Pregnancy Calendars Home Page
  Pregnancy Calculator   Pregnancy Calendar   Pregnancy Symptoms   Complications   Nutrition   Childbirth   New Born   Videos   Community  

Home : Baby Development : Month 6 : Week 17

Your Baby Development: 21 Weeks Old

How big is your baby?
This week your baby will be weighing around 15 pounds and measuring 25 1/4 inches if he/she was of average size at birth.

Baby's world is becoming more 3 dimensional. Both baby's eyes are working together, and his/her depth perception is improving with each passing day. He/she may study his/her hands and feet with fascination, as he/she will see them differently now.

Your baby can now also distinguish between several shades of the same color, although he/she will still prefer primary colors. You can evaluate your baby's vision by holding a toy some distance away in front of him/her. Slowly move it closer and see when he/she begins to take notice of it, and reach for it.

Baby likes to change his/her body position and to move about. When you grasp his/her arms, he/she will help pull him/herself up by lifting his/her head and straightening elbows.

Baby Development Milestones This Week

Physical Development

- Alert at least half of his/her waking hours
- Grasps large ring

Mental & Social Development

- Looks around in new situations
- holds one block, glances at second and drops first to pick up second.
-Protests and resists someone who tries to take away toys.

Feeding Baby : Food to avoid

  • Any food that is a choking hazard
    Such as cut up hot dogs, peanut butter, grapes, popcorn, nuts or hard candy
  • Cows milk
    The protein in cows milk are too hard for baby's digestive system
  • Spinach, beets, carrot and turnips prepared at home
    Each contains large amount of nitrates and could cause anemia
  • Egg Whites
    The protein in egg whites is to hard for baby to digest

Baby Care

Thrush
Thrush is a common yeast infection of the mouth, also called candida albicans. It isn't serious, although the initial appearance may startle you. It often looks as if baby has curdled milk in his/her mouth. Thrush occurs most often in new born's and infants, and may even be passed from mother to baby as baby passes through the birth canal, should the mother have a yeast infection.

The most common symptom is white patches or "plaques" in the mouth. They may be found on gums, tongue, cheeks, lips and soft palates. Thrush is not usually painful, although baby's mouth may be dry as a result.

If you are breastfeeding and believe that you may have a yeast infection on your breasts, then you should take care of the infection as soon as possible. If you are bottle feeding then you must ensure that you sterilize nipples and bottles, either by boiling them or using a sterilizing fluid.

You should contact your pediatrician if baby is feeding poorly or is dehydrated as a result of the the thrush.

Toys and Play

Bath toys may be some of baby's favorite toys. Inexpensive toys that float are fun for him/her to play with in the bath.

Because babies love music you may want to give him/her a musical toy with which he/she can play, such as pull toy or a toy with buttons on which start playing music.

Take your baby outside to see the outdoors and the colors. Sit with him/her on the porch or in the yard, or even go for a walk to the park. Tell him/her what he/she is seeing, and let him/her examine the trees and flowers close up. Just be sure to not let him/her put anything in his/her mouth.

Quick Tips For This Week
If baby is playing by him/herself, and seems content, let him/her continue. by doing this you are encouraging his/her independence.
| More
Related Articles

Advertisement

Recommended Videos

What's Hot!

Molar Pregnancy
Sex and Pregnancy
Week 10
APGAR Scores
Pregnancy Calendar - Week 7
Ultrasound Week 20
Week 17
Week 18
Ultrasound Week 20
hCG levels & Pregnancy
About Your Pregnancy

Your Pregnancy WEEK BY WEEK

Sign up now, and recieve Weekly updates on how your pregnancy & your baby are developing. Including pictures, nutritional advice, info on symptoms and complications and so much more!

ENTER YOUR DUE DATE:



Note sure about your due date?
What's new in our Community

Lastest PostsMost Read PostsLastest Polls

Baby Lucy is here :)
Baby Lucy Willow was born this morning at 2:19am on th....
- jellybelly   4 Feb 2012 9:48 AM

Question
For those of you who have had a misscariage. How long ....
- frogger29   4 Feb 2012 9:47 AM

mucous plug
hi all im in my 22 week and this is my 3rd pregnancy i....
- sadikaidan   4 Feb 2012 9:44 AM

Birthday Suit Boy!
What is it with 2 year old's and tormenting parents wi....
- Angel~Mommy   4 Feb 2012 7:11 AM

Hello everyone!
Hello ladies! How have you been? Haven't been on th....
- BronWil   3 Feb 2012 9:06 PM

hello
Hello All, I am 18 weeks'ish. We go tomorrow for the ....
- Reese29   3 Feb 2012 12:13 PM


See All Topics From Today
Special Feature

Stages Of Labor
We have broken the different stages of labor up into 3 separate stages, each having their own experiences. For first time pregnancies the average duration of pregnancy is around 37 weeks and labor lasts for around...

hCG Levels
During the course of your pregnancy your hCG levels will increase and decrease, with the levels doubling on average every 30-31 hours until they peak, usually around the 9th and 10th weeks.....

Ectopic Pregnancy
During the first two weeks of a normal pregnancy when conception takes place, the egg would be fertilized inside....

Asthma While Pregnant
It is not at all uncommon for some women to experience a very severe itching in the last trimester of their pregnancy. In some cases, where the itchiness is....

COMMUNITY

Community Forums
MyPregnancy Blogs
Active Topics

MEDIA GALLARIES

Pregnancy Pictures
Baby Nusery
Pregnancy Videos
Childbirth Videos

POPULAR SECTIONS

Pregnancy Symptoms
Pregnancy Stages
Childbirth and Labor
Pregnancy Calculator

ABOUT US

About Us
Privacy Policy
Newsletter UnSubscribe
Advertise