19 Weeks Pregnant: Almost halfway!

Almost halfway! Holy crap! This thing is really coming out of you in the foreseeable future. The Hulk metamorphosis stage of growth (that is not a technical term; do not Google it) is ending. Your baby now weighs 7 to 8 ounces and measures about 6 inches in length. She’s now starting to put on weight. Like mother, like child. From this point on, baby will get longer and fatter but generally stay in her current form. That form being human infant, of course.

A few other entries from the “Things no one tells you about pregnancy” files... Your nose feels stuffy and dry. Your eyes feel dry. Your hair feels dry. Your skin feels dry. Here’s what you can do: drink lots of water, try some over-the-counter eye drops, step up your hair-care regimen to include a deep conditioner and moisturize after showers and baths. Hormones are funny things. In addition to dryness, you might be noticing some skin discolouration around your upper lip, nose, cheeks and forehead, referred to as chloasma or the “mask of pregnancy.” Well, Zorro, these blotches are usually gone shortly after delivery. Slap on some sunscreen and grab your widest-brimmed hat; sun exposure worsens chloasma. If you have darker skin and/or this is not your first pregnancy, your discolouration might be more intense. Take extra precautions to avoid sun exposure. Along with your “mask” you are probably noticing a dark line down the length of your abdomen like the prime meridian on a map. This is the linea nigra, or “dark line” (they got real creative on that one, huh?), and it’s completely normal. It is also temporary. And, unless you go to work in bra tops, probably easier to hide than your “mask.” Aren’t you glad the “mask” talk is over?

More Pregnancy Links:

• Join our Pregnant Moms Group
• Baby Girl Names
• Baby Boy Names
  

Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It's just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal - a trained medical professional.

About the Author
Dara is a women’s fitness expert and a pre and postnatal specialist. Visit Dara at Belly Bootcamp (www.bellybootcamp.ca)

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