Your 19-Week-Old Baby

Your baby is gaining confidence and independence by the day. At 19 weeks, baby may be rolling more, reaching farther and exploring their surroundings with newfound curiosity (and muscle!). It’s an exciting time, but also one that comes with a few new safety considerations as your little one starts moving more freely. 

This week, pediatricians Dr. Gabriella Dauer, author of Beyond the Basics: A Pediatrician's Newborn Guide, and Dr. Chris Klunk, a board-certified neonatologist with Pediatrix Medical Group, share their best tips for encouraging rolling from back to tummy and keeping baby safe once they’re on the move, and Dr. Adrienne Dreyfuss walks through what to do if baby takes an unexpected tumble.

For parents, this week we’re addressing the reality of separation anxiety—but not just for baby. Parents can feel it too, so licensed marriage and family therapist Gayane Aramyan has some guidance on how to cope with leaving your baby in someone else’s care. 

🚼 Baby’s Development 

Rolling from Back to Tummy

Your baby’s mobility is taking off—literally. Around this time, many babies who have already mastered rolling from tummy to back start learning how to roll the other way, from back to tummy. This new skill gives them a whole new way to explore their world (yes, some babies can navigate pretty far just by rolling!) and helps strengthen muscles needed for sitting and crawling later on.

Just like with all of baby’s other milestones over the past 19 weeks, this one requires practice. Dr. Dauer recommends turning practice time into play by placing toys to their sides just out of reach, similarly to what you might’ve done when baby learned to roll from tummy to back. Dr. Klunk agrees that enthusiasm is key. “The trick here is making rolling from back to tummy the most. exciting. thing. EVER!” he says. “Get down on the ground with them and smile, laugh, cheer and babble right near them in the direction you are hoping they will roll. Put a toy they love just out of reach, so they are motivated to try and roll to get to it.”

If baby can’t quite figure out the mechanics of rolling, “tucking one hand under their side can also encourage them to use the opposite arm to reach across and flip the body,” Dr. Dauer says. She adds that “babies tend to roll over between four and six months, so if babe is still having trouble close to six months, definitely ask your pediatrician to see if physical therapy might help.”

Once your baby starts rolling both ways, everything changes—especially in terms of safety. “They cannot be left for even a second without constant supervision, and preferably a hand in contact, when on a changing table,” Dr. Klunk says. Falls can be serious for babies, so be sure to also use any safety straps attached to baby’s changing table or pad. (If baby does accidentally fall from an elevated surface, we’ve got tips below on what to do.)

Dr. Klunk recommends checking floor-level surroundings too, making sure baby’s pathways are clear of choking hazards, sharp objects and stairs (hint: this might be a good time to think about babyproofing, which we’ll cover in a few weeks). 

Rolling both directions can change how baby sleeps as well, but as long as you stopped swaddling when baby started rolling from tummy to back, then you don’t need to adjust anything else about their sleep environment. “Continue to follow the same safe sleep precautions as always, including putting them on their back to sleep,” Dr. Klunk says. “But know that they will roll around in their sleep, and it’s okay to not keep flipping them on their back once they are asleep.”

💗 You, 19 Weeks After Baby 

Separation Anxiety (for Parents)

Whether you’re back at work or taking a baby-free trip, spending any time away from your baby can feel hard. Separation anxiety doesn’t just affect babies; parents experience it, too. It’s completely normal to miss your baby during the day, or even to worry about them when you’re not around.

“The first step is acknowledging your feelings that this is hard and scary,” says Gayane Aramyan, a licensed marriage and family therapist. “There may even be grief in letting go of your time together with the baby. Validating your own experience is a low-lift way to ease some of the anxiety.” 

She suggests gently reminding yourself of the facts: “My baby is safe,” “the baby’s caretakers will give them love,” and “I know this is hard, but we will make it through this.”

Creating small rituals can also help. “Some people might find it helpful to have a ritual around the separation, whether this is a goodbye song, a hug or a photo you keep with you to stay connected throughout the day,” Aramyan says. 

And when guilt creeps in? “Don’t let guilt get in the driver’s seat,” Aramyan says. “It might be helpful to remind yourself that showing your baby what balance looks like is part of being a good parent. It models the importance of self-care.” She adds that support is available—whether that’s talking with loved ones, joining a parent group or connecting with a therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health.

❓Weekly How-To: Deal with Accidental Falls

Like we said above, once baby gets mobile, safety becomes even more important. But accidents can happen, even to the most attentive parents. As babies learn to roll in both directions, one of the most common causes of falls is rolling off an elevated surface like a couch, bed or changing table.

In case baby takes a tumble, pediatrician Dr. Adrienne Dr. Dreyfuss says to keep this checklist handy—it’ll provide doctors with all of the important information they need to direct you on how to care for your baby:

• How far did baby fall?

• What surface did they fall on (cement, hardwood, carpet)?

• What part of the body did they hit? (Usually the head hits first since it’s the heaviest part of the body.)

• Is there a pink spot, bruise, welt, swelling or bleeding?

• Did baby cry right away?

• Was baby able to be soothed?

• Was there any vomiting?

• Have they nursed or drank since the fall and kept it down?

• Are all their arms and legs moving normally?

If anything seems off—like if baby didn’t cry right away or is crying inconsolably, lost consciousness or is vomiting—head to the ER (preferably a pediatric one).

However, “if the baby cried right away, had no loss of consciousness, drank or nursed with no vomiting, was appropriately soothed, is moving all arms and legs and is acting normal, then it's okay to call your pediatrician for advice and/or monitor the baby closely,” Dr. Dreyfuss says. 

Your doctor may recommend that you continue to keep an eye on your baby, but you don’t need to wake them throughout the night. “We no longer recommend waking babies periodically to monitor because they will likely be cranky if woken, so you won't get a good evaluation,” Dr. Dreyfuss says. 

There’s no need to panic if your baby has a bruise or swelling, as long as they're otherwise acting like their usual self. Put a cool compress against the skin (just make sure the ice/cool pack is wrapped in a towel to prevent irritation). Talk to your pediatrician before giving your baby Infants’ Tylenol for pain management, and keep in mind that ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) is not safe for babies under six months old. If there’s an open wound, and it’s hard to stop the bleeding, Dr. Dreyfuss recommends cleaning it well with water and taking your baby to the ER.

👀 Looking Ahead

Teething: Baby’s first tooth might make its debut soon—usually between four and seven months. Drooling, gnawing and fussiness are your clues that teeth could be on the way.

🛍️ Panic Order

Skip Hop 
Geometric Wonders Baby Play Gym

Great for tummy time and rolling practice.

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Babylist$79.99

Lovevery 
Anytime Activity Mat

A portable playmat to practice rolling anywhere.

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Babylist$39.97

Manhattan Toy 
Toy Winkel Rattle

A favorite among babies for many years, this simple toy is great for reaching and grabbing (and inspiring those rolls!).

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Babylist$15.00

Amazon$17.99

B. toys  
Baby Mirror with Rolling Sensory Wheels

This toy moves with the slightest push, tempting baby to go after it.

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amazon.com$17.99

Frida Baby  
Cool Pads Fever Patch for Kids

Perfect for gentle cold compresses in case baby takes a tumble.

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amazon.com$5.49

Jool Baby 
Contoured Changing Pad with Cover

This changing pad has a secure strap to keep wiggly rollers secure.

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Babylist$34.99