Pregnancy Calendar – Week Eighteen

Your baby is now about five and one half inches long and weighs almost six ounces. The heart has formed so completely that you can see the different structures of the heart in an ultrasound picture. The baby’s arms and legs are now in proportion. The fingerprints are nearly complete, and though the skin is still pink and transparent, it continues to add more layers. Your baby has as many nerve cells as an adult, and the nerves from her brain are starting to be coated in a layer of myelin (protective fat). Myelin helps the passage of electrical messages along the nerves to and from the brain. The production of myelin on the nerves cells is a process that will continue for a year after the baby is born.

Your uterus is almost the size of a cantaloupe now. As your baby grows bigger, your uterus is pushed up out the pelvic cavity, and you may be able to feel it just below your bellybutton. If they haven’t already, people may notice that you are pregnant, depending on what you are wearing. You will soon be showing enough that people may comment on your pregnancy and even want to touch your belly. Some women don’t mind family or close friends making contact with them and their baby this way, but if you are not comfortable with this, don’t hesitate to tell them. On top of all the touching, you may be finding complete strangers offering loads of parenting advice—try to take it in stride.

You will probably have an ultrasound scheduled sometime in the next few weeks to make sure your baby is developing according to schedule. Have you decided if you want to know the sex of your baby? The majority of people want to know the sex of their baby before birth, but many people like to be surprised. If you aren’t sure, you can request that the doctor or ultrasound technician write it down and put the paper in a sealed envelope (bring an envelope with you to your appointment). If you decide later that you want to know the sex, then you can open the envelope and find out.

Hot Topic: Your Aching Back  

Avoid injuring your back. Now that your uterus is bigger, and your center of gravity has shifted, you must take care not to strain your back. Ask your doctor if you have specific questions about how much weight you can safely lift. Here are some general guidelines: