21 weeks pregnant
At 21 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a carrot: around 26.7 cm head to heel and 360 g. Movements are getting stronger, from flutters to proper kicks.
Your baby at 21 weeks
Movements are getting stronger, from flutters to proper kicks.
| Size | About the size of a carrot |
|---|---|
| Length | 26.7 cm head to heel |
| Weight | 360 g |
Your baby's movements are getting stronger, from flutters to proper kicks. Your baby swallows amniotic fluid every day, and flavours from the food you eat pass into it, so your baby is already getting a taste of your diet. Bone marrow is starting to help make blood cells, and the eyebrows are filling in.
How far along are you at 21 weeks?
At 21 weeks pregnant you are in the fifth month of your pregnancy and the second trimester. You have about 19 weeks to go until your due date. Doctors count pregnancy from the first day of your last period, not from conception, so at 21 weeks your baby has been growing for about 19 weeks. Not sure of your dates? Use our due date calculator.
Your body at 21 weeks
You may feel the first flutters. The detailed anomaly scan usually happens around now. Backache is common as your posture changes.
Common symptoms at 21 weeks
Every pregnancy is different, and you may have some, all or none of these.
- Stronger kicks. Your partner may be able to feel them soon.
- Varicose veins. Raising your legs and moving regularly help.
- Swollen ankles. Usually worse at the end of a hot day.
- Increased discharge. Normal unless it smells, itches or changes colour.
- Stretch marks. May appear on your tummy, hips or breasts.
- Braxton Hicks. Practice tightenings that are usually painless.
Your checklist for week 21
- Read your anomaly scan report and ask about anything you don't understand.
- Try a pregnancy exercise class, such as swimming or yoga, if you haven't already.
- Put your feet up for a while each day, especially if your ankles swell.
- Keep up your iron and vitamin D.
- Talk to your partner about how you'd like to share chores and night-time care after the birth.
Tip of the week: A varied diet now may help later
Babies taste the flavours of your food through the amniotic fluid, and some studies suggest this may help them accept those flavours later. Eat a wide range of vegetables, fruit, pulses, wholegrains and protein. Two portions of fish a week are healthy, but avoid shark, swordfish and marlin, and limit tuna, because of mercury.
For your partner
She may feel the first kicks. You might soon too.
- Put your hand on the bump in the evening
- Join the anomaly scan
- Talk to the bump; baby will hear you soon
When to call your doctor at 21 weeks
Contact your doctor, midwife or maternity unit the same day if you have:
- Signs of early labour: regular tightenings, period-like pain, a gush or trickle of fluid, or pressure low down.
- Signs of pre-eclampsia, such as severe headache, vision problems or sudden swelling.
Call your doctor or hospital straight away for bleeding, severe pain, fluid leaking, severe headache or vision changes.
Questions about 21 weeks pregnant
Is it normal to feel kicks low down?
Yes. At this stage your womb is still quite low, so many women feel movements just above the pubic bone. As your baby and womb grow, you'll feel them higher up.
How often should my baby move at 21 weeks?
There is no set number at this stage. Movements can be irregular and you may not feel them every day yet. From about 24 weeks you'll start to notice a regular pattern, and that pattern is what you should keep an eye on.
Which fish is safe in pregnancy?
Salmon, sardines, hamour, sheri, pomfret and most other common fish are fine when well cooked. Avoid shark, swordfish and marlin, limit tuna to about four cans or two steaks a week, and avoid raw fish unless it has been frozen first.