Pregnant Weeks 18

18 weeks pregnant is almost halfway pregnancy, on 18 weeks pregnant your bump is growing rapidly. find out 18 Weeks Pregnant Scan, your baby and tips on how to maintaining your energy levels and learn about your baby's development at 18 weeks with Aptamil.

At 18 weeks pregnant, your baby is now 5.6 inches long from crown to rump. This is comparable to the length of a medium-sized banana pepper. Your little bundle of joy now weighs almost 7 ounces. Can you believe how big your baby is getting? Only a month ago, he or she only weighed 1.5 ounces

By 18 weeks pregnant, your baby's heart has developed enough to show signs of defects. Ultrasound can be used to help detect any structural abnormalities that might exist in the heart. Fortunately, most babies will be born without any congenital abnormalities (birth defects). If an early ultrasound does detect something abnormal, you can plan ahead for any interventions or surgeries that may be necessary to support your newborn baby after birth.

Typically, you will feel the first small rumblings of fetal movement between 18 and 22 weeks (or later, in some cases). If you have very strong abdominal muscles, you're very overweight or your fetus is "hiding," you may fall on the late end of the scale. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not feel fetal movement as early as you will in successive pregnancies. Most likely, though, junior will make his or her presence known within this next, exciting month. Early fetal movements may feel like soft tapping, or "butterflies," just above the pubic bone.

Baby's Growth and Development at 18 Weeks Pregnant

At 18 weeks pregnant, growing is your baby's number-one priority. Take a look at some of the developmental changes:

• This week, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long, or about the length of a large tomato.
• Your baby's skeleton continues to harden during the 18th week of your pregnancy. His leg bones and inner ear bones are the first to ossify (harden).
• Your baby now can hear! He might hear your heart beat or your tummy gurgle.
• He might hear loud sounds outside the womb.

Pregnancy Symptoms at 18 Weeks Pregnant

An increase in appetite is also common at 18 weeks pregnant. Since you're no longer nauseous at this point in your pregnancy, it's normal for you to be hungrier than normal. Be sure that you choose foods and snacks that are healthy and rich in the vitamins and nutrients that your little bundle of joy needs. Although it may be tempting to eat potato chips and candy, try to satisfy your sweet tooth with healthy alternatives.

Forgetfulness is also a normal pregnancy symptom to expect at 18 weeks pregnant. You may find that you forget appointments, meetings, and even important tasks. The absentmindedness you're experiencing is sometimes referred to as "pregnancy brain." Although annoying, it's a common experience in the second and third trimesters. To help you cope with being so forgetful, make sure that you write everything down to help you remember better. Setting alerts on your phone may also help.

Dizziness may also occur at 18 weeks pregnant. You may find that you experience dizziness or lightheadedness when you get up from your chair too quickly. You can blame this pregnancy symptom with cardiovascular system changes (you have double the amount of blood you normally do), paired with the fact that your blood pressure is likely to be lower in pregnancy.