Congratulations! You are halfway through and must be eagerly awaiting the day your little one arrives. At the 19th week of your pregnancy, you should be expecting some surprises that it will bring. If you haven`t felt your baby`s movements yet, you probably will this week. Your baby will be the size of a mango and there will be many developments this week. Want to know how your little one is developing? Continue reading!
Baby Growth
At the beginning and end of week 19, your baby should be the size of a large banana or a mango. By this week, your baby`s skin will be protected in your womb as vernix caseosa.
Your baby`s body and sensitive skin will be protected from amniotic fluid with lanugo, which may appear wrinkled at birth. Your little one will continue to grow this week and in the coming weeks.
The arms and legs are in proportions suitable for the rest of the body. Fine hairs begin to form in the areas where hair will grow in the future on the head. During these weeks, there are important developments in the brain and special areas for senses such as smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing are formed.
Motor neurons continue to form, providing communication between the muscles and the brain. As a result, the baby is able to make conscious muscle movements such as involuntary movements, thumb sucking, and head movement. So you are likely to feel these movements! If you say "I`m 19 weeks pregnant, I can`t feel my baby!", you don`t have to worry! You will experience these movements soon.
Baby Size
As mentioned above, at the 19th week of pregnancy, the baby is the size of a mango or a banana. The baby`s weight should be 240 grams and the height should be around 15.3 cm. However, if you are doing everything right, you can expect rapid growth from this point forward.
Other changes you can expect to see are the development of the sensory parts of your baby`s brain, the appearance of prominent hairs on your baby`s head, and finally almost all the functions of your baby`s kidneys.
Common Body Changes
As your baby`s body changes rapidly inside your womb, you will feel some changes in your 19th week of pregnancy. First, you may feel more energetic or active, unless of course you are still dealing with morning sickness or nausea.
At this point, your uterus is at the level of your belly button and will increase by 1 cm each week. Your breast size will also increase. Also, you must have gained a considerable weight and it is strongly recommended that you gain the optimum weight, neither too much nor too little.
Pregnancy Symptoms
As always, at the 19th week of pregnancy, you can expect new symptoms to appear along with existing symptoms you may have gotten used to by now.
- Hot flashes: You may experience hot flashes as you enter the second or third trimester of your pregnancy. You may sweat and feel hotter due to increased blood flow in your system.
- Aches and pains everywhere: There are no surprises in this. Your body carries quite a bit of weight and must have enough strength to accommodate more.
- Pain in the hip: This can be expected due to loosening of the ligaments.
- Cramps: A series of leg cramps will continue due to weight gain, hormones, and fatigue.
- Dizziness: You can expect some dizziness.
- Abdominal pain: You will find that your stomach hurts a little due to the enlargement of the uterus.
Abdomen
Once you gain enough weight, you can expect more than just a bloating from gas. At this stage, you will no longer be able to hide that you are pregnant from anyone.
19 weeks gestational weight is another curious issue. Your total weight gain so far has averaged 3.6 to 6.3 kg. Only 200 grams of this weight belongs to your baby. The placenta is about 170 g, and the amniotic fluid is about 320 grams. The weight of your uterus is 320 grams, and each of your breasts weighs around 180 grams. Of course, these are average figures.
The most important innovation is that by noticing that your baby`s movements, which will include some kicking, will become more pronounced, you will no longer view activity in your tummy as just gas or minor pain.
Ultrasound
The ultrasound at week 19 will definitely have a few surprises of its own. The first is that the 5 senses are now well developed. Your baby was already feeling the light. It will continue to work on nerve cells for smell, taste and hearing.
Your baby also has a new protective layer called the vernix that protects it from the amniotic fluid. Most of you will be able to see it at birth and recognize it as the whitish oily substance on your baby`s sensitive skin. The baby`s genitals will be fully developed.
Besides, you may want to see more baby movements and listen to the heartbeat. Basically, you can expect to see the heart, brain, and spine on this scan.
What to Eat?
What you eat during pregnancy will go to your baby, so you need to continue to eat healthy until and even after your birth. Keep in mind the key elements you should include in your diet for both your baby and you.
- Eating foods rich in Vitamin B is important for the development of the baby`s brain and nervous system. Add milk, meat, cheese to your plate.
- Good fats can help your baby grow well. These can be obtained from a variety of nuts and seeds.
- Be sure to include milk in your diet to promote baby`s bone health.
- Leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits reduce the risk of anemia and control blood pressure. So include them in your pregnancy diet.
- Eat nuts and seeds containing omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for baby`s brain development.
- Lean meat and some red meat are high in protein and can be good options for non-vegetarians.
Care Tips
Pregnancy is definitely one of the most beautiful journeys of a woman`s life. It`s becoming more and more important to keep yourself and your baby safe by doing everything right. Find a list of pregnancy do’s and don`ts that can help you with this. Above all, keep yourself in top-notch condition—qualified and equipped—to help you carry your baby smoothly until your birth.
To touch on the subject of travel during pregnancy; The timing of your vacation and travel is also very important. If you are going to a far place, the second trimester, including the 19th week, will win by a wide margin. Even with risk-free pregnancies in the first trimester, long journeys can be quite challenging. Especially if you have severe early symptoms such as nausea or fatigue. In the third trimester, it is not very suitable for getting away from home because of the heavy body and the upcoming birth.
Where you travel is as important as when you travel. Due to your increased metabolism, it can be difficult to withstand the hot and humid climate. Traveling to high altitude areas can also be inconvenient because adjusting to the decrease in oxygen levels is tiring for both your baby and you.
Regions where vaccination is mandatory before going are also among the routes that are not recommended during pregnancy. Both the dangerousness of vaccines during pregnancy and the risk of infection in these regions make regions such as Asia, Africa and South America dangerous during pregnancy.
Below is a list of things to do at week 19 of your pregnancy.
- Stay positive and cheerful.
- Ask for help if you need it, as there will be some changes in your mood.
- Eat at the right and appropriate times.
- Consume plenty of fluids with water and fruit juices.
- Get good pillows to help you with your pain.
- Do meditation and some yoga.
- Take the medications your doctor recommends.
- Get plenty of rest and regular sleep times.
- Sleeping on your side is ideal for you. It is ideal for both your baby and you, preferably lying on the left side, throwing one leg over the other and putting a pillow in between.
Don’ts
Below is a list of things you should not do in week 19 of your pregnancy.
- Stay away from cigarettes, alcohol or drugs!
- Do not stay in questionable hygienic conditions.
- Do not expose yourself to potentially harmful smells, sounds or contaminants.
- Do not force yourself physically and emotionally.
- Eat as much as your body needs, neither more nor less.
- Do not hesitate to consult your doctor if something is not right.
- Do not neglect your oral health.
- Some herbs may irritate your and your baby`s intestines. Therefore, you should consult your doctor when using herbal teas and medicines.
- No matter how much support we get from herbal products in our daily life, you should definitely consult your doctor about the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy.
Shopping
Be sure to choose cotton maternity clothes. Buy loose-fitting clothing that can help you breathe. Buy quality flat shoes as well as books on pregnancy and parenting. Oral care and sanitation products should also be purchased as you are more vulnerable to infections due to reduced immunity. Stock up on snacks like nuts, fruit, and yogurt to support a healthy diet.
Prepare ahead of time and take care of yourself for a safe and healthy pregnancy.