In the 18th week of pregnancy, many things happen that it is better to be aware of them and be more prepared to face them. Now is the time to change some things. From around the 18th week of pregnancy, you should sleep on one side so that the least pressure is applied to the back veins. The fetus inside your belly still has plenty of room to wiggle and kick, and it will. His nervous system is developing rapidly and can now process sounds. Read more about the events of the 18th week of pregnancy.
The state of the fetus in the 18th week of pregnancy
The fetus at eighteen weeks is approximately 14.2 cm. That is, almost the size of a large potato. The weight of the fetus in the 18th week of pregnancy is about 190 grams.
He is busy bending his arms and legs and you will gradually feel these movements more and more. His blood vessels can be seen through his thin, transparent under-skin, and his ears are now in their final position, with the outer parts of his ears visible.
Around the fetus’s nerves at the 18th week of pregnancy are being covered with myelin (which is a protective covering of fat) , and this process will continue for a year after birth. If your fetus is a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes have formed and are in their final position. If your fetus is a boy, at 18 weeks of pregnancy, his genitals can be seen, although they may not be seen in the ultrasound.
The senses of the fetus in the 18th week of pregnancy are rapidly being completed. He now has more taste buds than he needs. On the other hand, because the bones of the inner ear and also the nerve endings from the ear to the brain have been formed, it may shake when hearing a loud sound. In this week of pregnancy, the fetus can feel sounds like the heartbeat and the sound of blood flowing in its umbilical cord.
The fetus has acquired the skill of yawning in the 18th week of pregnancy. In fact, you may be able to catch a glimpse of this adorable yawn and other fetal movements during this month’s ultrasound.
She is now in her 18th week of pregnancy and has 200 pieces of bone which are gradually getting harder. At birth, it will have 300 pieces of bone, some of which will disappear over time. Because the adult skeleton has only 206 bones.
Height: 14.2 cm
Weight: 190 grams
Mother’s condition in the 18th week of pregnancy
Now and in the 18th week of pregnancy, you should gradually sleep on your left side and avoid sleeping on your back because now your fetus and uterus have grown enough to make it difficult for the vein that supplies blood to the fetus and placenta. It sounds scary, but you can prevent this problem by simply sleeping on your left side.
With the increase in appetite and waist size in the eighteenth week of pregnancy, it seems necessary for you to wear looser and more comfortable clothes. Look for maternity clothes that fit your bulging belly. You don’t have to pay a lot for this. Sometimes you can borrow from friends and relatives or choose a dress that can be used until the end of pregnancy and even some time after.
You may have heard that it is better to sleep on your left side during the last 6 months of pregnancy. The reason is that if you sleep on your back, your uterus puts pressure on the pelvic bone, especially this pressure is applied to the inferior vena cava, which is responsible for returning blood from your lower limbs to the heart, and better blood supply to the fetus is carried out from the 18th week of pregnancy. Later, if you sleep on your left side, this pressure will disappear. Place a pillow between your legs or under your rump or leg to make you more comfortable and reduce leg cramps.
In the 18th week of pregnancy, many changes are happening in your cardiovascular system, and in the second trimester, your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Do not get up quickly if you are lying down or sitting because you may feel dizzy.
Important symptoms of the 18th week of pregnancy
In the 18th week of pregnancy, sometimes the simplest pain or discomfort can turn into a serious illness. Leg cramps are one of these cases. This type of cramp usually occurs in weak legs and often at night, which is sometimes so painful that it wakes you up. You may have heard that leg cramps are caused by too much potassium or phosphorus in the diet, but the cause is often electrolyte imbalance. The truth is that doctors still don’t know exactly what causes this, but it may be related to the slowing down of blood flow during sleep or rest. The best remedy for leg cramps is to stand with your bare feet on a cold mosaic floor and raise your big toes. This tightens the calf muscles and often fixes the problem.
Unfortunately, being pregnant does not make you immune to breast cancer. Although this disease is rarely observed in women who are of childbearing age compared to older women. It is also common at the age of 24. Breast cancer in many women appears as a palpable breast mass. If you were doing breast cancer test every month before pregnancy, continue doing it now. If you feel the lump, discuss it with your doctor, but don’t be too scared because your breast is preparing to breastfeed the baby during this period.
Heartburn is another symptom of the 17th week of pregnancy. These days, just one bite of toasted bread can upset your heart and intestines. To start, eat slowly and chew thoroughly, eat smaller, lighter meals rather than 5 times in bursts. Sit upright for a few hours after eating. When sleeping, your head should be slightly higher than your body.
What should we eat in the 18th week of pregnancy?
Although very small amounts of iodine are necessary for the body, this small amount is necessary for the health of the mother and child in the 18th week of pregnancy. Adequate iodine can be supplied to the body by eating seafood twice a week or by consuming iodized salt. In some areas that have lost their water and iodine, and therefore the substances used in these areas do not contain sufficient amounts of iodine, the doctor prescribes small amounts of iodine to pregnant women, which must be taken under the supervision of a doctor. You, who are in the 18th week of pregnancy, do not forget that excess iodine can cause goiter or enlargement of the fetal thyroid gland.
In the 18th week of pregnancy, to strengthen yourself and restore your energy, eat foods that contain protein and carbohydrate combinations, such as whole-wheat biscuits with peanut butter or a bowl of brastok or milk. Protein fires up your brain’s nervous systems, and the combination of carbohydrates provides a steady, steady wave of energy, helping to keep your energy levels high. Walking also helps to maintain and restore your energy by increasing blood pumping to different parts of the body.
Protein suitable for pregnant mothers and vegetarians
Legumes are rich in protein and you have probably consumed these foods before. Green peas, soybeans, chickpeas, mung beans, lentils, red beans, pinto beans, peanuts, and peanut butter are rich sources of protein for vegetarians. In addition, the amount of protein in whole grains is enough to meet your protein needs. In addition to having a large amount of B vitamins, they also have iron. Examples of whole grains include brown rice, whole grain cornflakes, oats, buckwheat, millet, whole grain bread, and whole grain corn. Enrich any food you cook with wheat flour or barley and wheat germ powder. Seeds and nuts, soybeans and dairy products are rich sources of protein.
Allowed drinks in the 18th week of pregnancy
Supermarket shelves are full of energy drinks, which are sometimes called meal replacement drinks. The truth is that these drinks do not make a pleasant feeling for some pregnant women and they cannot replace a meal. Some of them have just as much sugar as baking soda. It’s good to use them occasionally when you don’t have enough time to eat, but you shouldn’t rely on them all the time.
Stretching exercise is prohibited in the 18th week of pregnancy
During pregnancy, it is not necessary to strengthen your uterus muscles because the fetus will do it for you. During the eighteenth week of pregnancy, avoid doing stretching exercises because it causes the muscle gap to open too much. Perform uterine stretching exercises after the birth of the baby. In the 18th week of pregnancy, don’t forget not to use energy drinks instead of meals because they are not a good substitute for meals and are usually like soft drinks containing sugar.
Tell your wife not to smoke
An important point that you should pay attention to from the very beginning of pregnancy and implement it now in the 18th week of pregnancy is that if your wife is a smoker, you should know that you are at great risk. It doesn’t matter how much your partner keeps the smoke away from you. You and your baby are still at risk from harmful toxins. Opening doors and windows while smoking does not eliminate this risk. So ask him to use this opportunity and quit smoking.
Register for a class
It would be great if you could enroll in one of the classes related to prenatal education and childbirth exercises from now and at the 18th week of pregnancy. All hospitals and most private offices and clinics have this class.
Your hospital may offer classes, or you can take advice from your doctor or midwife or friends. When the time comes to give birth, you will see that attending these classes was worth the time and money.
Heart palpitations in the 18th week of pregnancy
Do not worry about sudden heart palpitations in the 18th week of pregnancy. Heart palpitations are very common during pregnancy because the blood volume increases by 40% and it is necessary to increase the oxygen supply to the fetus. If you consume too much caffeine, your heart will beat too fast, so you should reduce or eliminate it. Heart palpitations are usually one of the symptoms of active thyroid. So tell me about any thyroid symptoms during the medical examination. If your heart palpitations still exist despite diet, you should inform your doctor.
List of important tasks in the 18th week of pregnancy
- If you are worried about how you are going to take care of your child after birth, it is better to go to baby preparation classes.
- Be sure to check your seat to ensure that your back and lower back are adequately protected. In addition, you must have feet.
- Is it a girl or a boy? If you want to get related sesame, it is better to determine this issue in the 18th week of pregnancy.
Ultrasound of the 18th week of pregnancy
If you have not done an ultrasound test yet, you will probably do this test in this trimester (usually between the 16th and 20th weeks).
This painless test will help your doctor see how many embryos you have in your womb, evaluate your baby’s development, check for some possible birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, and see if the baby’s due date is set. Are you accurate or not?
When you go for the test in the 18th week of pregnancy, take your wife and take a print of your child’s photo to put in his first photo album!
You can ask in advance if you can take a camera with you and maybe you can record the ultrasound process with a tape recorder.
If you do an ultrasound at 18 weeks pregnant, you will most likely see the fetus sucking its thumb. His fingerprints are partially completed and his heart is fully formed. So you can see a lot of changes in the ultrasound photo of the 18th week.
Empower yourself at work
In the 18th week of pregnancy, one of your difficulties is spending your working hours. It’s 3:00 p.m. and you want to leave work, but you don’t know how to work and energize yourself for the remaining two hours. Do not go for sugary products. Eating a sugary substance may keep you awake for a few more minutes, but you’ll pass out soon after.
Eat a snack that contains protein and complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread with peanut butter. Protein stimulates neurotransmitters in the brain, and complex carbohydrates release steady, sustained energy that will keep you going the rest of the day.
Do not drink too much coffee. It is better to avoid caffeine completely, especially at the end of the day because caffeine stays in the body for 3-5 hours and can keep some people awake for up to 12 hours. 5 minutes of brisk walking will increase your blood flow.
In the 18th week of pregnancy, your wife accepts the changes in your body
Now that you’re 18 weeks pregnant, your body is changing, you’re gaining weight, your feet are getting bigger and swollen, and your face is puffy. When your appearance changes like this, it can be a little hard to feel sexual, and if you don’t feel attractive, you may wonder how your partner views you. Some men think that their wives become more attractive during pregnancy, but not everyone is like that. If your husband reacts negatively to the way you look or criticizes your new body, tell him how sarcastic his words are. Remind him that this is temporary and you will love each other after the baby is born. It may take some time to lose the excess weight that has been created, but you can return to your pre-pregnancy weight if you will. Be honest with your partner about your needs in the 18th week of pregnancy, he may not know that his comments will hurt you. With each other’s help, you can easily solve this problem.