18 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Baby Weight, Movement, What to Eat

18 Weeks pregnant: Baby Size, Symptoms, What to Eat, Pregnancy Tips

Second Trimester

Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato.

Baby Grows

Main Topics

Highlights

Mid-Gestation Ultrasound

An important aspect of the pregnancy journey, ultrasounds help check on your baby’s growth milestones. At this stage, doctors will look for any signs of medical complications.

Healthy Snacking and Birthing Classes!

As your hunger keeps increasing with a growing baby, add healthy snacks every three hours or between meals. Also, now is the time to enrol for the ante-natal classes and prenatal yoga sessions to help you during labor and childbirth.

Pregnancy Milestone

At week 18, you’re in the fifth month!

Your Baby’s Development

Week 18
Baby’s Growth

Untitled design 30 1

How Big is Your Baby?

The brain and nervous system are rapidly maturing in the baby along with good sensory development. The protective covering of nerves, myelin, is forming this week to help in the development and proper functioning of the nervous system after birth.

The fetal movements of the baby can be traced by ultrasound scan, so this time you can see your little one yawning, frowning or rolling. Your baby’s genitals will be formed by this week and if it is a girl, then the eggs will already be developing inside her body.

scale

Weight

190 g

Length

14.2 cm

sweet potato 1

size of sweet potatoe

Mother’s Changing Body

18

What to Expect?

This week, you can feel your little sweet pea moving inside your tummy. You can sense your baby rolling, kicking, twisting etc., as slight flutters and finally you can feel that your pregnancy is real.

As the baby’s first movements are usually felt between week 18 and week 22, some women may not have experienced it yet, so do not panic; wait for a week or two and then consult your gynecologist.

You might not have a continuous good night’s rest due to uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms; relax your body through prenatal massages, yoga or aerobics during day time to sleep properly at night.Good to know!

Pregnancy Symptoms

Group 12729

Food Cravings

The famous pregnancy cravings will land this week. As your appetite increases, you’ll find yourself craving various kinds of foods.

Group 12551

Dizziness

As your heart starts working extra to meet the growing body’s demand, your blood pressure might lower from time to time. All this might make you feel dizzy if you suddenly get up while sitting or lying down.

Your baby form

Pregnancy Tips

undraw Reading re 29f8 1

  • This time, take your husband along with you for the ultrasound scan so that he can see and connect with the baby emotionally.
  • To avoid edema and backaches, try to relax in a straight posture at regular intervals. Keep your feet on an elevated foot rest to avoid further aches.
  • While getting up from bed, do not stand up too quickly. Try to get up gradually as it will balance your body from fainting.
  • Perform some simple calf stretches before going to bed to tolerate the leg cramps during the second trimester.
  • Walk regularly or involve yourself in routine fitness activities to avoid body pain and leg cramps.

Items Recommendation

19 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Baby Weight, Movement, Belly Size

19 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Baby Weight, Movement, Belly Size

Read More
17 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Baby Weight, Belly Size, What to Expect

17 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Baby Weight, Belly Size, What to Expect

Read More

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *