Day 139 of 280, second trimester
You are 19 weeks and 6 days
You may get some backache as your baby grows and your body keeps adapting.
141 days until your due date
Your baby's increasing weight and your softened joints and ligaments can cause backache, but you don't have to just put up with it. There are many simple ways to ease or even prevent it.
See your doctor to make sure the problem and exactly where it is are properly diagnosed, so you have a better chance of stopping it getting worse. A common problem, often later in pregnancy, is sciatica, a sharp pain running down the back and leg.
Focus on
Your health: Fibroids during pregnancy
In the second trimester, fibroids (benign lumps of muscle fiber in, or occasionally attached to, the uterine wall) can become a problem, because higher estrogen and progesterone levels make them grow along with the uterus.
Rapid growth can cause pressure, discomfort, or pain. Fibroids may raise the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, or a breech baby. Those that don't cause discomfort need no treatment.
A fibroid won't usually affect the baby, but a large one low in the uterus or near the cervix can stop the baby moving down into the pelvis, and a cesarean will be needed. After the birth, as the uterus shrinks, fibroids usually shrink back to their pre-pregnancy size.
Good to know
Banish backaches
To stop backache early, try:
- A warm bath or a hot-water bottle on the painful area.
- A back rub from your partner, or a massage from an experienced prenatal practitioner.
- Yoga or Pilates classes to strengthen your back muscles.
- Watching your posture and raising your legs when sitting.
- Adjusting your car seat so it supports your back properly.
Appointments and key dates around now
- 20-week screening scanBetween 18 and 21 weeks
Read the full 19 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.