Week 21 of Pregnancy: Baby's Taste Buds Develop
At about seven inches in length and almost 11 ounces in weight, your baby is about the size of a large banana. By 21 weeks pregnant, your baby swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day — not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting — skills your baby will need as soon as he or she arrives in your arms. And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten (spicy enchilada one day, sweet carrots another). And that smorgasbord of tastes won't be lost on your baby. That's because your little one has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth. Want your baby to eat his or her broccoli later? Eat yours now! Your developing baby still has a great deal of room in your womb — though like anyone who lives in one space for a long time, this tenant will soon begin to feel cramped. Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, and even an occasional somersault (so that's what you were feeling last night!).
With all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your baby gets any sleep at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn, perhaps 12 to 14 hours per day! (Now if only you could get some sleep!)
Your baby has been eavesdropping on you for several weeks -- but at this point her hearing is fine-tuned enough to actually recognize your and your partner's voices. So, read to her! The newspaper, your favorite magazine, the chick-lit novel you can't put down -- whatever. Just do it out loud!
At about seven inches in length and almost 11 ounces in weight, your baby is about the size of a large banana. By 21 weeks pregnant, your baby swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day — not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting — skills your baby will need as soon as he or she arrives in your arms. And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten (spicy enchilada one day, sweet carrots another). And that smorgasbord of tastes won't be lost on your baby. That's because your little one has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth. Want your baby to eat his or her broccoli later? Eat yours now! Your developing baby still has a great deal of room in your womb — though like anyone who lives in one space for a long time, this tenant will soon begin to feel cramped. Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, and even an occasional somersault (so that's what you were feeling last night!).
With all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your baby gets any sleep at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn, perhaps 12 to 14 hours per day! (Now if only you could get some sleep!)
Your baby has been eavesdropping on you for several weeks -- but at this point her hearing is fine-tuned enough to actually recognize your and your partner's voices. So, read to her! The newspaper, your favorite magazine, the chick-lit novel you can't put down -- whatever. Just do it out loud!
This cartoon really sums it up. Usually I don't mind people I KNOW touching my belly. But there have been moments where I seriously thought I was going to push someone down on the ground like a pissed off kid at a playground for reaching out at me without asking. Plus all the questions, and then the whining when I tell them we aren't going to find out the sex of the baby..
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