You are now 19 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 20. Your baby now measures about 22 cm from head to toe (8.8 inches) and weighs about 340 grams (12 ounces).
Chances are that you've really started to "pop" as your uterus moves up in line with your naval - you'll now look and feel pregnant. Hurrah! Don't worry if your bump seems larger or smaller than friends or people around you - there's a huge variety when it comes to belly size.
What is my body doing at 19 weeks?
By now, your body is probably feeling pretty achy – whether that’s your back or your legs. Both are normal and when it comes to leg cramps, you’ll unfortunately feel them more when you’re lying in bed at night. No one really knows why they choose to interrupt your much-needed sleep, but when those painful leg cramps do strike, try straightening your leg and gently flexing your ankle and toes towards your shins.
You might also notice that your contact lenses feel a little uncomfortable, or your eyesight is slightly blurry. Despite seeming scary, vision changes are common in pregnancy as those pregnancy hormones cause a build-up of fluid in your eyes and changes the curvature of your eye. Hormones can also affect your tear production, which is why your eyes might feel slightly dry and gritty. It’s frustrating, but these changes are usually temporary so it’s often not worth getting a new prescription. That said, serious vision problems can be a sign of gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, so it’s important to mention changes in your eyesight to your doctor or midwife.
Common symptoms to look out for:
Emotional reactions
As the pregnancy progresses into the middle months, various emotions can surface in both positive and negative ways. For a few women, their pregnancy feels like just an essential physical process they must endure in order to have a baby. These feelings may come as a surprise if you expected to enjoy being pregnant but in reality have found this not to be the case. Despite society's expectation that all pregnant women should feel happy and 'glowing', for some women these feelings are far from the truth.
Other considerations
Choosing childbirth classes
Childbirth preparation classes are not compulsory and you may prefer to just read books, talk with friends and relatives or use Internet sites to prepare for your baby's birth. However, many prospective parents choose to attend face-to-face classes to help them prepare, as well as meeting up with other pregnant women and their partners. Childbirth classes fill up quickly, so we recommend booking them soon, even though they may not start until 28 to 30 weeks.
In more recent years, childbirth classes have incorporated early parenting, breastfeeding and perhaps techniques for settling a crying baby. However, often separate classes are provided to specifically address different topics.
Natural therapies in pregnancy
Reflexology involves massage and the application of pressure to points on the hands and feet, which correspond to various organs and systems in the body (also known as reflex zone therapy). Reflexology is based on the belief that energy or 'chi' flows though 10 major meridians (or channels) running the length of the body to the 7000 nerve endings in the feet and across to the fingertips. Reflexology aims to stimulate these zones by releasing 'trapped energy' relieving stress, pain, discomfort and minor ailments.
Chances are that you've really started to "pop" as your uterus moves up in line with your naval - you'll now look and feel pregnant. Hurrah! Don't worry if your bump seems larger or smaller than friends or people around you - there's a huge variety when it comes to belly size.
What is my body doing at 19 weeks?
By now, your body is probably feeling pretty achy – whether that’s your back or your legs. Both are normal and when it comes to leg cramps, you’ll unfortunately feel them more when you’re lying in bed at night. No one really knows why they choose to interrupt your much-needed sleep, but when those painful leg cramps do strike, try straightening your leg and gently flexing your ankle and toes towards your shins.
You might also notice that your contact lenses feel a little uncomfortable, or your eyesight is slightly blurry. Despite seeming scary, vision changes are common in pregnancy as those pregnancy hormones cause a build-up of fluid in your eyes and changes the curvature of your eye. Hormones can also affect your tear production, which is why your eyes might feel slightly dry and gritty. It’s frustrating, but these changes are usually temporary so it’s often not worth getting a new prescription. That said, serious vision problems can be a sign of gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, so it’s important to mention changes in your eyesight to your doctor or midwife.
Common symptoms to look out for:
- Increased appetite: Constantly hungry? This is a sign your baby is growing, so keep your handbag stocked with healthy snacks!
- Constipation: This is a normal side effect of pregnancy, but it’s worth taking a look at any supplements you’re taking as those including iron can often make it worse. It’s also worth talking to your GP or midwife, as they’ll be able to help.
- Stuffy nose: As we mentioned in previous weeks, those pregnancy hormones can often cause swelling in your nasal passages which makes it hard to breathe. Try unblocking your nose by gently closing one nostril and blowing out of the other.
- Blurred vision: As we mentioned above, this is another normal side effect, caused by a build-up of fluid in your eyes. Try not to worry too much, but make sure you mention it to your GP or midwife.
- Backaches: Your uterus is growing and putting extra pressure on your lower back. If you are suffering with back pain, make sure you take it easy - lay off the pregnancy exercise and try not to lift anything too heavy.
Physical changes
Aches and pains
Many women experience sharp groin pains during the middle of their pregnancy. These are usually caused by straining the round ligaments that support the growing uterus. Walking, sudden movements, coughing, sneezing or exercise such as swimming can trigger pains.
Aches and pains
Many women experience sharp groin pains during the middle of their pregnancy. These are usually caused by straining the round ligaments that support the growing uterus. Walking, sudden movements, coughing, sneezing or exercise such as swimming can trigger pains.
Emotional reactions
As the pregnancy progresses into the middle months, various emotions can surface in both positive and negative ways. For a few women, their pregnancy feels like just an essential physical process they must endure in order to have a baby. These feelings may come as a surprise if you expected to enjoy being pregnant but in reality have found this not to be the case. Despite society's expectation that all pregnant women should feel happy and 'glowing', for some women these feelings are far from the truth.
Other considerations
Choosing childbirth classes
Childbirth preparation classes are not compulsory and you may prefer to just read books, talk with friends and relatives or use Internet sites to prepare for your baby's birth. However, many prospective parents choose to attend face-to-face classes to help them prepare, as well as meeting up with other pregnant women and their partners. Childbirth classes fill up quickly, so we recommend booking them soon, even though they may not start until 28 to 30 weeks.
In more recent years, childbirth classes have incorporated early parenting, breastfeeding and perhaps techniques for settling a crying baby. However, often separate classes are provided to specifically address different topics.
Natural therapies in pregnancy
Reflexology involves massage and the application of pressure to points on the hands and feet, which correspond to various organs and systems in the body (also known as reflex zone therapy). Reflexology is based on the belief that energy or 'chi' flows though 10 major meridians (or channels) running the length of the body to the 7000 nerve endings in the feet and across to the fingertips. Reflexology aims to stimulate these zones by releasing 'trapped energy' relieving stress, pain, discomfort and minor ailments.
What to do this week:
- Look for a childbirth class: It’s probably too early to start attending one, as most of them don’t start till you reach your third trimester, but this week is a good time to start doing some research.
- Book a dentist appointment: Did you know you get free dental check-up and treatments during pregnancy? Even if you’ve not experienced gum problems yet, half of pregnant woman do, so it might be worth booking an appointment anyway!
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