Your Baby at 19 Weeks Pregnant
 At 19 weeks pregnant, your baby may be as long as 6 inches and could weigh up to 8.5 ounces. Your baby is comparable in size to a coconut that has had the outer-shell removed! Your little one's growth won't stop anytime soon. On the contrary, from pregnancy week 19 until you give birth, your baby is going to increase in size by more than 15 times.
This week, your baby is starting to produce vernix – a white sticky substance that covers your baby's skin to protect it from its watery environment. (Remember your baby is living in a sea of amniotic fluid for 40 weeks.) The vernix will keep your baby's skin looking soft and supple.
During pregnancy week 19, your little one's brain is in the process of forming pockets that specialize in smell, taste, hearing, vision, and even touch.
Your baby can hear your voice at 19 weeks of gestation. Fetal ear development has matured to the point that your baby's outer ears can pick up noises from outside the womb, including your voice and even your partner's voice.
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Talk to your baby often, and get him or her acquainted with your voice. Research studies have indicated that newborn babies react differently (more fondly) to their mother's voice than any other female voice. | | |
Your baby's fingerprint is becoming more distinguished. The pads on the fingers have ridged patterns that will eventually become your child's unique ID.
At 19 weeks pregnant, your baby is still rather skinny, but he or she is starting to build more fat layers. As your pregnancy progresses, your little one will become plumper and plumper.
Mom's Changes at 19 Weeks Pregnant
At 19 weeks pregnant, your uterus should be just below your belly button. With each day that passes, you are looking more and more pregnant. As a result of your growing baby, you may find that your lower abdomen is somewhat achy due to its increased size resulting in pulling on the round ligaments.
Round ligament pain is a very common discomfort at 18 weeks pregnant, and it won't be going away anytime soon. Round ligament pain can feel like a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing pain. Although it's a normal change to expect, make sure that you take it easy, and don't make any sudden movements. Be sure to contact your doctor if the abdominal discomfort is severe or unbearably painful. | | Helpful Tip:
You may be able to get relief from round ligament pain by gently massaging the painful areas, or by increasing your rest. | | |
You'll get to find out your baby's sex next week, so this is a wonderful week to start thinking about baby names. Why not make a list of boy names and girl names that both you and your partner like? Next week, when you find out your child's gender (if you want to know if it's a boy or a girl), you can decide on a name. Sometimes, it can make your pregnancy more enjoyable if you start calling your baby by his or her name.
Pregnancy Symptoms at 19 Weeks Pregnant
 In your ninetieth week of pregnancy, it's not uncommon for you to feel unsteady on your feet. As you continue to pack on the pounds, your center of gravity is shifting upwards. You may find that it's harder to walk up or down hill without feeling like you may fall. Make sure that you hold on handrails if they're available, and watch your step. You don't want to accidentally slip or tumble.
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It's a good idea to trade in those high heels for low-heel shoes with good arch support. They're more comfortable, and they also reduce your risk of falling. | | |
Dizziness is another common pregnancy symptom at 19 weeks pregnant. You may find that you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded when you're changing position too quickly. This is due to low blood pressure (hypotension) that occurs when you make a sudden leap from sitting to standing. To prevent dizziness or lightheadedness, make sure that you drink plenty of fluids (dehydration can worsen this symptom) and you should rise slowly after you've been sitting or lying down.
Nasal congestion is a normal pregnancy symptom in the second trimester. When you're pregnant, your blood volume expands to double its normal amount and more blood flows through your mucus membranes. As a result, the lining of your airway and nose swells, leading to nasal congestion. Feeling stuffed up is normal and called "rhinitis" of pregnancy.
Leg cramps may start to plague you during the nighttime hours. This is a normal pregnancy symptom at 19 weeks pregnant, and it is caused by the heavy weight of your growing uterus pressing against the blood veins that return blood from your legs to your heart. Leg cramps can be uncomfortable and even painful, and they might even wake you up in the middle of the night. To minimize your discomfort, try stretch the affected muscle or walking through the cramp. A relaxing leg massage before bed can also give you some comfort.
Weight Gain at 19 Weeks Pregnant
You continue to steadily gain weight as your second trimester continues. The average weight gain at 19 weeks pregnant is roughly between 7 and 10 pounds. Keep in mind that there's a lot of variability between each woman, so if you've gained more than this, don't fret. That's normal, too.
Overview on Traveling During Pregnancy
 Many women wonder if it is safe to travel during pregnancy. By and large traveling during pregnancy is perfectly safe. At 19 weeks pregnant, you aren't too large yet and you're feeling relatively good, so take a vacation with your husband. The second trimester is often the recommended time for traveling. (You're often too nauseous in the first trimester, and in the final trimester you're huge belly and pregnancy aches and pains make it difficult to travel.)
Many women experience more of the common pregnancy discomforts when they are traveling. Largely, this is due to less then ideal eating and sleeping habits.
When you are traveling, bloating, heartburn, and indigestion may be at an all time high. Part of the reason for this may be your reliance on fast food instead of healthy, home-prepared meals.
Fortunately, you can travel and remain healthy. First and foremost, remember to wear clothing that is comfortable for your trip. Pack your own snacks ahead of time. This will allow you to stick to your schedule of eating several mini meals per day, which will ultimately minimize heartburn.
Remember to keep a bottle of water handy at all times during your pregnancy. Try to stay away from high fat selections when eating out, and avoid carbonated beverages, particularly those that contain caffeine.
Traveling Tip: Avoid Sitting for Long Periods of Time
Sitting for long periods of time, whether in a car or on a plane, can also result in achy legs and an achy back. Be sure you take several breaks to get up and stretch your legs. This will also minimize your chances of forming a blood clot in the leg. When you sit for long periods of time, blood pools in the legs. The viscosity of your blood is much thicker during pregnancy, which can result in a blood clot.
One easy stretch you can do to help prevent clots and eliminate cramps is simply flex your toes up and down ten times, and then squeeze your calf muscles ten times. Rotate sets of two every 1/2 hour to hour. This will help promote better circulation in your legs.
Urinary Tract Infection Dangers During Travel
You are also at greater risk for contracting a urinary tract infection, or UTI when traveling. Be sure you make a point to take several bathroom breaks along the way. Never hold your bladder for too long because this will allow bacteria to collect, which could lead to a UTI.
Constipation – Another Problem When Traveling
Constipation is another problem for travelers. You may not be drinking enough fluids if you find that you are constipated during your travel. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. Mild exercise can also help alleviate the problem. If you get the chance, take a walk around the block once or twice per day. High fiber foods can also help prevent constipation. Your best bets include bran cereals, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Airplane Travel During Pregnancy
Flying is usually perfectly safe during pregnancy, except during the latter half of the third trimester. Most airlines will not let you fly if you are more than about 34 weeks pregnant. Others will require you to carry a note from your physician indicating it is safe for you to fly. Be sure you check in with your airline prior to departure to avoid any unexpected delays. Toward the end of pregnancy, the air pressure changes that occur when flying may or may not induce some cramping. Most airlines would prefer if you did not deliver your baby on board, hence the flying restrictions after about 34 weeks.
When you do travel at 19 weeks pregnant, make every effort to get a good night's sleep, or take naps if you need to catch up on some zzz's. If you are traveling to a different time zone, try to go to bed as close to your normal bedtime as possible. This will help eliminate some of the jet lag you might experience. Remember when traveling to also keep your activities to a minimum to ward off exhaustion.
Traveling to a Developing Country
 Should you travel to a developing country while pregnant? Probably not. Particularly if you are close to your due date or if your pregnancy is considered high risk. The reason being that some developing countries simply will not have the medical resources necessary to care for you should something unexpected happen.
If you aren't far along in your pregnancy and are relatively healthy, you should see which immunizations might be necessary before traveling. There are some vaccines that are safe during pregnancy and some that are not. There are also some medications that may be recommended for travel to certain exotic locations that you are not able to take during pregnancy (such as anti-malarial drugs). By and large, it is very important that you weight the risks versus benefits if you plan on traveling to a developing country during your pregnancy.
Remember that the biggest risk would be a lack of access to a medical care facility that could handle an early delivery. While a delivery at 32 weeks is manageable here in the states, it is not in many other parts of the world.
Spotlight on Hot Tubs and Pregnancy
 At 19 weeks pregnant, you may want to soak in a hot tub during pregnancy to relieve your aches and pains, but you should resist the urge. Hot tubs in pregnancy are not recommended, and they can be a dangerous combination, especially for your unborn baby.
Soaking in a hot tub for 10 minutes or more can increase your body temperature to 102 Fahrenheit and cause hyperthermia. There have been a number of research studies that have shown an increase risk of neutral tube defects and miscarriages in the infants of women who experienced high temperatures in the first month or two of pregnancy.
At any point in pregnancy, even at pregnancy 19 weeks, exposure to hot tubs can lower your blood pressure and cause you to overheat. This can impair your baby's oxygen supply, and it may stress out your baby.
Taking a hot bath when you're pregnant is fine, as long as the water stays underneath 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A good rule of thumb is to dip your foot into the tub, and if it's too hot to touch, you'll want to turn on some cold water to cool it down. The water should be a comfortable level for you to soak in.
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