What happens in the 18th week of pregnancy? Your baby is using your tummy as quite a little activity gym by week 18 and doing a whole lot of kicking, rolling and tumbling around.
Your baby in the 18th week of pregnancy:
- Your baby is now similar to the size of a sweet potato
- The major fetal development at 18th weeks of pregnancy is the production of myelin sheath, a protective covering for the nerve cells
- Your baby's brain, spinal cord, and nerves get a boost from myelin
- Your baby's height is 5.5 inches and weighs 7 ounces
- The skeleton of the baby continues to harden
- The inner ear and leg bones are considerably the first ones to ossify
- That said the ears have arrived to its final destination that is at the side of the head
- And now baby can hear you so you can start talking and telling stories to your sweet baby
- Also the teeth are forming at this stage
- Meconium which is your baby's first poop is slowly starting to accumulate in his bowels
- Babies now officially has finger and toe prints
- If it's a baby boy his prostate gland is forming
- And if it's a baby girl the uterus as well as the fallopian tubes is already developed
- When going for ultrasound the body parts are clearly visible especially the arms, legs, heart and genitalia
Your body in the 18th week of pregnancy:
During this week, and the next few weeks, you may feel your baby's first movements—a fluttery sensation in your pelvis. Called "quickening", many cultures believe that this is when life begins. You may have aches and pains in your legs, tailbone, and other muscles.
You will probably have the date for your anomaly scan now, and it will be happening in the next couple of weeks. The sonographer will be making sure your baby's organs are all as they should be, and that your placenta is healthy and in the right place. While they are carrying out these checks, they might have the monitor turned away from you, but you will be able to see your baby once they have finished.
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