Welcome to your 5th month, mum-to-be! At week 18 of pregnancy, your little one is now like a tiny acrobat who makes sure you feel their stunts in the womb. Learn more about their development and your pregnancy here.
How Big is Your Baby?
Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato. Almost a handful! Your baby is now about 14.2cm long and weighs about 189.9g. By this time, your baby may begin performing acrobatic stunts in your womb!
Image courtesy: Stock Image
Your Baby’s Development
In this week-by-week pregnancy guide, you’ll learn that:
- Your little one is moving, and how! As your baby rolls, tumbles, and flexes his/her limbs in your womb, get ready to feel stronger kicks and nudges.
- He/she can now yawn–so you may catch a glimpse of this during an ultrasound.
- Because your baby’s hearing is well-developed, avoid sudden loud noises.
- If you’re carrying a boy, his genitals have now formed distinctly. If you’re carrying a girl, her ovaries will already be developing eggs. You may already have a glimpse of your baby’s genitals on your next ultrasound to find out your baby’s sex.
- Another reason to be excited about your next ultrasound – your baby’s facial features are all formed. Their ears, nose, and lips are all recognisable. They even have eyelids and eyelashes now.
Pregnancy Symptoms
- You are ravenous. Your baby’s rapid growth is probably making you hungry every few hours.
- Your hands and feet are swollen. Stubby fingers and thick ankles can be bothersome, but it is common in pregnancy. However, if your swelling is sudden or excessive, you have more than moderate swelling of your hands or face, don’t hesitate to call your doctor as it may be a sign of preeclampsia.
- As your baby grows rapidly, there’s a lot of pressure on your back, leading to a backache. Here are ways to relieve it.
- Due to increased pressure on the veins of your nose, you may experience nosebleeds.
- You may also be experiencing leg cramps at week 18 of pregnancy, so stay hydrated.
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Pregnancy Care: Your Checklist For Week 18 of Pregnancy
- Keep the backache away by sitting upright or performing light exercises such as prenatal yoga.
- Your expanding uterus puts pressure on the veins behind your abdomen. Your best bet is to sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back may reduce the amount of blood going to your heart which will make you feel light-headed.
- If you notice your hands and feet swell often, place them at a height to drain out excess fluids.
- If worry is causing you to lose sleep, try out a few relaxing breathing techniques before you hit the sack for a good night’s rest!
- Get some pregnancy pampering by heading out for a soothing prenatal massage to relax.
- The best time to sort out your maternity insurance is this week until week 20.
- Ensure you have booked your confinement nanny already.
Your next week: 19 weeks pregnant
Your previous week: 17 weeks pregnant
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.
