Pregnancy Week 19 DevelopmentHelp your baby develop in the nineteenth week of pregnancy

Your baby is now moving around more, as his or her brain neurons continue to make connections with the muscles. How can you support these developments?

What’s happening this week?

Your little one is starting to put on more weight, but he or she still does not have much fati.

This is also when his or her skin starts to get covered with a greasy protective coating called Vernix caseosa. It protects your baby’s skin from any scratches, or wrinkling from exposure to the amniotic fluidii.

Baby now measures about six inches (15 centimeters) in lengthiii.

What can you expect? 

Because your baby is now bigger and moving around in your womb a lot more (as his or her brain neurons are making connections to his or her muscles), you are bound to feel tiny acrobatic antics by now.

You may experience heartburniv as hormonal changes and your bigger baby bump in the second trimester make it more likely for stomach acid to flow upwards and create a burning sensation in your throat and mouth.

Alleviate heartburn and make your pregnancy more comfortable with these tips:

  • Avoid foods that trigger heartburn. Stay away from acidic, spicy or fried foods, as well as carbonated or caffeinated beverages.
  • Avoid sudden movements that may trigger abdominal pain. If you need to switch positions to sit up, move gently and try to keep your knees together. As your uterus grows, the round ligaments supporting the uterus are stretched furtherv. This can lead to sharp pain in your lower abdominal muscles and pelvis, so try to avoid sudden movements that trigger the ache.

What can you do to support your pregnancy?

Continuing to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet is something you should keep in mind every week. On top of that, continue with gentle exercises that help stimulate your blood flow, including that to your baby and his or her developing brain and body. At the same time, exercise also helps to lift your mood, providing for an all-in-all better environment for your little one’s growth.

Start to stroke your tummy so that baby learns your touch, as his or her senses continue to develop. As his or her hearing gets better, don’t forget to keep communicating and encourage your partner and/or a close family member to do the same. This will forge a strong bond even before baby is born.

During this time, you may even want to start thinking up names to call your baby, as you will find out if it’s a him or her (should you choose to do so). For a bit of fun, bounce your ideas off your little one!

 


 

 

References:
 
i    17, 18, 19, 20 weeks pregnant - Pregnancy and baby guide. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2017, from      
ii   Fetal development: The 2nd trimester. (2015, January 15). Retrieved April 19, 2017, from      
iii  Womens, A. N. (n.d.). Baby Development Week by Week. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from      
iv  Vazquez, J. C. (2008). Constipation, haemorrhoids, and heartburn in pregnancy. BMJ Clinical Evidence, 2008, 1411.
v   Murry, M. M. (2014, September 10). Round ligament pain: Understanding this pregnancy complaint.
    Retrieved February 15, 2017, from