Newsletter from Essential Baby - Week 19

Fetal size: 13-15cm (5.2-6 inches). Fetal weight: 200g (7 ounces).
Your baby continues to mature and grow.
Your Pregnancy.

You are growing each week, and although you may think you are big, you still have a lot more growing to do yet! Maximum weight gain at this point in your pregnancy should be between 2.7 and 6.3 kg (6 and 14 pounds).
Backache can occur at any time during pregnancy but it is more likely to happen later. Try to get rest when you need it, and use heat to alleviate pain. Good posture is essential and lessens the strain on your back. Try to stand up straight. It is also helpful when bending over to bend at the knees, not the waist, keeping the back straight. In later months it is useful to remember to get up from a lying position by rolling onto your side and pushing yourself up.
Your heart is working to supply more blood to your organs, some of which need twice as much blood as usual. Consequently your heart works twice as hard as before, and you may sometimes experience breathlessness.
Dizziness is also a common pregnancy symptom. Low blood pressure, anaemia, or high or low blood sugar can cause dizziness. To avoid dizziness, get up slowly from lying and sitting positions, eat a balanced diet and don't miss meals or go for too long without a snack.
Your nipples are probably darker in colour and may feel tingly or sore. You will also be able to see the veins in your breasts more clearly. A dark line (linea nigra) may be visible down the middle of your abdomen