Week by Week

Week 19

This week of pregnancy, your baby is approximately 5 - 6 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs 7-8 ounces. A white, cheesy-textured coating called Vernix is now being secreted by your baby's skin and beginning to form on your baby. This substance protects his or her delicate skin throughout pregnancy and assists with passage through the birth canal.

If your baby is a girl, her uterus is clearly visible at this point and she has six million eggs in her ovaries -- six times the number she will have at birth! If your baby is a boy, his testes are apparent and the prostate gland is beginning to develop.

Your baby may be able to hear sounds from outside your body and he or she will begin to recognize the voices of you and your partner. Loud noises outside the uterus may cause your baby to become startled and jump a bit.

The size of your uterus (along with your baby) has grown considerably over the last few weeks. The top of your uterus is now just over halfway between your pubic bone and your belly button. Your breasts have increased in weight and are enlarging more and more as your pregnancy progresses, about 6-7 ounces each so far. Many women have an increase of one or two cup sizes, so a good support bra is a valuable investment.

Your uterus may practice contracting about now. These are called Braxton Hicks contractions and aren't the same as labor contractions. They only happen once in a while and tend to go away when you move around. If you have more than 5 in an hour or experience severe backache and cramping, you need to contact your doctor or midwife.

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