Pregnancy Week 19

Howbig is your baby? This week your baby measures 15.3cm (6.02 inches) and weighs in at around 240g (8.47ounces). Your baby’s weight will increase more than 15 times between now and when you give birth. Your baby’s development If you are having a girl, then you will find that she already has primitiveegg cells in her ovaries! Girls are born with all the eggs they will ever have intheir life time already in their ovaries. Over the next few days the vernix caseosa will begin to form over your baby’s body.This is a creamy looking substance which forms as a protective layer over your baby’sskin. This protects the developing glands and sensory cells, and is composed ofdead skin cells, oils and lanugo. Your baby will also start developing fat deposits around the neck, chest and crotch.This acts as an insulator and keeps your baby warm. Your baby will be sleeping now much as a new born baby would, and would alreadybe finding its ‘favourite’ position to sleep in. Most babies will sleepwith their chin tucked into the chest, or with the head tilted backwards. Other developments this week include: Formation of the eyebrows, fine scalp hairand if you are having a girl, then her uterus will complete formation this week. Your development Your uterus will now be about 1/2 inch (1.27cm) below your bellybutton, andyour weight gain at this stage should be between 8-14 pounds (3.6-6.4 kg). Of allthis weight only 7 ounces (0.19kg’s) of this is your baby! You will be gaining most of your pregnancy weight over the next 3 months, and youcan expect an average of 1 pound (0.45kg’s) per week until the 7th month ofyour pregnancy. Don’t worry too much if you dont gain weight each week though,as it is not uncommon for weight gain to be unsteady with greater weight gains oneweek evened out with a smaller gain the next week. If you are following a regular exercise routine, then be sure to take care not too place to much pressureon yourself, as your rapidly developing baby is going to be placing an increasedamount of pressure on your heart, lungs and kidneys.

  Feeling dizzy during pregnancy is a fairly common symptom,which is usually caused by Hypotension (low blood pressure). Most doctors will routinely check yourblood pressure during the course of your pregnancy, but be sure to mention any dizzinessif you experience it. Visit our Media Center for pictures of your growing baby