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Your Pregnancy: Week 20 for Baby
By: ePregnancy
 Thrilla in Manila. Rumble in the Jungle.
Brace yourself -- your little Don King is busily growing a head of hair this week! In no time at all, you'll be investing in AquaNet to keep those curls coiffed. He’s also twisting, kicking and punching increasingly often -- though at only 6" head to rump and 9 oz. in weight, you won’t be feeling the full weight of those fearsome fists for a little while yet. In fact, he's closer to a peony blossom than a boxer right now!
All this training will come in handy for the APGAR test he'll receive just minutes after he's born, at which time his weight will be more than eight times what it is now! His body is catching up to his oversized head, making everything appear more proportionate. That big brain is still hard at work though: because the nerves that connect his muscles to his brain are now fully operational, his brain consciously directs all his movements. He's still listening to the sounds your body makes, as well as the sound of your voice. Speak to him in soothing tones and play him music -- you'll get his synapses firing and when he's finally in your arms, the sound of your voice will already be recognizable to him.
Due Dialect: APGAR Testing
Immediately after she is born, your baby will undergo what is known as APGAR testing, which is just a quick assessment of her well being. The tests looks at her color, heart rate, muscle tone and respiratory effort, and she will be assessed 1 minute after birth and again at 5 minutes. The 1 minute result helps your doctor decide if immediate medical treatment is necessary. The results of the 5 minute testing measure how the baby responded to resuscitation attempts or any other medical treatment.
 APGAR testing is scored from 0 to 2 (0 being the worst, 2 being the best) in 5 categories: heart rate, color, respiration, muscle tone and reflex response. The scores are added together for a potential final total of 10 points. A score from 7 to 10 points on the 1 minute assessment usually means your baby only needs routine care; scores between 4 and 6 indicate that she may need breathing assistance; and scores under 4 may call for lifesaving measures (i.e., she isn't breathing, etc.). When the 5 minute test is performed, any score between 7 and 10 is considered normal. For every score below 7, the baby will be continually monitored and retested every 5 minutes. It's very important to note that below normal scores do not mean that your little one will have any permanent problems -- just that she needs a little help along the way!
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