Your Nutrient of This Week¹

Iron
Don’t forget the iron! With your body hard at work producing red blood cells, at your 21st week of pregnancy, be sure you are getting at least 27 mg of iron each day to avoid the risk of anaemia.

Your Wellness Tips This Week²

Prep for childbirth
Attend childbirth preparation classes! It is one of the best ways for you and your partner to prepare for labour and delivery.

• Your doctor can probably suggest classes that are a good match for the kind of birth you want.
• Expectant parents usually take classes between months six and seven of pregnancy.
• Classes often include six to eight sessions across the same number of weeks, or offer more condensed weekend options.
• Trained childbirth educators provide comprehensive, helpful information about labour and delivery that extends well beyond breathing techniques.
• It is an ideal way to learn more and ease any fears or apprehension you might feel.

Your Baby's Development at Week 21^{4, 5}

By your 21st week of pregnancy, not only have your baby’s important systems developed, but many of them now are operating, in preparation for functioning on their own after birth:

• Your baby might be about 18 cm in length, roughly the length of a carrot, by 21 weeks pregnant. She weighs almost 0.3 kg.
• Your baby’s digestive system is put to work! By your 21st week of pregnancy, your baby has probably begun swallowing amniotic fluid and absorbing small amounts of sugar from it:
  • Sugars pass through her developed digestive system, giving these organs important practice.
  • These sugars only make up a tiny part of your baby’s nourishment.
  • Most of her nutrition still is delivered through your placenta and the umbilical cord.
  • Your amniotic fluid changes day to day, based on what you’ve eaten. Since your baby is swallowing the fluid, she gets a “taste” of what you are eating!
• Your baby’s bone marrow is making red blood cells, rather than their liver and spleen.
• By your 21st week of pregnancy, your baby’s arms and legs are in proportion.
• As muscles strengthen and neurons connected to the baby’s brain continue to develop, movements become more coordinated.

Your Changing Body at Week 21^4,6,7

As you enter your 21st week of pregnancy, you start the second half of your pregnancy! This week and in those to come, you probably will notice many of the same changes you have experienced before.

• Your blood pressure might continue to remain slightly lower than normal. Expect it to return to normal by 25 weeks pregnant.
• As long as you are taking in enough iron, your body makes more blood, including more red blood cells.
• Your breasts may continue to grow larger and are probably already prepared to produce milk at 21 weeks pregnant!
  • You even might see tiny drops of watery or yellowish fluid appearing on your nipples, even this early. This is early breast milk, called colostrum.
  • Don’t worry if your breasts do not leak at any time during pregnancy. That is normal and does not affect whether you are able to breastfeed after your baby’s birth.
• Although most women gain 0.5 kg a week during this time, you might notice that one week you gain a little more and another week a little less. The key is to keep your weight gain stable, overall.
• Other common symptoms such as lower-back pain and vaginal discharge may continue during your 21st week of pregnancy.

References:

¹ Dailey K. Are You Getting Enough Iron? WebMD. Available [online] at: https://www.webmd.com/baby/are-you-getting-enough-iron. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
² What to expect. Your Guide to Birthing Classes. Available [Online] at: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/childbirth-classes. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
³ Yenen Z et al. Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association.2019; 20(4), 264– 268. doi.org/10.4274/jtgga.galenos.2018.2018.0139
⁴ Verwellfamily. week 21 of Your pregnancy. Available [Online at: https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/21/. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
⁵ MedicalNewsToday. What is pregnancy like at 21 weeks? Available [online] at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/303613. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
⁶ Healthline. Changes in blood pressure during pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/during-pregnancy. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
⁷ Healthline. Pregnancy and Breasts. Available [online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/pregnant-breast. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

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