By the 19th week, the uterus has grown very much and reached the belly button. The baby is also developing very fast and maintaining balance is becoming even more difficult. If not careful, you could trip several times and even experience back pain as you try leaning backward in search of a center of gravity.
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Baby’s growth and development in week nineteen
In this week, the baby is weighing about 8.5 ounces and ½ foot long. Other developments include;
- Brain development: By the end of the 19th week, the baby’s brain will develop further and start forming small pockets that will later specialize in touch, memory, touch, smell, and even taste.
- Reproductive system: Though the reproductive system of the baby started developing within the first weeks of conception, they will keep developing through the 19th week. If you are having a baby girl, she will have made over 6 million eggs in her ovaries. However, this number will go down to about 4 million by the last week of pregnancy.
- Eyes development: Though the eyes of the baby are closed and will remain that way until around the 27th week, they can be seen making random movements.
- Other developments in this week include; regular hiccups, growing layer of cells on the skin, and vernix production.
Size of Baby at 19 Weeks Pregnant
Your baby is about the size of a heirloom tomato.
The baby is about 15.3 cm(6.02 inches) and weighs 240 grams(8.47 ounces).
Changes to expect in Mom’s body during week 19
- Shifting sense of balance: As 19th-week advances and comes to close, your balance will keep shifting up because of the additional weight. You will, therefore, find it difficult to maintain balance and even fall a couple of times. To address this problem, you can do the following;
- Use low-heeled shoes with good arch
- Avoid lifting very heavy objects
- Sleep on the side with a pregnancy pillow between the legs
- Get a massage on the back
- If you have to stand for long periods, place one leg on the stool and keep alternating.
- Leg Cramps: Leg cramps are a common occurrence in many pregnant women because of the extra pressure on the legs and reduced blood pressure. You should consider doing short regular exercises and getting a regular massage on the legs.
- Weight gain: By the close of the 19th week, your weight will be approximately 11-12 pounds more.
The Tdap vaccine
Tdap is an important vaccine that pregnant women should get at the 19th or 20th week to help protect them from tetanus, pertussis, and diphtheria. It prevents muscle stiffness and growth at the back of the throat. Note that the vaccine should also be given to kids at the age of 7-18 months or adults at the age of 19 years if they have never received it.
Travelling during the second trimester
From the 19th week, all the disturbing symptoms of the first trimester have disappeared, and the risk of miscarriage is very low. Because of this, 19th week to 27th week is the best time to travel. However, you need to know a few things about traveling when pregnant;
- In this trimester, you can go for air, road, or even sea travel. However, talk to your doctor as you make any plans to travel for holiday especially to long distances.
- Make sure to take ample time preparing especially packing your holiday items.
- Keep the luggage light so that you do not burden yourself and start experiencing excessive back pain that can compromise your holiday thrill.
- Check with your airline to find out the guidelines for pregnant women. Though many allow pregnant women, they have guidelines that could lock some of them out.
- If using a car, utilize the shoulder-lap belt to prevent harm to you and your baby.
- If you want to sunbathe, use sunscreen to protect the skin.
- Keep hydrated by carrying own water when travelling abroad because you can never be sure of the water you get there. Reports have always been made about bottling companies that use tap water.
Travelling to a developing country
When pregnant, a trip to a developing country should be carefully thought and reviewed carefully. Even though medical experts will rarely tell you not to, the best thing is to avoid going there. This is because most of the facilities to support you in case of an emergency are poorly developed. If you must, here is some useful info on how to go about it;
- Check with your doctor to know the right immunizations to take when going there.
- Establish medications that are recommended when moving to some destinations especially the tropical ones. For example, the anti-malarial treatment.
Using hot tubs from the 19th week
Who doesn’t love hot tubs? The joy of swimming in very high temperatures is a thrill. However, the hot tub is bad for your pregnancy! Even if you feel some pain and want to get relieved, do not do it in the hot tub. In fact, the safest way that medical experts recommend is staying off the hot tab the moment you decide to conceive.
Staying in a hot tub can elevate the body temperatures to over 102 degrees F and cause hypothermia. Research indicates that high temperatures could elevate the danger of neutral tube defects and miscarriages. Besides, high temperatures in the hot tub can lower blood pressure and compromise oxygen supply to the baby.
Well, note that this does not mean that a hot bath is bad. However, consider only using warm water (below 100 degrees F).
Things to do during the 10th week
- Make sure to talk to your doctor as regularly as possible about any fears you may be having. Do not simply wait until the next prenatal clinic.
- Continue bonding with your baby by playing lovely music everyday especially at night.
- Visit your holiday destination to enjoy the lovely pregnancy moment. When the third trimester comes, the baby bump will be so big and travelling will be very difficult.
- Carefully follow your weekly exercise routine to stay healthy, promote proper blood flow, and health of the baby.
- Share your experiences so far with other pregnant mothers in the 19th week. It gives you a lot of satisfaction to know how others are faring on in the same week.
- Having evaluated the pre-birth period, you might want to dig more info about the facility of birth that you selected. You want to deliver in the best facility with top notch facilities and medical staff.
- Review your food to ensure the nutrient supply rhyme with the shifting body demands. For example, because the baby’s bones are developing, you might need to include the quantity of calcium and phosphorus.
- Continue shopping for maternity clothes because the ones you bought previously will stop fitting you in the coming weeks.
- Bond more with your partner for extra support and understanding about the stage of pregnancy you are in.
