Pregnant in week 19? In this article, you can read all about your baby’s development, the changes in your body, and get useful tips for this exciting phase.

Baby: The foetus is approximately 22 cm long and weighs just over 280 grams this week. It continues to be active and during an ultrasound, in addition to movements, you may also have the opportunity to see a small yawn if you’re lucky!

Development

Even now, small, tiny lines begin to form on the foetus’s fingers, thin lines that will become your child’s fingerprints in the future. The toes have also become increasingly developed this week and the foetal nervous system continues to develop at a rapid pace. The nerves in the brain focus on all the functions that will control your child’s senses, i.e. hearing, touch, smell, taste and sight.

Hearing is now well developed and it is mainly sounds from inside the pregnant woman’s body that are heard, but also muffled voices outside the belly.

Mother: During pregnancy, you change both physically and mentally. Take each day as it comes and try to accept the changes you are going through, or at least remind yourself that they are leading you slowly but surely to meeting your baby 💜

Your body, stretch marks and varicose veins

With your belly growing, it is common for the skin to get stretch marks and varicose veins. Use support socks if you want to minimise the risk of this, but also to help your blood circulation.

If you have a sedentary job, it is good to vary your position from standing to sitting and vice versa. Even putting your legs up on a chair or similar for a while to help the blood vessels pump fluid and blood back from your feet and lower legs, as this can cause swelling. You may also feel increased swelling in the lower abdomen, and varicose veins may occur there as well. If it does occur, however, the varicose veins usually disappear after birth.

Muscle Cramps

Have you woken up at night with cramps in your calves? It is unclear why pregnant women can get these cramps and what causes them. What is known is that, in general, dehydration can cause muscle cramps and therefore it is important to drink a lot of water during pregnancy. As a pregnant woman, you can lose more fluids due to your increased body temperature, higher heart rate and faster rate of breathing, as well as the fact that you sweat more, so fluids are important to compensate for this! During warmer periods, it is good to drink water with salts (electrolytes) to help maintain the body’s fluid balance.

However, muscle cramps are not dangerous. If you have problems or have sore muscles, you can soften your calves by stretching and massaging them, ideally before you go to bed.

Partner: The baby in the belly is now approaching 300 grams! Have you come up with a name for your future child, or have you chosen a few favourites?

Child Name

Whether you know the baby’s gender or not, it can be fun to make name lists and write down your favorite names. Then tell each other and compare the lists to see if you have any shared favorites! This is a fun topic to discuss over dinner or on the couch during the evening. Remember to make a fun thing out of the pregnancy journey, whenever possible!

Massages during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is common for a pregnant woman to get cramps in her calves, and her feet can also feel heavy and sore. Ask her if she would like a leg or foot massage, or a massage anywhere else on her body that hurts at the moment.

Network of other parents

If you have friends or family who are expecting children, a good idea may be to get together a group that can follow the pregnancies and the first days and weeks after the birth. Having a network of other people who are in the same position can really help you as a new parent, especially because you can support each other and share your thoughts and tips in a safe environment.