You are fast approaching the halfway point of your pregnancy. Your baby is getting a little bigger every day and your bump is becoming more and more visible under your clothes. This part of our pregnancy calendar is all about the 19th week of pregnancy. How is your little miracle adapting to life in amniotic fluid? How can you support the development of its immune system? Why do vaginal infections pose a risk to the unborn child and what tests are due now? We'll tell you.
Your baby measures about 15 centimetres from crown to rump and weighs about 220 grams. Pick up a kohlrabi tuber the next time you go to the supermarket. Your little belly dweller is now about this big and heavy. During these weeks of pregnancy, it will grow considerably in size. At the same time, calcium is increasingly stored in the bones, making them harder.
The placenta is also fully developed and continues to supply your baby with everything it needs to survive. It produces the important hormones for maintaining the pregnancy and the development of your baby. These include the hormones progesterone and oestrogen. The placenta now only increases in width and no longer in thickness and gradually changes its structure.
Weightlessly, your little lodger bounces up and down in the pleasantly warm amniotic fluid. The amount of fluid in the amniotic sac increases with each passing day in order to provide sufficient space for the growing foetus. Your baby is perfectly adapted to life underwater. Its body is covered in vernix caseosa, also known as cheese film, which prevents the skin from softening. The lanugo hairs, fine downy hairs that cover the body at this stage of pregnancy, also have a protective effect. By the time the baby is born, most of the cheese gunk and lanugo hair will have disappeared again.
As the skin matures, fine ridges of skin develop on the epidermis in the area of the toes and fingers: your baby's fingerprints (6). It would now theoretically be possible to take his fingerprints. The pattern of the papillary ridges is already complete and will not change in the course of life. Did you know that these prints are absolutely unique for each person and that not even identical twins have the same patterns?
What was nature thinking? Certainly, our grooved fingertips did not evolve to make it easier to solve crimes. It is assumed that the grooves help us to hold objects better as they increase grip. Your baby's sense of touch also continues to develop during these weeks. If it bumps against the uterus, it will pull its hand back again. It gradually realises the limitations of its living space. It will also be able to grasp your baby's hands firmly and you will be surprised at the strength with which it will clasp your fingers after birth.
If you are expecting a girl, her vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes are already in place. The ovaries already harbour millions of primitive eggs, of which only a few hundred will mature in the course of life. In male babies, the testicles are developed and already secrete testosterone. However, they are not yet located in the scrotum, but in the abdominal cavity. They will not move downwards until the 7th month of pregnancy. Both male and female foetuses now have mammary glands and the beginnings of the nipples develop.
The placenta protects the unborn child from a variety of different germs and pathogens. Your child's immune system also slowly begins to develop. White blood cells and bile are produced in the liver and spleen to help fight infections. The unborn child's immune system faces a particular challenge: it has to fight harmful invaders and tolerate good cells that are transferred from the mother to the child.
Incidentally, the mother's behaviour during pregnancy can have a strong influence on the development of the child's immune system. Factors such as a poor diet, alcohol, cigarettes and stress are considered triggers for Allergies and autoimmune diseases of the child. Therefore, try to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible to provide your baby with the best possible conditions. A vaginal birth and a Long breastfeeding period have a value for the development of your baby's immune system that should not be underestimated.
Have you stood naked in front of the mirror recently? Your bulging belly is now wonderfully recognisable, especially in profile. You're sure to be flooded with a pleasantly tingling mixture of excitement, pride and happiness. Many women feel very comfortable in their bodies at this stage of pregnancy. The increased oestrogen level gives them full, shiny hair and strong nails.
These feelings of happiness are intensified when you notice the first movements of your baby. For most pregnant women, this is around the 19th week of pregnancy - for some a little earlier, for others a little later. Don't worry if you haven't noticed any baby movements in week 19, it won't be long now.
The growing belly and the increased strain on your circulation can cause a wide range of complaints during this phase of pregnancy. These include, among others
Around a quarter of all women experience a blocked nose during pregnancy, even though they have neither an allergy nor a cold. This so-called pregnancy rhinitis is probably hormonal. Some pregnant women are hardly bothered by it, others suffer from side effects such as headaches, sleep disorders and increased inflammation of the sinuses. What can you do about it? Drink enough fluids, get plenty of exercise in the fresh air and use nasal sprays with saline solution. Also make sure that the air in your bedroom is not too dry.
The stomach grows, the ligaments loosen and back pain is often the result. Avoid carrying heavy objects, make sure you have good posture and find a comfortable sleeping position at night. Sporting activities such as swimming or gymnastics are also helpful.
The pregnancy hormone relaxin not only loosens the ligaments, it also softens the connective tissue. The result: a higher susceptibility to injury due to overstretching and strains. However, this does not mean that you should spend the rest of your pregnancy on the sofa. Sport and exercise are important for mum and baby. However, it is better to choose gentle sports and avoid disciplines such as gymnastics, martial arts, ball sports and weightlifting.
It may well be that you have an appointment with your gynaecologist this week for the Ultrasound have agreed. The 2nd major ultrasound scan of the pregnancy takes place between the 19th and 22nd week of pregnancy. If your last ultrasound was towards the end of the 1st trimester, you will be fascinated by how big your baby has become in the last few weeks. If it still reminded you of a small jelly baby at the previous appointment, a real little person is now running around in your belly.
You'll probably have a big question on your mind at this ultrasound appointment: Is it a boy or a girl? Unless the little one turns away, the gynaecologist will most likely be able to tell you the sex in the 19th week of pregnancy. So it's best to start thinking about whether you want to find out before the appointment. Gender or not.
Almost every woman has had to deal with a fungal infection in the vaginal area at least once in her life. This is particularly common during pregnancy. The hormonal changes upset the natural balance of the vaginal flora. If there is a decline in lactic acid bacteria and other healthy germs, pathogenic fungi and bacteria can quickly gain the upper hand. These infections not only cause unpleasant symptoms such as itching, burning or increased discharge, they can also pose a risk to your baby. It has been scientifically proven that vaginal infections during pregnancy can be the cause of premature labour and miscarriages. Bacterial infections in particular harbour a risk here.
If you experience typical symptoms such as burning or itching, please contact your doctor or midwife as soon as possible. To ensure that infections are detected early, a urine sample will be taken by your gynaecologist or midwife during all your pregnancy check-ups. If a vaginal infection is suspected, a vaginal swab will also be taken.
If you are diagnosed with a fungal infection, this can be treated with vaginal suppositories or special creams. Suppositories that restore the acidic environment of the vagina are also helpful. If it is a bacterial infection, the use of antibiotics is often necessary.
Are you wondering whether you can still go to the swimming pool despite the risk of infection or do you have other uncertainties about your pregnancy? Midwife Katharina will accompany you in her workshop "2nd trimester" through this middle third of your pregnancy. What do I need to bear in mind with my diet? Can I travel as a pregnant woman? Which check-ups are due? You will find answers to these and many other questions in this online workshop. Other offers that could be of interest to you in this phase of pregnancy are the Workshop on the maternity passport, the workshop "Birth plan" and the 34-lesson Online birth preparation course.
