18 weeks pregnant

18 Weeks Pregnant | Pregnancy Symptoms | OHBaby!

You're approaching the halfway mark, and you've probably begun thinking about your upcoming life with your baby. Things to consider include whether you are going to have baby sleep in your room for the first few months, or whether he or she will go straight into his/her own room. How you will help siblings adjust to a new baby brother or sister, how much maternity leave you are able to take and if/when you will return to work? Visit our OHbaby! Forums to find out what has worked for other mums and dads.

Pregnancy symptoms at 18 weeks pregnant

You’re well past the problems of first trimester and experiencing a whole range of different issues.

Dizziness at 18 weeks pregnant

Your body is hard at work, increasing blood volume, expanding blood vessels, and your heart can be working up to 50% harder than usual. As a result, you can feel light headed at times. To avoid this, keep hydrated, eat regular, protein-rich meals, and don’t stand up too quickly.

Swelling and oedema

Any time from the second trimester, your feet might start swelling and getting bigger. This is due to fluid retention and hormones. Basically, your body is swelling as it doesn’t expel enough water, and then the pregnancy hormone relaxin can loosen the ligaments in your feet. Keep your feet elevated, have a cool footbath, and maybe invest in a pair of shoes that’s one size bigger. These size changes in your feet can be permanent.

18 weeks pregnant symptoms

There is a whole heap of things that could be happening to you, or not.

• Leg cramps at night are an unwelcome addition to your lack of sleep. No-one really knows why this happens. Ask your healthcare provider if you can take anything for it, such as calcium or magnesium. Yoga and regular stretching may help to alleviate the problem.
• You could become congested or experience nosebleeds. This is due to hormones and extra blood volume, you’ll likely feel a bit stuffy after sleeping.
• Aches and pains are common. As it expands, your belly puts pressure on your back, which can cause soreness. Those round ligament pains on the underside of your belly and lower abdomen area are still there too.

Your baby at 18 weeks pregnant

Your baby is growing, and is about 14 cm long, weighing around 150- 200 gm, about the size of a kumara. Start thinking about the soundtrack to your baby’s life – around about this week, your baby can start hear your ACDC or Beethoven. The tiny bones of the inner ear and the accompanying nerve endings from the brain are developing. This means your baby can hear sounds, like your heartbeat, or the blood moving through the umbilical cord. The baby is also developing fingerprints right now.

Baby brain development when 18 weeks pregnant

This is an interesting time for baby development. Your baby is growing myelin, which is the nerve covering that helps ensure fast and thorough message transmission in the brain. Make sure you’re eating plenty of Omega -3 fatty acids and taking DHA supplements; this helps with brain growth in particular.

This myelin growth means their brain is starting to process more. Your baby is hearing more, and can be given a fright from a sudden loud noise. Your baby's eyes are developing as well. The retinas may be able to detect light from a flashlight if you hold it to your stomach.

Your baby is also now starting to swallow, and might be swallowing up to a litre of amniotic fluid through each day. This helps to prepare the digestive system for life outside the placenta. Research shows that your baby can feel thirsty while inside. This thirst could be the reasons for the quantity of fluid swallowed. So, make sure you stay hydrated and drink plenty of water, you’re drinking for two.

Can I feel my baby kick at 18 weeks?

You may be able to feel his or her movements as they kick, twist and move. Some women describe this as tiny flutters or similar to bubbles of gas. If you can’t feel anything yet, don’t worry, it will happen soon. Most women can feel kicks sometime from 18-22 weeks, depending on how the baby is positioned inside.

18 weeks pregnant is how many months?

At 18 weeks pregnant, you are in your fifth month of your pregnancy. ‘Only’ four months to go.

How big is a baby bump at 18 weeks

By now, you should have a noticeable baby bump, although many people will be able to hide it easily in loose clothing. Every woman is different, don’t compare bumps. As long as your baby is healthy, that is the most important thing. While some women will have a definite baby belly shape, some will look like they ate too many carbs for dinner last night.