Week 19 Pregnant: It is the time to feel baby movements in your tummy. Your fetus is growing rapidly and all its organs are formed completely. You feel much better at 19 weeks. Staying active and doing simple exercises are suggested. The hormone relaxin loosens up your ligaments, leaving your back and knees without their usual support. Check the best tips that make you feel comfortable during the 19 weeks pregnant in the following sections of this page.
- Things to Know During Week 19 of Pregnancy
- Your Fetus Development At 19 Weeks Pregnant
- Your Body at 19 Weeks
- Symptoms at the 19th Week of Pregnancy
- Recommended 19 Weeks Pregnancy Diet
- Tips for Pregnancy at 19 Weeks
- What is my baby doing at 19 weeks in the womb?
- Can my baby feel my touch at 19 weeks?
- Which gender is more active during pregnancy?
- Is it good to rub your belly when pregnant?
Things to Know During Week 19 of Pregnancy
Here we are giving some of the key features of 19 weeks of pregnancy.
- If your healthcare provider has suggested an amniocentesis, it will probably happen in the next week or so. During this process, a doctor will use ultrasound to guide a needle and extract a small amount of amniotic fluid. It tests for diagnosing genetic disorders.
- Your mid-pregnancy ultrasound should be scheduled for the next week or so. Make sure you decide if you want to find out the baby's gender.
- Remember, you want to be sleeping on your side at this point in the game to allow for optimal blood flow to the baby. You might consider investing in a maternity pillow.
- Most couples think of the anomaly scan as the chance to find out the baby's sex, but you will see a lot more than the baby's genitalia. You will see the baby's organs and body.
Learn About: 18 Weeks Pregnant
Your Fetus Development At 19 Weeks Pregnant
This is the crucial time for the development of your baby's senses. The nerve cells that will help them to learn about the world around them are growing in the brain. Your baby's limbs are now in proportion to the rest of the body. The baby is busy kicking and flexing its arms and legs. You may even get to see them in action at your anomaly scan.
Extra eggs: At the 19th week of pregnancy, if you are carrying a girl, her little reproductive system is already formed. The uterus, vagina, and fallopian tubes are all in place, and the ovaries contain more than 6 million primitive egg cells. When she is born, that number will be dropped to about 1 million.
You have got male: If you are carrying a boy, his testicles have formed and have been secreting testosterone since about the 10th week of pregnancy. The external genitalia, which became male in the first trimester, are continuing to grow.
Second skin: During this time, the skin starts to produce a waxy coating called vernix caseosa. Made of oils secreted by the skin, dead cells, and lanugo, vernix protects your little one's skin from the effects of floating in amniotic fluid. Most of it will disappear before birth, but preterm babies are often born still covered with a lot of vernix.
Your Body at 19 Weeks
At 19 weeks of pregnancy, weight gain might start to concern you, since you have probably put on between 8 and 14 pounds so far. During a typical pregnancy, women should gain about 1 to 5 pounds in the first trimester, then add half a pound to one pound a week in the second trimester. If your weight gain to date is higher or lower than that, talk to your doctor about whether or not it's cause for concern.
What you can do during Week 19 Pregnant?
Getting a good night's sleep will be harder as your bump grows bigger. Sleeping on one side is considered the best position during pregnancy. By the third trimester, the side sleeping position reduces the risk of stillbirth. So it's a good idea to get used to this position now.
Use a pillow between your legs, behind your back and fold a towel under your baby bump to feel comfortable while sleeping. Some women have insomnia during pregnancy. Don't take any sleeping medicines without first checking with your doctor. You can try the natural ways to treat insomnia.
If the doctor you are seeing works at only one hospital or nursing home, you won't have to think about where you will go for delivery. But most doctors attend deliveries in more than one hospital. If this is your case, now is a good time to decide where you will give birth.
Selecting your maternity hospital now will help you be prepared in case of a premature baby. It will also be easier for you to visit different maternity wings when your bump isn't so big that it makes outings tiring.
Symptoms at the 19th Week of Pregnancy
Normal Week 19 of Pregnancy are not severe, they are more like annoyances. That doesn't mean dealing with them is easy. Below are a few not-so-fun symptoms you may be feeling at 19 weeks:
You will feel legs pain. One best ways to ease these ouchies is stretching. Extend your leg and flex your ankle and toes toward your knees. Or enlist your partner for a back massage.
If hip pain troubles you at night, try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees. Those giant body pillows might look big and dorky, but we can't sing the praises of them enough, especially if you are 19 weeks pregnant with twins.
Round ligament pain is that discomfort in your lower pregnancy at 19 weeks belly. It's caused by your muscles stretching to accommodate the baby. Let your OB know if any ache or pain concerns you, but as long it's not intense or accompanied by other symptoms, these are just growing pains.
Feeling faint? We have been witness to more than one pregnant woman passing out. If it happens to you, know you are not alone. Dizziness during pregnancy can happen because your growing uterus puts pressure on your blood vessels. Plus, the baby is crowding your lungs, so there is less oxygen for you. But these are other things that contribute to lightheadedness, including dehydration and hunger. So take care of yourself and eat and drink regularly.
The dark patches you may have on your nose, cheeks, and forehead are a common condition of pregnancy called chloasma or the mask of pregnancy. Hormones are to blame for this splotchiness, which affects some but not all pregnant women.
Pregnancy hormones are also responsible for the linea nigra, the dark line running down your baby's belly to your pubic bone. Both chloasma and the linea nigra will gradually fade after you give birth. Exposure to the sun can darken the pigments in your skin even more, so be sure to use sunscreen or stay in the shade.
As your uterus grows, the round ligaments supporting it have to stretch. Occasionally, these stretched-out ligaments will cause a sharp pain or a dull ache in your lower abdomen, usually on one side or the other. It's probably most noticeable when you change positions or get up suddenly. Rest usually offers the best relief.
Recommended 19 Weeks Pregnancy Diet
It's not just what you eat, drinking fluids is also important too. Getting enough fluids when you are pregnant helps to ease a few common pregnancy complications like constipation, swelling and water retention.
Aim to drink 8 to 12 glasses of fluid a day. This will prevent dehydration even in hot and humid weather. To get variety from water, you can also try some refreshing drinks.
By this time, you might get hungry more often than usual. Eating healthy snacks is the best way to tide yourself over to the next meal.
Tips for Pregnancy at 19 Weeks
You have almost crossed half of your pregnancy journey. Here is what you can do to prioritize your health and wellness in this exciting stage of pregnancy.
You are almost at the halfway point of your pregnancy, so you may be trying to get a lot done before the baby comes. But rushing around can lead to dizziness or lightheadedness. Move slowly if you feel tired or out of sorts, especially when you are standing up from a seated or prone position. Everything will get done, so take it easy.
Prenatal yoga is a great antidote for pain from leg cramps, backaches and hip issues. Don't try it without clearing it with your doctor first, though, and make sure you find a prenatal class with modified poses for pregnant women.
Ease your round ligament pain in your 19 weeks of pregnancy belly by applying warm compresses, resting when you can and gently stretching with a cat/cow pose. If you experience pain that doesn't go away or makes it difficult to get through your day, talk to your doctor to rule out other causes.
Eating well throughout pregnancy is key for both you and the baby. Incorporate nutrient-packed foods into your meals, including eggs, salmon, leafy vegetables, nuts, yogurt and oatmeal. All these are nutritious and delicious.
FAQs on Week 19 Pregnancy
1. What is my baby doing at 19 weeks in the womb?
Your baby is around 15.3 cm long from head to bottom at 19 weeks. That's approximately the size of a tomato. Their adult teeth are starting to grow, and they are lining up behind the first set. Your baby is gaining weight and getting ready for the birth in about 21 weeks.
2. Can my baby feel my touch at 19 weeks?
No, your baby can't feel touch during 19 weeks. The fetus may begin to feel sensations when you rub your belly around 21 weeks.
3. Which gender is more active during pregnancy?
The baby's movement can't predict its gender. You may have heard that if your baby isn't active in the womb, then you are likely to have a girl. Or, if you feel your baby moving more on the right side, then you are probably having a boy. But all these are myths only.
4. Is it good to rub your belly when pregnant?
It is recommended to avoid all massages during the first trimester of pregnancy, as it can make morning sickness worse. But, from around 3 months pregnant, it is perfectly safe to rub your belly during pregnancy.
Key Takeaways
During 19 weeks of pregnancy, your baby or fetus is around 15.3 cm long from head to bottom. That's approximately the size of a tomato. Their adult teeth are starting to grow and they are lining up behind the first set.
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