy Questions
• Multiple Madness
• For Your Partner
• Fun Facts

Boy or girl? Right around your 20th week of pregnancy, an ultrasound can answer that big question for you.

Sex and more sex! Remember that unless you've been advised against it by your healthcare provider because of bleeding or risk of miscarriage, sex is fine, a good stress reliever, and a great way to "touch bases" with your partner. Don't feel up to it? That's OK, too. Read Sex and Pregnancy and remember that cuddling is a good thing, too.

Pregnancy Week 20: All About You

The Gender Ultrasound
You're finally comfortable in your maternity clothes—your protruding baby bump proudly declaring you're going to be a mom, soon. In fact, you're halfway there! By now you're feeling your unborn baby wiggle and kick—which may be caused by your baby experiencing hiccups. Along with your progressing pregnancy, you may also notice more aches and pains. Your lower back and abdomen may be sore from your growing belly. Heartburn, indigestion, and flatulence are frequent as your expanding uterus allows less space for your stomach. Swelling, called edema, may make your hands and feet uncomfortable, too.

The Big Ultrasound
This week you'll get a sneak peak at your unborn baby! At 20 weeks, most physicians request that you receive an ultrasound to determine that your baby-to-be is developing normally, that your due date is accurate, and—if you're interested—whether there are pink or blue baby booties in your future.

Ultrasound BasicsUltrasound is a safe, relatively comfortable procedure that gives physicians more information about your developing baby. An ultrasound technician will apply a topical gel to your abdomen so that the high-frequency sound waves can travel easily through your belly. The technician then moves a transducer, a handheld device that looks something like a grocery store scanner, around your abdomen, sending sound waves as it goes. These waves, once translated through the ultrasound machine, generate a picture. The ultrasound technician will take several measurements of different parts of your unborn baby's body to make sure her development is on track.

Don't be surprised if you're asked to arrive for your ultrasound with a full bladder. A full bladder constricts your baby-to-be's wiggle room, making for easier imaging. But because things are so crowded in there, the ultrasound technician may have to prod your unborn baby into resituating so that all the measurements can be made. With a full bladder and pressure from the transducer on your abdomen, the ultrasound may be slightly unpleasant—but don't worry, the pictures will be worth it!

The ultrasound usually lasts around 30 minutes. Depending on the office where you receive your ultrasound, you may be able to receive a recording of the session or at least several pictures to show off your baby-to-be. Not all lab offices offer recordings of the ultrasound for moms-to-be so call beforehand to check what the lab offers. You can also ask if you can take home a picture or two.

Your baby's gender: In most cases, your ultrasound technician will be able to tell you if you're having a girl or boy. If you don't want to know, tell the technician before you begin so that you don't inadvertently see or hear something you shouldn't. (Try your hand at predicting Baby's gender with our Gender Predictor!)

For those women who do want to know the baby's sex, the results are usually accurate. Usually. The accuracy rates for determining your unborn baby's gender by ultrasound are about 80 to 90 percent. Keep in mind, the ultrasound technician needs to get a clear picture of your unborn baby's "parts" to be certain. For girls, the technician will be looking for three small lines between her legs indicating the female labia. For little boys, the technician will be looking for a developed penis and scrotum. Be forewarned some babies do not cooperate for this look at their private parts and wiggle and squirm to the point that the technician may not be able to say with any degree of certainty whether you're having a boy or a girl.

Take a look at our great collection of second trimester ultrasounds—and see if you can tell boys from girls.

Is ultrasound necessary? While the 20-week ultrasound is traditional, it's not necessary. "There's no advantage to performing an ultrasound if a woman's pregnancy is otherwise normal and healthy," explains Dr. Joanne Motino Bailey, PhD, CNM. "While it has become standard practice, there's no medical evidence that shows that performing standard ultrasounds improves a baby's outcome." That said, Dr. Bailey points out that most mothers find the ultrasound to be a comfort, getting a chance to finally see their unborn babies. In other countries, such as Japan, many women receive an ultrasound at every office visit, notes Dr. Bailey. This is also the case for many moms experiencing high-risk pregnancies, were trips to the ultrasound technician may occur once or twice each week.

Pregnancy Week 20: All About Baby

By week 20, your baby-to-be is gearing up for the next phase in his development—filling out. His organs are getting into their proper places. His kidneys are now in position with their familiar bean shape. His testes (or ovaries for girls) have reached their position. His brain continues to form and grow. His teeth are beginning to appear, and he can swallow. If you haven't been able to feel him move, chances are you'll be feeling him move more and more over the coming weeks.

How Big Is Baby?

Baby is about 10 inches long (crown to heel) and around 10 ounces.

Your belly button may become an "outie" as the uterus presses on it from behind. Some women swear that putting a Band-Aid on it helps keep it from brushing painfully against their clothes. Worth a try!

Most Common Pregnancy Questions

I'm afraid of getting stretch marks. What can I do to avoid them or help them go away?
Stretch marks (or striae) are an unpleasant by product of pregnancy for many women. Rapid stretching of the skin causes these initially red or purple marks. In time your stretch marks will diminish and become silvery or white in appearance. They should also become smaller or less pronounced, but won't ever completely go away.

Seeing these red or purple lines creating a road map on your belly, hips, or breasts can be more than a little disconcerting for most women. There are many factors involved in determining whether or not you end up with stretch marks. Here's what you need to know:

• Ethnicity is one of the strongest factors. Although no matter what your ethnic background is, 50–90 percent of you will end up with them. Almost 90 percent of Caucasian women will end of up with some amount of stretch marks. Darker skinned women tend to experience less stretch marks.
• Genetics are another big factor. Talk to your mother and see if she experienced stretch marks during her pregnany.
• Weight gain plays a big part in the stretch mark game. Excessive weigh gain will increase your risks of ending up with stretch marks.
• Hydration is another factor, and one that you can control. Drink plenty of water and use moisturizers to help keep your skin supple.
• Take your prenatal vitamins and eat welll, there is no substitute for good nutrition in taking care of your skin, hair, and nails.

If you do end up with stretch marks, try to keep in mind it is a small price to pay for your wonderful baby. And after giving birth, you can nourish your skin with creams and oils to help your skin bounce back. You can also talk to a dermatologist or in some cases a plastic surgeon, for advice on how to help your skin's appearance improve.

Multiple Madness

Must-Have Gadgets for Twins
We've discussed must-have equipment for moms of twins. Now it's time to profile the top must-have (and often overlooked) products for the babies themselves.

1. Many parents-to-be of twins purchase two bouncy seats. If you can manage it, I recommend four; they are cheaper than swings and playyards, and much easier to move around. (Scour garage sales or check eBay, Craig's List or Freecycle to find low-cost and free gently-used items; but be sure to check our recall list for products to steer clear of) It's helpful to have two bouncy seats in your family room and two in your bedroom so that when you need to shower, fold clothes, or just doze off for a few moments in the afternoon, you don't have to lug bouncy seats back and forth throughout your house.
2. A sling or front-pack baby carrier can be great for your twins. Two options that have received strong reviews for use with twins, especially newborns, are the Baby K'Tan and the Moby Wrap. Both products have detailed instructions on their respective sites on how to use the slings with twins.
3. Using a backpack as a diaper bag is a lifesaver. It allows you to hold all of your gear hands-free! Be sure to choose one with pockets on the outside which provide a convenient place to stash bottles, burp cloths, and formula containers.

Another tool many parents of twins swear by (even though they initially shy away from it) is a bottle prop. Not intended to replace your presence, the prop helps parents who, for one reason or another, need two hands to feed one baby but both babies need to eat at the same time. The Bottle Bundle by Little Wonders is a great product, an many moms of twins have had wonderful luck with it." Other essential items on your shopping list, whether you're having twins or not, should be:

• Diaper rash cream. The moms in my group found that all creams are not created equal! Boudreaux's Butt Paste, while also having a hilarious name, works like a charm when your baby's bottom is in bad shape.
• Cool-mist vaporizer. When the babies are stuffed up, this product adds moisture to their room's air and helps keep their nasal passages from getting too dry.
• Rectal thermometer. Four o'clock in the morning isn't the best time to hear that your pediatrician wants to know a baby's temperature and you don't have a thermometer in the house! A rectal thermometer is the best way to get an accurate temperature on a newborn.
The need for car seats, cribs, and diapers is obvious. But if you have the above items in your house prior to your little ones arrival, you'll be well prepared for your first few weeks at home.

For Your Partner

Boy or Girl? That's the Question! Do you want to know whether you are having a boy or a girl? This can be a big decision to make, with lots to consider. How does your partner feel? How will you decide?
Many parents opt not to learn their babies' genders because they want to be surprised at birth. It is hard to argue with the suspense that builds throughout pregnancy; finding out your little one's gender when you meet for the first time is a once-in-a-lifetime event. What a dramatic moment!
For other moms- and dads-to-be, knowing if a boy or girl is on the way can help the bonding process begin sooner. Because a man doesn't have a physical connection with his developing baby, finding out may help Dad-to-be develop a more concrete picture of what Baby will be like.
When pondering which path you and your partner will take, consider that this is not only about discovering the sex of your baby; you'll need to contemplate whether or not knowing might help you bond with Baby and better envision what your new life.

Fun Facts

At one time, physicians thought that the fetal heart rate might show whether unborn babies were boys or girls. Supposedly, girls' heart rates were faster than boys'. There's no medical evidence to support this claim, although researchers have noticed that an unborn baby's heart rate can help physicians determine the gestational age.

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