In the traveling journey for Baby Agnew, we should be at week 20, but when we saw lil’ Obadiah in the ultrasound, the nurse told us that he was actually measuring a week ahead. Amanda was thrilled to hear this since the men in my family have normally been large boys at birth. So, our due date has moved from May 12 to May 5 and we are officially at week 21. Here’s what’s going on with him:
WEEK 20:
How your baby’s growing:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He’s also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby’s head to his bottom — known as the “crown to rump” measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby’s legs are curled up against his torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)
A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats his entire body to protect his skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)
Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for his digestive system. He’s also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that’s the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in his bowels, and you’ll see it in his first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).
WEEK 21:
How your baby’s growing:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He’s oblivious to your schedule, though, so don’t be surprised if he starts working out just when you’re settling down for the night.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
