Week 18 of Pregnancy

At 18 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a bell pepper or sweet potato, measuring roughly 5.5 inches from crown to rump and weighing around 6-7 ounces. This week, your baby's ears are now positioned correctly and functional, meaning they can hear sounds from inside your body including your heartbeat, digestion, and blood flowing through the umbilical cord. Your baby is practicing facial expressions, yawning, hiccupping, and sucking their thumb. The nervous system is rapidly developing, with a protective coating called myelin forming around the nerves. If your baby is female, her uterus and fallopian tubes are now formed and in place. If male, the genitals are now visible on ultrasound. Your baby is increasingly active, rolling, twisting, and punching, though the movements may still be too gentle for you to feel consistently. The bones continue to harden, and bone marrow is now producing blood cells.

Get ready for your anatomy scan, which is typically scheduled between weeks 18-22. Many moms describe this appointment as both "exciting and nerve-wracking." Prepare questions for your sonographer, and decide in advance whether you want to know your baby's sex. Some parents have the technician write it down in an envelope for a gender reveal party. To relieve leg cramps, stretch your calves before bed, stay hydrated, and ensure you are getting enough magnesium and potassium in your diet. For nasal congestion, use a humidifier and saline nasal spray rather than medicated decongestants. Continue sleeping on your side, preferably your left side, which optimizes blood flow to your baby. If you have not felt movement yet, do not panic. Many first-time moms do not feel definitive kicks until closer to 20-22 weeks.