19 Weeks Pregnant

At 19 weeks pregnant, your baby measures an amazing half a foot in length! Something more amazing is the fact that your baby will grow to about 15 times that size by the time he or she is born! Your little one weights about 8.5 ounces and there is still a long way to go. From now on, it’s mainly growing that your bundle of joy will do.

Your Baby’s Development

By pregnancy week 19, vernix will start to appear on your baby’s skin. This is a white sticky substance that will likely still be there when your baby is born. It is a layer that helps to protect the skin from the amniotic fluid and keeps it supple and soft to the touch.

For those having girls, although it is unlikely that you will know that yet, she has already produced the (roughly!) six million eggs for her lifetime. This number will reduce to about four million on her birth day.

The fingerprint is starting to form at 19 weeks pregnant. The fingers are starting to form the ridges that will give your baby its unique touch. The same goes for the toes.

The eyes remain closed at this time but the eyes will definitely move. Your baby will not open his or her eyes for another seven to nine weeks.

Changes in Your at Pregnancy Week 19

Your uterus is continually growing and should now sit so it is below your belly button. You will soon find that it raises higher as your little one grows. By 19 weeks pregnant, your centre of gravity will have shifted, which will affect your balance. Be cautious when standing and walking around.

You may suffer backaches due to the change in centre of gravity. This is because you will lean back more and it strains the muscles. You should concentrate on strengthening your core and leaning forward to avoid these aches and pains.

You will find that you are gaining weight by now and you may be worried about gaining too much. While gaining weight is a good sign, you should avoid gaining more than 35lbs (depending on your starting weight). This means looking into ways to prevent this excess weight gain and exercise is good for this. Unless you have been told not to, you can exercise during pregnancy but be careful not to overexert yourself. Exercise will help with preparing your body for labour and can help with strengthening the muscles to avoid aches and pains.

It is likely that your hair will seem longer and thicker by pregnancy week 19. This is because the hormones prevent your hair from falling out as quickly. The hormones also help to encourage quick hair growth. This will probably go back to normal after the birth of your little one.

Symptoms at 19 Weeks Pregnant

You may start to feel lightheaded and dizzy when lying on your back. By your second trimester, you should avoid lying on your back, as much as possible. If you do exercises, such as Yoga, inform your instructor so that the exercises can be adapted. The uterus will put pressure on the inferior vena cava, which is a vein that carries blood to the heart from the pegs and abdomen. By putting pressure on this, you will slow down the circulation of blood from your legs and put excess stress on your heart.

You may find that you suffer from hypotension during this stage. This is when your blood pressure is too low. You will find that your healthcare provider monitors you at every antenatal appointment for this. If you do feel dizzy on a regular basis and not just when lying down, talk to your healthcare provider about it.

Leg cramps and restless leg syndrome are two extremely common symptoms during pregnancy week 19 and onwards. These are likely to be more common at night than during the day and it leads to many expectant mothers struggling to sleep. The cause for these cramps is uncertain but it is thought to be due to the muscles becoming tired through the day from the pregnancy.