Week by Week Pregnancy Guide: 19 Weeks
When you become 19 weeks pregnant, it is expected that your baby will be weighing more than the placenta. However, in terms of fat, your baby does not have much fat in his or her body yet. And one good news you need to know is that you are just a week away to the middle of your pregnancy journey.
Then, there is a protective substance which is known as vernix caseosa which is expected to cover the skin of your baby now. In Latin, the word vernix means varnish while caseosa also means cheese. Vernix caseosa is a greasy and white substance which is made up of lanugo.
The essence of this vernix is to protect the skin of your baby which is still very much sensitive from the amniotic fluid he or she is surrounded with. If not, by the time the baby is given birth to, she would look much wrinkled.
As the delivery period of your baby is approaching, what the vernix does is that it begins to shed gradually, although, some babies who are born early use to have it covering their body.
Wondering what the size of your baby will be now? The weight of your baby should be a bit more than a half pound while the length would be around 6 inches. Even though your baby is still small, but there is the possibility that you will begin to notice some small movements in your tommy as the baby moves around.
On your own part, it is most likely you will be feeling some pains and aches in your abdomen. This is because of the muscles that are stretching so as to contain or accommodate your growing baby. So, while you should not be worried about that as it is a growing pain, if you discover that it is becoming unbearable, you may need to talk to your doctor or midwife for necessary actions.
It is also very possible that you feel dizzy or lightheaded. There are a couple of other pregnant women that experience same. And this may happen because of the growth of your baby that is mounting pressure on your blood vessels. Another cause may be that your baby is crowding your own lungs and consequently, you don’t have much oxygen.
Lightheadedness may also be as a result of you being dehydrated or hungry. This is why you need to take care of yourself by eating and drinking as often as you can.
You may also feel some pain in your pelvic joints sometime when you are walking, turning over while in bed, or climbing and so on. This symptom is called Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP), and it happens as a result of you being 19 weeks pregnant.
So, at this stage, if you have not gone for your second ultrasound scan, you need to book for it to know the state of your baby. Then, if you are used to running, continue, but don’t do it up to the level where you will not be able to hold your breath anymore. Have you been talking to your baby yet? Do that with fun from now.
