Your Pregnancy - Week 19

You’re bumping along nicely as you reach the halfway point.

Your body is a clever thing and is making more blood for you and your growing baby. It’s brilliant, but as your circulatory system expands, it can push your blood pressure down, which can mean a few lightheaded moments. It’s a good idea to stand up slowly so you don’t get dizzy, feel barfy, faint and flash your knickers to the whole office.

And all that extra blood pumping around can give you nosebleeds, headaches and oddly make you feel like you’ve got a cold. Don’t ignore severe headaches as they can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. If any of these symptoms make you feel unwell chat to your midwife or GP.

You might have your 20-week scan this week and maybe find out if you’re having a boy or a girl. And although you might feel some movement by now it can start anywhere between 16-22 weeks.

Read: Your pregnancy: Week 18

What does my baby look like?

We’re at the banana stage. No, not eating them! Your baby is now about the size of one, around 15cm. They’re starting to plump out a bit and their entire body is covered in vernix caseosa. That’s a greasy, white substance made of (stop reading now if you’re squeamish) dead skin cells, hair and oil. It sounds gross but it’s there to protect their skin so they don’t pop out looking like they’ve spent 40 weeks in the bath. They might have a bit of vernix left on when they’re born but the midwife just wipes it off.

And get this for crazy, your baby’s ADULT teeth are starting to grow this week. They hide out behind their baby teeth and you usually won’t see one of those until they’re about 6 months old.

What should I do about maternity wear?

Pregnancy wear has moved on a bit from giant smocks. You can find flattering maternity clothes that make you feel good and don’t cost the earth.

Everyone is different so you might have cracked open the elastic waists at six weeks or you could still be in your normal clothes. And news flash, you don’t have to wear special maternity clothes. You can adapt your own wardrobe by buying a size up or working with what you have already.

But if you’ve got to that stage when you’re constantly hoiking up your trousers or adjusting yourself to stop flashing your bump it could be time for a shopping spree.

Top maternity clothes buying tips

Look at your existing wardrobe, it might be you have longer line tops or dresses that will carry on working well.
Forget sizing - if you’re a size 16 you might be a maternity size 16, or not. Ignore the labels and buy what’s comfortable.
Invest in a decent maternity bra - now is a good time to do it but you might go up a size or two more before your baby arrives.
Start with the basics - leggings, jeans, T-shirt, coat, you won’t be wearing them forever so you don’t need an entirely new wardrobe (although it’s a great excuse).
Need something for a special occasion? Think about hiring or borrowing.
Don’t just think maternity. You might be able to get away with just going up a size where you’d normally shop.
You don’t have to buy new - eBay is great for picking up pre-loved maternity bundles and ask friends if they have anything you could borrow.
There are plenty of high street and online retailers that offer stylish maternity clothes.