what happens to the baby and mother at the eighteenth week

Child’s age – 16th week (fifteen full), pregnancy – 18th obstetric week (seventeen full).

By this time, many expectant mothers find it much easier. Hair and skin return to normal, and appetite increases. However, back pain may already appear, especially after prolonged sitting or lying. And this pain arises due to the fact that the center of gravity has shifted. But there are several ways that you can help get rid of the pain.

Be sure to do gymnastics, unless, of course, the gynecologist forbids you. Swimming is especially effective… Also, a special bandage that will support the abdomen does not hurt. Relax more often while lying on your side, covered with a warm blanket.

What does 18 weeks mean?

Recall that a period of 18 weeks means obstetric calculation. And this means that you have – 16 weeks from conception and 14 weeks from a delay in menstruation.

The content of the article:

Feelings in the expectant mother at the 18th week

• Your tummy is most likely already visible and your leg size may have increased;
• Visual impairment is also possible, but this should not be feared, this is almost the norm. After childbirth, vision will return to normal;
• Be sure to monitor your diet, it should be of high quality, varied and complete.

Now the period of active growth of the baby has come, i.e. you do not need to eat for two, but eat large portions.

This week, like the previous ones, you may be concerned about discomfort in the abdomen… This is a congestion of gas, heartburn, constipation. These problems can be easily dealt with with dietary adjustments.

• From the beginning of pregnancy to 18 weeks, your the weight should increase by 4.5-5.8 kg;
• By the appearance of your abdomen, it can be seen how your baby is located, in the left or in the right half;
• This week sleep and rest starts to cause some inconvenience… The uterus continues to grow and takes up more space in the abdomen. You need to find the optimal position in which you will be comfortable. There are maternity pillows available, but you can get by with three small pillows. Put one under your side, the second under your back, and the third under your feet;
• Some women feel the first movements of their baby as early as 16 weeks. If you haven’t felt it yet, but at 18-22 weeks you will definitely feel your baby. If this is not your first child, then you already notice how he moves!
• Perhaps you have the midline of the abdomen, nipples and the skin around them darken… These phenomena will disappear soon after childbirth.

What they say on forums and in groups:

Nika:

At about 16 weeks, I felt the first tremors of the child, but did not understand what they were, I thought – gases. But these “gases” appeared unexpectedly and had no connection with meals. And at the 18th week, I went to the second ultrasound and during the examination the baby was pushing, I saw it on the monitor and realized that it was not gases at all.

Lera:

From 18 weeks I put on a bandage, my back was terribly painful. My friend went to the pool with me for the company, I hope this will alleviate the situation.

Victoria:

Oh, how constipation tortured me, I suffered from them before, but now all the time. I already ate all sorts of cereals and dried fruits, I drink water in liters, but still nothing.

Olga:

And we showed our “farm” and I found out that I have a boy. How glad I am, I always wanted a boy. I do not experience any inconvenience, except that the pressure is low. I try to walk in the park more often.

Irina:

This is my third child, but this pregnancy is no less desirable. I am already 42 years old, and the children are teenagers, but it so happened that there will be a third. Until he showed his gender, but according to popular belief, I will have a boy. I’m waiting for the third ultrasound, I really want to know the gender of the baby.

Fetal development at 18 weeks

The kid is growing and prettier. Its length is already 20-22 cm, and its weight is about 160-215 g…

• The strengthening of the fetal skeletal system continues;
• Phalanges of fingers and toes are formed, and a pattern has already appeared on them, which is distinctive for each person, these are future fingerprints;
• At the 18th week of the baby adipose tissue is actively formed in the body;
• The retina of the baby’s eye becomes more sensitive. He can sense the difference between darkness and bright light;
• At 18 weeks, the brain continues to develop actively. The well-being of women during this period greatly improves, this is due to the stabilization of the hormonal background;
• Wrinkles begin to form actively on the baby’s skin.;
• The lungs are not functioning at the moment, there is no need for this, because the child lives in an aquatic environment;
• By the 18th week of pregnancy, the external and internal genital organs of the baby finish forming and take their final position. If you have a girl, then by this time her uterus and fallopian tubes have fully formed and correctly taken their position. In boys, his genitals are fully formed and correctly positioned;
• The kid begins to distinguish sounds. Take a moment and introduce him to music. The baby is not intimidated by the murmur of the blood flow through the umbilical cord or the beating of your heart. However, loud sounds frighten him;
• Perhaps this week you will see your baby on the monitor. Be sure to take a photo and hang it in a prominent place to visualize your child;
• The unborn child becomes more active… From time to time, he pushes off one wall of the uterus and floats to the other.

Recommendations and advice for the expectant mother

• Starting this week, start talking to the child, singing songs to him – he listens to you attentively;
• Visit your dentist at week 18;
• You need to undergo an important examination – a trio Doppler ultrasound. With its help, doctors will check whether the baby receives enough oxygen and nutrients from the mother along with the blood;
• Eat right and watch your weight. Increased appetite is not an excuse for eating unhealthy foods;
• Bend and rotate your pelvis before taking a horizontal position;
• Use the toilet more often, because an overflowing bladder creates additional inconvenience;
• If you have not yet begun to carry out procedures in the fight against stretch marks, then it’s time to start them. Even if now they are not yet there, then prevention will contribute to the fact that they will not appear;
• The most favorite and enjoyable activity for a woman is shopping. Your belly grows and the clothes become small on you. And how nice it is to pick up a new wardrobe and please yourself with new things. When doing this, observe the following rules:

1. Buy clothes one size larger to wear longer, even in the last months.
2. Choose clothing made from stretch and natural fabrics. It must stretch, and the skin needs access to air.
3. At home, the husband’s clothes, his shirts and jumpers, which he no longer wear, will come in handy.
4. Buy quality support lingerie.
5. Also get a few pairs of flat shoes with a small, stable heel.

• Do not forget about your husband, he also needs attention, tenderness, and affection. Remember that paternal feelings wake up later than maternal ones, so do not force your husband to show them if they are not already there;
• Dedicate your time to enjoyable activities such as reading, going to theaters, museums and movies. Decorate your room to keep it warm and cozy. Look at something beautiful more often. Beauty, like sound, has certain physical properties and, having a positive effect on the endocrine and vascular systems of the mother and child, leads to the healing of the whole organism.

• In the second trimester (4-6 months), the longing for a carefree life gradually goes away, fear for the child appears… At this stage, expectant mothers are usually worried about infectious diseases, disgusting ecology, insensitive doctors, as well as any ailments; stories about accidents, articles and television stories about pathologies are frustrating, confusion arises due to the fact that authoritative sources of information about pregnancy often contradict each other.

Photo of the tummy, ultrasound and video about the development of the fetus at the 18th week

Baby development in the 18th week of pregnancy -video

Ultrasound scan 18 weeks – video:

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