Hey, everyone! Although I’m only 19 weeks and 2 days pregnant, I’m writing this update a little early due to the fact that I’ll be camping until this Sunday with zero cell or internet service. Not much has changed since last week, but keep reading to see what I and little bambino have been up to.
Week 19
Baby’s Statistics
I’m a week away from being halfway through my pregnancy! Baby boy now weighs more than the placenta, at approximately 6 1/2 inches long and 8 1/5 ounces in weight, or about the size of a mango. Baby’s arms and legs are now in proportion and moving with more limb control as the cartilage begins hardening to bone. His skin is now losing its translucent look and beginning to develop pigment which will determine his skin tone. He is now covered in Vernix Caseosa, a thin waxy-like substance that helps protect his skin from the amniotic fluid. His brain is also continuing to develop with the specialised areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch.
Mama’s Statistics
Weight Gain
Well, the good news here is that I haven’t lost any more weight. I’ve seemed to have hit a plateau at this stage in my pregnancy where I’m neither gaining nor losing. However, my baby bump is in full-effect and has officially made its appearance.
Sleep
Oh, sleep. I knew you wouldn’t stick around for very long… I’ve been sleeping horribly this past week, for a number of reasons. The first being that my baby’s favorite time of the day to kick, summersault, jab, and everything in between, just so happens to be around bedtime. It can be quite frustrating when I’m minutes from falling asleep and then all of a sudden am woken up by one of his strong movements. I’ve noticed that when I lay on my left side, I can’t feel him as much, so I’ve been trying to sleep in that position as much as possible. But of course, that doesn’t last throughout the night. I’m a back-sleeper. That’s always been my favorite sleeping position, and up until I became pregnant, I was able to sleep on my back continuously throughout the night. Well, since it’s recommended that pregnant women do not sleep on their backs during the second and third trimesters, I’ve basically had to teach myself how to sleep, and stay asleep, on my sides. This has been extremely difficult for me, simply because it just isn’t comfortable. I find myself waking up every half hour or so to switch sides. Not to mention the leg cramps that I get from sleeping on my side are the epitome of awful. I wake up most mornings with horrible aching and stiffness in my glutes, thighs, and calves. I did some research and found that this “leg cramping” is extremely common in pregnancy, as your expanding uterus puts more pressure on the ligaments surrounding it, including those in your legs. I plan on talking to my doctor about this problem at my next appointment to see if she has any recommendations. In the meantime, I guess I just have to suck it up.
Movement
Baby seems to be becoming more and more active each day. I haven’t really noticed a specific pattern yet as far as when he’s most active, as it usually depends on my activities. During the day, when I’m moving around, I don’t feel him at all. However, when I’m sitting down to eat or relaxing on the couch, I can feel him moving just fine. There will be some days where I don’t feel him move for hours at a time and start to wonder if he’s okay, but he eventually reassures me that he is. Some people have asked me what his movements feel like – and quite honestly, I’ve struggled to put it into words. Sometimes it feels like a simple fluttery feeling in my stomach, and other times I can feel a very distinct kick or jab that feels, well, exactly how it sounds. My sister has even claimed that she has “felt him kick” when resting her hand on my stomach. Overall, I love his daily little reminders that he is always with me and that he’s doing fine. ♥
Cravings
Really random but I’ve been craving a shaved ice snow cone. Strange, right? The closest I’ve been able to get to one is a 7 Eleven Slurpee. Those will do for now. 🙂
Mood
My mood has been fairly good so far this week. My mom and I have begun planning and furnishing the baby’s nursery, which has been exciting. We purchased a crib over the weekend and have begun registering for items for my upcoming baby shower. I’ve also started building my son’s wardrobe, which has been an absolute blast. Who knew shopping for baby clothes could be so fun? Aside from preparing for the baby, I’ve been spending a lot of time reconnecting with my sister and my cousins who I’ve kind of fell out of touch with these past few years. It’s been really nice to catch up with them and pick up where we left off. I occasionally have moments where my pregnancy hormones get the best of me, but for the most part I’ve felt great.
I hope you enjoyed my 19 week update! Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week!
-Haley-