19 Weeks Pregnant

19 Weeks Pregnant

Revathi V Gopal
By Revathi V Gopal
You have now officially stepped into the fifth month of pregnancy, and you are halfway on your journey to meet your precious little one. During the nineteenth week of pregnancy, you might start feeling sick and less agile.
One of the main reasons for tiredness is lack of sleep, as you might find difficulty in figuring out a comfortable position to sleep. Even though you might be feeling sick, remember that you will be meeting your bundle of joy in a matter of time. Besides, your baby would also be growing at a rapid pace and would be making movements in your belly.
Here, we will look into the different changes that can happen with you during the nineteenth week of pregnancy. We will also consider some tips to take care of yourself during your pregnancy.

What Happens During the Nineteenth Week of Pregnancy?

When you are nineteen weeks pregnant, numerous changes will happen with your baby and in you. There would be fluctuations in your hormones, bodily changes, and other developments taking place in your baby. Besides, there would be some noticeable symptoms associated with pregnancy as well. Now, let's have a deeper look into the different things that happen during this week of pregnancy.

Hormonal Changes and Other Symptoms

As mentioned previously and similar to the last weeks, hormones can impact you in this week too. Here, relaxin, a hormone, would loosen up the ligaments, which would result in a lack of support for your back, knees, and ankles. Other than that, there would be an increase in the blood flow due to the pregnancy hormones.

Because of this, there could be nasal congestion in your nose, and your mucous membrane would become delicate. Since these changes are happening, it would result in light nasal bleeding, which is common during this time of pregnancy. However, if you find any discomfort, you can always speak with your medical practitioner.

Since your uterus continues to grow, there will be increased pressure on the blood vessels present in other parts of your body. It would pave the way for dizziness as there would be a reduction in blood flow to your brain. These changes would also make you feel lightheaded.

Your baby is now at a rapid development stage. Hence, your body has to work hard to provide the necessary support for your little one. Due to this, the muscles and ligaments would have to stretch, which would result in abdominal cramps.

Other than these conditions, another symptom that can affect you during the nineteenth week is leg cramps. It occurs because of an increase in your body weight and a decrease in blood circulation to your legs. It is because of the presence of your baby's blood vessels, which can result in leg pain.

Bodily Changes

At this time of pregnancy, your uterus would be expanding and measure about 19 cm. When it comes to the weight, it is 7.5 inches. Some of you might notice slight movements in your belly. For some of you, you might feel these changes after a week or two more. But, if you don't sense any movements by the twenty-second week, it is best to speak with your doctor and get things checked.

In the last weeks, you might have noticed pregnancy glow, which is a radiance that makes your skin feel fresh and rejuvenated. However, as you step into the nineteenth week, there will be a decrease in this glow. Because of an increase in the estrogen level, your skin would change in this week of pregnancy. Some of the noticeable changes that happen during this time of pregnancy are:

  • Your palms would become red.
  • If you have pale skin, dark spots would appear in some regions of your face and body.
  • For those of you with a darker skin shade, these hormonal changes would make your skin lighter.
  • Other than these changes on your face, your nipples and areola will take a darker shade.

Apart from these external changes, you might notice pain and ache in different parts of your body. Your baby bump would also get big during this stage of pregnancy. However, if this is not your first pregnancy, your belly will become highly visible.

Fetal Development

In the nineteenth week of pregnancy, your baby will be around half a pound. When it comes to your little one's size, it will be six inches long. There is a waterproof mixture that will act as protection to your baby's skin. Other than that, your baby's arms and legs would be in the right proportion. When it comes to cartilage bones, they will strengthen too.

Here, the neurons will start sending messages from your baby's brain to muscles. These messages would become much more accurate than the previous weeks. Because of these movements, you would experience more kicks, jabs, and twists in the nineteenth week and the upcoming weeks. Your little one would start to open and close its mouth. Here, your baby would show different facial expressions as well, which is noticeable. Another significant change happening at this time is the start of the pigmentation process. It would help in the determination of your baby's skin tone.

After your first ultrasound, you could have your second ultrasound anytime in the coming weeks. Hence, it is time for you to schedule one.

Tips to Take Care of Yourself During the Nineteenth Week

Pregnancy is a crucial time when you have to ensure that you take care of yourself. It is essential for you and your little one's well-being. From maintaining a balanced and healthy diet to visiting your doctor on time, there are some things that you can adopt to enhance your wellness. Here are some ways by which you can take care of yourself during the nineteenth week of pregnancy.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

During this time, you would notice an increase in your appetite, which is pretty natural. Here, you would have to work on getting all your calories right by maintaining a healthy diet. Ensure that you have lean proteins, fruits, pasteurized dairy, and other complex nutrients regularly. These food items would help you to stay healthy and fit when you are pregnant.

Apart from the food items you have, you must drink eight to ten glasses of water in your diet. It is best to have different fluids, such as soups, fruit juices, smoothies, etc. Through this, you can enhance your well-being. You can also speak with a dietician and gain support in finding out the type of food items that would be beneficial for you.

Other than that, try to have plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet when you are pregnant. Avoiding food items with additives, preservatives, and processed food products can be beneficial for you. Try to stay away from alcohol as it can harm your little one.

Enhance Your Physical Health

As part of staying healthy, you have to include exercises in your routine. However, it is essential to ensure that all the workouts that you include are pregnancy-friendly. You can seek professional assistance before you incorporate a workout routine into your sessions.

Create a schedule and try to stick to it as it will help you to stay on track. Here, it is best to avoid any form of contact sports with a risk of falling, as it can be dangerous for your little one. However, if you are seeking the best options, walking, and swimming are great options.

You can always go a step further and join a class to scale up your physical well-being. Prenatal Pilates and yoga are two options that you can give a try while you are pregnant.

Working on Your Mental Health

It is time for you to focus on your mental health if you haven't already. Since numerous things are happening and changing in your life, it is normal to feel stressed. Remember that you would get past this and would feel better in some time. Another concern you have would be a lack of sleep, which is a factor that can pave the way for depression or anxiety. If you find that it is becoming a challenge to handle, speak with your loved ones. You can seek professional help if you think that these concerns have a drastic impact on you.

Other Tips

Here are a few other tips that can help you through the nineteenth week of pregnancy. You can even create a checklist with these details, which can help you stay organized.

  • It is time for you to schedule your second-trimester appointment with your doctor.
  • When you meet with your OB-GYN or midwife, you can speak about the possibility of yeast infection. It is something natural that affects women during this time of pregnancy.
  • Since you might find sleeping a challenge, it is best to use a pillow on your side to enhance comfort while sleeping.
  • It is best to avoid sudden movements while you lie down on the bed. It can be rolling over the bed quickly or sitting up without paying any attention, etc.
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