18 week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby and mom

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

A new stage begins in the relationship between mother and baby in her womb. The baby announces its presence by stirring. This significant event, as a rule, happens in the middle of the term, but sometimes it is observed earlier. What is special about the 18th week of pregnancy? Read on.

Features

A woman at 18 weeks pregnant may experience the following changes:

• appearance of edema;
• distinct and palpable fetal movements;
• the occurrence of pain in the lumbar back due to a large load on the spinal area;
• a conscious attitude to the peculiarities of one's position.

An incredibly pleasant and easiest second trimester continues. Women who are carrying a second child are more likely to feel the movement of the crumbs for the first time. If the expectant mother has an asthenic physique, she may also experience the first manifestations of fetal activity earlier. From that moment on, you have a special connection. A woman will learn to determine the desires of the child, to expect the manifestation of the emerging life with movements at week 18pregnancy.

Active baby

The shape of the uterus becomes round. The presence of pregnancy is more and more noticeable. The figure of the future mother acquires charming features, making her mistress even more feminine. The appearance of minor discomfort at the 18th week of pregnancy occurs due to the pressure of the uterus on the internal organs. It continues to grow in size, providing space for the growing fetus.

Continuation of the fifth month of bearing a baby is a time of pleasant emotions and a woman's concern for her he alth. It is important to monitor the intensity of the movements. The norm is from 4 to 8 times for an hour. More frequent movements may signal a lack of oxygen, which the fetus is trying to make up for through active movement. Then the baby's heart beats faster, enriching the blood with oxygen.

A woman should walk more in the air, breathe deeply. Gymnastic exercises and yoga classes help to enrich the blood with oxygen.

What a mother becomes

The size of the uterus in a woman at 18 weeks pregnant is like a small melon. The organ is located below the navel, on which the growing uterus sometimes presses from the inside.

Expectant mother is gaining weight in the range of 4 to 6 kg. The occurrence of problems with excess weight should be a reason to consult a doctor. It is important to take into account the recommendations for a particular way of eating. A woman should monitor the amount of fluid consumed. Important nowto control weight, this will be the key to a successful birth.

How the fetus develops

What happens at 18 weeks pregnant with a baby? Features include:

• The weight of the baby in this period is approximately 200 grams. The fetus actively grows and develops, reaching a length of up to 22 cm.
• The future baby is characterized by increased activity. The reason for this is the spacious uterus. It does not yet restrict the movements of the child, as it will be later. You can move and twist a lot, suck your thumb, pull the umbilical cord. Maintaining such an active lifestyle can interfere with mom's rest, because the process does not stop at night. Often it becomes even more intense as soon as the mother gets ready for bed. Such activity in the future will ensure the correct formation of the baby's muscular system.
• The active formation of the brain continues, the establishment of the functions of the nervous system. For this reason, there is an improvement in the coordination of the crumbs.
• Baby is able to distinguish the spectrum of your emotions, joyful or sad. It is important to know that the tiny man will feel and experience the same as his mother. A woman should protect herself from stressful situations, live in such a way that her mood is positive. In this way, she will take care of the future peace of mind of the baby.
• The good development of an infant's hearing is the result of well-formed ear cartilage. The little man hears how the internal organs of his mother work. It's time for gentle conversations with the baby. He hears your voice perfectlyenjoys calm music, is able to hear fairy tales if you dare to read them.
• The baby can see, the vision is already formed, but the baby is developing with his eyes closed. The retina of the eye already perceives light, if it is bright, the reaction to it is present.
• The process of ossification of the skeleton, previously composed of cartilage, continues, now they are hardening.
• The process of accumulating fat continues, which ensures metabolic processes in the body and maintains body temperature.
• Already formed fingers and toes have phalanges and nails, you can fix fingerprints.
• The sex of the child is clearly determined thanks to the already formed genitals. They are located in their permanent place.
• The activity of cardiac activity is associated with the need to provide for the needs of the baby in movement. Oxygen enters the body through the placenta. The umbilical cord transfers the received portions of oxygen from the mother. They move to the left atrium, with subsequent distribution to the entire body. The role of the placenta is difficult to overestimate. It is the main thing in the life processes of the baby inside the womb. With the help of the placenta, a hormone is produced that causes pregnancy to develop in the female body.
• Completion of the formation of the immune system allows the baby to independently fight back the manifestations of various infections.

What's new in mom's life

The baby is growing. And what happens at the 18th week of pregnancy with a woman? The mother's condition may be somewhat overshadowed by the appearance of painfulsensations:

• back pain;
• in the lumbar region;
• drawing sensations in the lower abdomen.

What is the reason for this condition and is it normal? The problem may occur if:

• shifted center of gravity, as the uterus has increased significantly in size;
• additionally added weight;
• increased level of load on the spine;
• ligaments and tendons of the abdominal wall, which are directly related to the growth of the uterus, stretched.

There are several recommendations to make the expectant mother feel better:

• selection of a special supporting bandage;
• practice exercises that strengthen the back muscles;
• weight control;
• rest for enough time;
• Laying down several times a day.

Features of vaginal discharge

Women in the photo of 18 weeks of pregnancy look cheerful and happy. But if you have he alth problems, it is important to consult your doctor in a timely manner.

The nature of vaginal discharge at this time should not change. The presence of light secretions, the consistency of which is homogeneous, can only become more abundant. At this time, the endocrine glands are intensively working.

But if the color of the discharge turns red or brown, don't ignore the problem. If yellow or green discharge appears, there is a risk of developingintrauterine infection of the fetus. Be sure to visit a gynecologist.

Features of the diet of a pregnant woman

A baby at 18 weeks pregnant is increasingly in need of vitamins and minerals, which come to him through the umbilical cord. He is very fond of sweets and reacts with active movements if his mother eats candy.

The development of the fetus at the 18th week of pregnancy requires a woman to have proper nutrition. During this period, you should give preference to fruits and vegetables, monitor the amount of fats and carbohydrates in food.

If a traditional three-course meal causes a feeling of heaviness in the stomach in the expectant mother, she is advised to eat more often, but in smaller portions. Eating 5-6 times a day in the form of small portions will help to cope with the problem. You can replace fried and spicy dishes with stews and boiled.

But don't dwell on this advice. Do not rush to strictly deny yourself all your favorite dishes. It is important not to overeat, controlling the amount of food by setting a certain limit.

Try not to buy foods that are unhe althy so that you are not tempted to try them. The family should be sympathetic to this and support the woman. Then even at midnight in the refrigerator, a woman will be able to take a jar of yogurt, one of the fruits, stewed fish.

Belly at 18 weeks pregnant increases as the uterus grows. This organ exerts pressure on the intestines, affecting its peristalsis along with actively produced estrogen.

If a woman eats improperly at this time, there is a riskthe appearance of constipation, very undesirable in this position. To quickly solve the problem, eat a serving:

• prune;
• beets;
• kefir or yogurt;
• light vegetable soup daily.

Supporting water balance remains very important. As a rule, a woman's appetite at 18 weeks of pregnancy is good, because bouts of toxicosis no longer attack her. But if a woman does not take care of weight control, it will be more difficult for her to bounce back after childbirth. Yes, and the process of the birth of a baby with a normal weight will be easier.

Alcohol, smoked and s alty foods should be excluded due to water retention in the body. This may cause swelling. Set a limit for fatty foods, do not get carried away with sweets. Drink more natural vegetable and fruit juices made from fresh plants.

It is important to consider what happens to the baby at 18 weeks pregnant. To ensure hematopoietic processes that are characteristic of this period of intrauterine development, vitamins and microelements are needed. The following dishes must be present in the diet of the expectant mother:

• buckwheat porridge;
• fresh beef liver;
• vitamin C;
• folic acid;
• tomato juice.

Natural dairy products will be required to protect women from oral diseases such as osteoporosis and caries. Vegetables and fruits will help normalize pregnant women's stools.

What doctors advise

Describing what happens to the mother at the 18th week of pregnancy, doctors note that her fetus is no longer growing as intensively as in earlier periods. If it is a girl, the number of eggs in her ovary reaches a maximum and is equal to about 5 million. At birth, this figure will decrease to 2 million.

In the photo of the 18th week of pregnancy, the fetus acquires the facial features of a full-fledged person. They are getting clearer. The position of the ears becomes permanent, they begin to hear.

Due to the fact that the center of gravity has shifted, the woman has problems in terms of urination. Urinary tract infections may develop. Doctors recommend not to ignore the manifestations of pain in the lumbar region and treat them very carefully. You will need to exercise strict control over the process of urination.

The appearance of regular and prolonged abdominal pain in a pregnant woman, if they are similar to contractions, if there is bloody or brown discharge - this should be a reason for an immediate call to the doctor. With these symptoms, there is a risk of preterm birth.

In addition to the tests that a pregnant woman will need to take during this period, an ultrasound scan must also be performed. Right now you can make sure that there are no congenital diseases:

• malformations of the cardiovascular system;
• heart disease;
• Down syndrome.

Examination will help evaluate:

• how the placenta develops;
• is there any risk of deviations;
• fix the size of the circumference of the baby's head and abdomen, parametersfronto-occipital region and the length of the bones.

Be sure to take urine tests to assess whether the kidneys can cope with the stress during pregnancy, and blood to exclude the development of anemia. The hemoglobin level must be normal so that the baby is fully provided with oxygen. You may need to take vitamins with iron in the composition.

Triple test screening may be required to detect chromosomal abnormalities.

Advice for expectant mothers

A photo of the abdomen at 18 weeks of pregnancy indicates an average size. While it is not so hard to move around, you can start collecting dowry for the baby. Make a list of necessary things, start with those that need to be prepared for the hospital. The assembled package can be hidden for a while, but you know that everything is ready for the most important moment.

Start choosing:

• baby crib made of natural wood;
• natural bedding materials;
• stroller;
• mobile;
• pacifier;
• sling;
• pampers;
• baby cosmetics;
• diaper set.

Summarize

The 18th week of pregnancy is the time when the expectant mother has the opportunity to pay attention to herself and concentrate on sensations. The birth is still almost halfway through.

It is important to take care of your well-being, positive emotions, rest, proper nutrition. The more fresh air the expectant mother receives, the more actively she will be able to developfetus. He already hears the voice of his mother, reacts to her emotions. If a woman turns on calm music or reads fairy tales, the baby really likes it. A special contact is established, which will only strengthen after the birth of the long-awaited child.

While waiting for a meeting with a new little man, a woman continues to visit her gynecologist, follow his recommendations. You can already choose things for the long-awaited crumbs. After all, it will take so many things for a pet to enjoy living outside the mother's womb in the world of people.

A woman's inner circle should understand the specifics of her situation and help the expectant mother cope with emotions and difficulties as much as possible. A positive attitude will help you prepare for the arrival of your baby.