Learn what’s happening in week 19 of pregnancy and find out how your baby is developing.
The nineteenth week of pregnancy is an important week for both you and your baby. There are many critical changes happening right now.
You’re probably feeling more comfortable with your pregnancy and all the changes in your body. This week your baby’s skin will be covered with a creamy substance called vernix, which will protect the baby.
Your little one now is the size of a tomato and you are probably enjoying your cute little baby bump and feeling your baby kick around.
What Happens in Your Body in Pregnancy Week 19?
Your uterus is obviously getting rounder and rounder each week, so the ligaments supporting it have to stretch. The stretched-out ligaments can cause a dull ache or sharp pain in your lower abdomen.
This pain may be more noticeable when you get up suddenly or change positions. Your growing belly has shifted your center of gravity, and this can make you prone to slips and spills.
Other common symptoms of pregnancy at this stage are breathlessness and blurry vision. Hazy vision is the result of water retention and will disappear once your baby is born.
Bleeding gums and nose are also common and very annoying symptoms of pregnancy at 19 weeks. The tissues throughout your body are becoming softer due to an increase in pregnancy hormone levels.
Don’t neglect regular dental care, just make sure to let the dentist know that you are pregnant.
Changes in Your Body at 19 Weeks Pregnant
During week 19, you may notice more changes in your physical appearance. Flaky, dry skin may form as your blood volume increases.
You may notice some dark patches on your cheeks, nose, and forehead which are a result of pregnancy hormones. The dark line running down your belly to your pubic bone is known as “linea nigra”. Both linea nigra and the dark patches will fade after you give birth.
Exposure to the sun can darken the pigments in your skin, even more, so make sure to use sunscreen. Many women also experience fast-growing hair and nails.
Your Baby at 19 Week of Pregnancy
At 19 weeks, your baby is bigger than the placenta and is starting to gain small amounts of fat on the body. Even though your little one is still tiny, this week he/she weighs as much as a grapefruit. If you’re having a baby girl, she already has six million eggs in her ovaries.
Your baby is now six inches long and weighs about a half-pound. The arms and legs are finally in proportion and the kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine.
Your little one is getting a protective waxy substance on its body called vernix caseosa. This substance is white and creamy and made up of lanugo (fine hair), dead skin cells, and oil from your baby’s glands. Vernix is there to protect your baby’s skin from the amniotic fluid and will be shed after birth.
Pregnancy Week 19 Tips
At this stage of pregnancy, your sensitivity to heat and the tendency to dehydrate will increase, so don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Stay away from caffeine because it raises blood pressure and increases your heart rate.
Also, stay away from sodas and fruit juices because they are dehydrating. Keep your skin moisturized as much as possible.
Your baby is hearing is much more developed, so keep yourself in calm and quiet situations. Loud noises can upset your baby.
This is the perfect time for your family members to start talking to the baby, to get the baby familiar with your voices.
