Your Pregnancy at Week 21

By week 21, your hormone levels have likely evened out, allowing you to experience more mood stability throughout the day.

Most women have gained about 13 to 15 pounds by week 21. Swollen, hurting, or cramping legs and feet are completely normal right now. As your body continues gaining weight to support your little one's growth, you may notice your ankles growing sore, experience leg cramps, or see varicose veins. These discomforts, thankfully, usually subside after pregnancy (though any varicose veins may linger longer or fade into less visible varicose veins).

If you're feeling nervous about the number showing up on your home scale, stop weighing yourself. If you are eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and exercising at a moderate pace, the scale's number does. not. matter. What truly matters is you and your growing baby (or babies) are healthy. Your little one weighs more now. The placenta, your uterus, the amniotic fluid, and your awesome, voluptuous breasts weigh more now. 

So relax; and put your feet up, especially if you're near the end of your day, because your feet and ankles are likely swollen. Drinking water can decreases the amount of swelling you experience, which is another reason to stay hydrated throughout the day.

One last food for thought... rapid weight gain can cause stretch marks, so you may begin to notice new stretch marks striping your body in pink, red, or brown on your stomach, breasts, bum, thighs, and other areas your body tends to naturally carry extra weight. Don't worry, we swear these marks are worth it. And sometimes a lot of cocoa butter goes a long way.

As the third trimester draws near, your new symptoms could be a sign of things to come. Hopefully you're still experiencing a bit of the golden phase of pregnancy, taking advantage of any energy, patience, sexual desire, and free time whenever you have it. Here is a list of symptoms you may experience this week.

Foetal movement: At this stage, you may start feeling your baby's movements more distinctly. It's a reassuring sign of your baby's growth and development. These movements may feel like gentle fluttering or even more pronounced kicks and rolls. Head here for more on when you’ll feel your baby kicking.

Swelling in ankles or feet: Increased blood volume and fluid retention, coupled with the pressure from the growing uterus, can cause swelling, particularly in the ankles and feet. This swelling is common in the latter stages of pregnancy but may start to appear around this week. Elevating your legs, staying hydrated, and wearing comfortable shoes can help alleviate this swelling. Here’s how to reduce ankle swelling.

Leg Cramps: As the uterus grows, it may put pressure on nerves and blood vessels in the legs, leading to occasional leg cramps. Staying hydrated, stretching regularly, and avoiding standing or sitting for extended periods can help alleviate these cramps. Here’s how to ease pregnancy aches and pains.

Thicker hair and stronger nails: Pregnancy hormones can sometimes lead to thicker, more lustrous hair and stronger nails! Enjoy this perk of pregnancy, but keep in mind that these changes may not be permanent.

Stretch marks: As your belly expands to accommodate your growing baby, you may notice stretch marks forming on your abdomen, breasts, and thighs. While they are a common part of pregnancy, keeping your skin moisturised can help minimise their appearance.

Dry, itchy skin: Hormonal changes and stretching skin can lead to dryness and itchiness. Using gentle, fragrance-free moisturisers and avoiding hot showers can help soothe your skin.

Backaches: As your baby grows, your centre of gravity shifts, putting strain on your back muscles. Practicing good posture, wearing supportive shoes, and using pillows for extra support while sleeping can help alleviate backaches. Here’s how to ease pregnancy aches and pains.

Frequent nighttime wakings: As your pregnancy progresses, there are lots of things that can disrupt your sleep! The most common culprits include discomfort, frequent urination, and hormonal changes. Try to establishing a relaxing bedtime routine and invest in a good pregnancy pillow if you’re struggling to get comfy.

Crazy dreams: Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can contribute to vivid and sometimes bizarre dreams. These dreams are entirely normal and usually harmless, often reflecting the expectant mother's subconscious thoughts and anxieties about pregnancy and parenthood. Here’s a guide to pregnancy dreams.

Take a side profile pregnancy and write in your pregnancy journal. Speaking of pregnancy photos, if you're considering a maternity photo shoot, it's time to get it scheduled on your calendar!

To help prevent, minimise, or deal with varicose veins and swelling during pregnancy, put on compression socks or support hose first thing in the morning. You can also wear a belly belt throughout the day to help with discomfort in the ankles or legs and elevate your legs on a pregnancy support pillow at night, or when sleeping. This will increase circulation in your legs, which often relieves and lessens varicose veins, cramping, and edema. You should also be sleeping on your side by week 21.

Don't steep in personal disappointment if you can't keep up with the schedule you're used to! It's important to listen to your body and rest, or stretch, if you need to. Your body is going through some amazing changes, and it deserves some time to relax as needed!

Last week, we talked about working with your partner to choose a name. If you've found a name that passes the partner test, take our best advice: If you don't want to know what people really think, don't share your baby's name until you have a fully formed, birthed baby to show with it. People won't hesitate to tell you about the hideous girl from their school with that name.

Have you settled on how you'll spell your baby's name? How does it look when you write it out on paper? Will you or your child get embarrassed when their name is called out at a sporting event, or in a grocery store? Will your baby's initials spell out anything you might wish it wouldn't when only initials are used, as Farrah Anna Timber's might? Will the full spelling of the name incite future teachers to grossly mispronounce your child’s name on first day of every school year and at every social gathering? If you child has a speech impediment, will their name cause anxiety or bullying? How will it look on a resume? Can you imagine meeting someone with this name? Do you like the person you imagine the name belonging to? These are the things you may want to consider!