Most mothers look forward to week 18 of their pregnancy because this is the time when they will start to learn more about their newborn than they did before. Typically, the ultrasounds that your baby will have are the largest and clearest during this week, which can be an exciting moment for parents-to-be! By having a full placenta and a strong umbilical cord, your baby should have plenty of oxygen to survive on in the amniotic fluid which surrounds him or her. It’s important though that you pay attention to your doctor during these ultrasounds so as not to miss signs of possible birth defects for example such as spina bifida or cleft lips & palate.
By this week, your baby’s sense of smell, taste and hearing have all developed! His or her little ears are fully in place and your baby would start responding to the sounds you make. His or her little eyes would also be on its way to getting used to the light. Your baby may even be startled by loud noises like that of a gun shot just as it shocks you when you hear it in real life!
This week, you’ll notice your baby’s body harden! Ossification begins in the clavicle and legs, which are the first bones to ossify. Myelination continues increasing the speed of nerve impulses throughout the nervous system.
The embryo will later grow into a fetus. As the heart is growing, he or she is pumping about 25 or 30 quarts of blood per day.
Your baby now looks like a small eel and comes in at about 5 inches long.
This week, your uterus is now as big as a medium-sized orange. It is just below your bellybutton.
Aside from the joy of knowing whether your baby is a boy or a girl, another milestone will be reached this week. You may begin to feel movement in your belly, which doctors call “quickening.” In the next few weeks as your little one begins to grow and get more active, you’ll feel these movements increasingly and distinctly. You might experience gas pains as well – it’s hard to distinguish between what’s an upset stomach versus your baby moving around inside of you!
During the 18th week of pregnancy, there will be many new developments starting to take place within your baby. You might even be able to feel them with how active they’ve been lately! You’ll also be treated with a screening ultrasound during this week that should reveal whether or not it’s going to be a little boy or girl for you and your family. Congratulations, momma! Enjoy these exciting times and cherish all of the wonderful experiences you’re having!
