At 19 weeks pregnant, there are other things that may be on your mind, too. Are there any symptoms of pregnancy at 19 weeks? How will my body change? What does my baby look like? These questions are all normal for somebody in this stage of the gestation period. This article aims to allay any fears that you may be having and provides tips for week 19 of pregnancy.

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19 Weeks Pregnancy Symptoms

When you’re 19 weeks pregnant, the symptoms you experience will not be as severe as during the first trimester – you may even not have any at all. A lot of women, however, do still feel the signs of pregnancy at 19 weeks. Here are the most common symptoms for this stage:

• Edema

If you have noticed some abnormal swelling around your feet, ankles, and/or fingers, this may be a result of edema. Edema is caused by the abnormal accumulation of fluids in certain areas of tissue, and normally happens in the feet and ankles during pregnancy.

• Hip pains

A common pregnancy symptom 19 weeks into the cycle is hip pain. For many women, simply sleeping on your side can alleviate the issues, as there is less pressure on the veins in the back on the abdomen as opposed to sleeping on your back.

• Baby movements

Movements become more definite at this point, you will start to feel you 19 weeks-old fetus moving around inside your womb as it stretches and tries out its new muscles. If you’re 19 weeks pregnant with twins, you may feel this doubly!

• Light-headedness

The increase in blood flow, pregnancy hormones and other fluids in your system can have a huge impact on your body. If you’re feeling light-headed, take a moment to sit down and relax. It’s also a good idea to keep some emergency snacks close to you in case you have some sudden energy lulls.

• Heartburn

Most pregnant women experience this at some point, and it can be very uncomfortable. Heartburn and indigestion are caused by the progesterone that’s slowing down your digestive tract. Try to eat meals slower than normal to accommodate this change.

• Increase in appetite

Having an increased appetite is a common pregnancy symptom, but it is not necessarily a bad one. If you have a varied and balanced diet and are experiencing healthy cravings, you should indulge yourself in the vital minerals and vitamins that aid the development of the fetus at 19 weeks.

Your Body at Week 19

Aside from the nineteen-weeks pregnancy symptoms outlined above, you may also notice some more changes happening to your body. Your baby bump may be getting bigger and more visible, and you might notice more veins and stretch marks appearing in various location around your body. Many women also start to see a linea nigra this week, too. This “black line” is a skin pigmentation affect that is a common pregnancy symptom at week 19. They are not a cause for concern, however, and usually disappear in the months after the birth of your baby.

Your body may show signs of discomfort that you haven’t in previous weeks. As your baby grows bigger and heavier, the extra weight can cause fatigue in your leg muscles, leading to cramps. This affects a lot of pregnant women and can be extremely uncomfortable, particularly when it happens in the middle of the night. If it happens, you can alleviate the pain by stretching your leg outwards and pulling your toes up towards your knees.

Baby Size at Week 19

In week 19, your baby is the size of a mango. It will typically measure between 14 to 26 centimetres in length and weight almost 250 grams. When looking back to the first 2 weeks after conception, when you’re 2-weeks old embryo was only the size of a poppy seed, it’s remarkable to see the progress that you and your baby have made.

There are more fetal developments happening at week 19 of the pregnancy, too. The skin is now enveloped in the vernix caseosa. This protective layer, which literally means “cheesy wax” in Latin, helps to protect the baby from the amniotic fluid that surrounds it in the womb. This week could also mark the formation of bronchioles in the lungs to help your baby prepare to breathe in the outside world.

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Week 19 Pregnant Ultrasound

If you have your mid-pregnancy scan at week 19, the practitioner will check to make sure everything is in order. This ultrasound is usually the time when people find out the gender of their inbound baby and is often accompanied by some printouts for you to show close ones and keep as a memento. It may also be possible for you to schedule screening tests at this stage, in which a medical practitioner will check for any irregularities with your pregnancy.

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