By week 18 of your pregnancy, your baby's crown-to-rump length is 5 to 5.5 inches long. Your baby continues to develop fat layers and weighs about 5.25 ounces. Your baby will continue to grow and develop, but the rapid growth will slow down for a little while. You will be able to feel your uterus just below your bellybutton. If you put your fingers sideways to measure, you can feel your uterus about two finger-widths below your bellybutton. At this point of your pregnancy, your uterus is approximately the size of a cantaloupe. Although weight gain varies from woman to woman, your total weight gain at this point should be 10 to 13 pounds.
At this time if you had an ultrasound, heart abnormalities can be detected. If the ultrasound technician detects abnormalities, further ultrasound exams may be ordered to follow the baby's development. There is still space available in your uterus and your baby will be active for periods at a time. Your baby may sit cross legged or turn somersaults.
Around this time, your baby becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods. The bones through which sound is passed to the inner ear have hardened and the parts of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that your baby can hear now. Your baby will get used to familiar sounds, such as your heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds. Your baby will become startled if he hears a loud sound.
If you have a stethoscope at home, you can now hear the baby's heartbeat yourself.
jellybeanapril6th - 2.9 hours ago
BF booked me in for massage tmw, nice little surprise, god knows ma back needs it
hisb-daygift - 2.9 hours ago
I am coming from week 14 since thurs., when I went to my doc. App and she did the exam she said that I am deff 18 weeks unless its twins. Heard the HB right when she put the monitor on my belly and even heard it kick but didn't feel it. I won't know for shore the sex until 3 days (Nov. 10) I'm having the 1st ultrasound.. Hopefully they can tell me the sex... If its a girl this is the only time I want and give her permission to open her legs lol. I don't really care which sex I have I'm just happy I made it this far and given the oppretunity to have a baby. But I have had 3 dreams that it is a girl! 2 before I knew I was prego and 1 after! Daddy and I are soo happy,he cried when he found out. I have felt the baby kick like 5 6 times already and it is mainly active in afternoon but this morning it decided to wake me up. Okay I think I'm done now, don't have anyone to talk to so yeah. Hope you ladies are doing okay. O and my pants are too tight in belly area but I'm not showing. My stomatch before prego was flat but right now just lil round ball slightly raised from skin probly an not even an inch.
1st-timemom20 - 18.1 hours ago
1st time mom kinda nervous i find out what im having 11/16 yay
sunny33 - 18.7 hours ago
prego pop, I'm the same way, but only with work, I has become so overwhelming I have not been back since Wednesday. I can't cope with my boss. I'm going to be off for at least 3 weeks going to some seminars about managing stress and time management etc, I hope they help. I know it is all pregnancy related because normally I don't let these stuff get to me but I can't control it any more.
jellybeanapril6th - 19.9 hours ago
momtograce, my scan aint until 25th nov so am right there with you, plus i had to wait till 14weeks to get my 1st, bummer waiting so long but at least it will come before we know it
preggy pop - 20 hours ago
anyone else feel as hormonal as me. Crying over really stupid stuff and feling overwhelmed but the smallest stuff...I'm potty traing my 3 year old and took his pull up off and within 5 min he pees on the floor. I walk in the living room, see it and just start balling my eyes out...I feel like im going crazy..when will these hormones level out already?>?>?>?
Neris82 - 20.2 hours ago
We are redoing the floors in the house today, well they are I'm not, I'm on bedrest :( I feel like such a bum laying in bed with everyone else working.
HeCallsMeChula - 21.6 hours ago
its so clam today hope everyone is doing ok.
tsucutie - 1 days ago
congrats on your son 1stTime
1stTimeMommy10 - 1 days ago
Good Morning Ladies! Had my ultrasound yesterday and found out I'm having a BOY!! I posted a pic on my profile but its a little blurry since I took it with my phone. I'm definetly on cloud nine right now!
beetys1st - 1 days ago
Found out Tuesday we are having another boy!!
liesl1406 - 1 days ago
Bye week 18...off to week 19 today!
ls3rdontheway - 2 days ago
hello all well i went to the doc today and im 2wks further along than i thought so its off to wk 20. yeah. i hope all of u grils r weel.
preggy pop - 2 days ago
congrats Natalie, glad to hear you are ok Chula!!!!4 more days till we find out what we are having...man this is gonna be a long weekend!!!!
natalie75 - 2 days ago
Just had my ultrasound and we are having another boy :)
HeCallsMeChula - 2 days ago
well ladies everything went well at the doctors mt cervix is fine plus i got a new due date 3-31-2010.only 3 days earlier.lol..ao anyways i just have to take it easy an go back to he doctors next week.ok well have to go get julian off the school bus hope everyone is having a great day!!!
thuy - 2 days ago
benchcharlie - read your post and I definitely am worried about my bump size and baby development. Just hope the LO is developing and growing. I wish I was feeling more movement, but gotta be patient and I'm sure the kicks will get stronger. I have my u/s next week on the 13th to find out if it's a boy or girl and hopefully get some good news that the baby is on track!!
pregochick - 2 days ago
Im new on here, just wanted to say Hi
mommylal - 2 days ago
So we had our Ultrasound today and baby was shy and wouldnt uncross the legs!!! So we couldnt find out what we were having!!! Oh well we will have to wait and see if we are going to have another ultrasound or not!!!
TrueAngel4ever - 2 days ago
off to week 19 tom, almost half way done so excited and nervous at the same time!
HeCallsMeChula - 2 days ago
babyat38 thank you so much you..
natalie75 - 2 days ago
Today is my U/S hope hhe/she is not shy so I can find out.
3rdbabyat38 - 2 days ago
Chula, glad to hear that you are being taken care of properly. Must be a relief to see the baby eventhough you cant feel him/her yet. Thanks for keeping me posted, I think about you often and send you positive thoughts and wishes...xxx ooo
HeCallsMeChula - 2 days ago
Good morning ladies well i had my ultrasound yesterday an t he tech tried to get a sneak peek at what i was having an the cord was inbetween the babys legs then i wanted to see what the face looked like an soon as she moved the wand to the babys face if hide it in my placenta once again i have a very shy baby.but i should find out today the results of my cervix report at the doctors today i go back at 1pm so i will update again later.
melissabp - 2 days ago
I am soo happy I feel the baby move soo much now!! My husband can even feel her from the outside!! She's so strong already:)
melissabp - 2 days ago
Momtograce:)- my u/s isn't until the 24th.. But I cheated I paid for a 3d ultrasound at week 16 its a girl!! But my OB said not to buy anything untill the next scan because they can be wrong :( but the ultrasound tech said it was definite!! We'll see!!!!!!
greta - 2 days ago
Wow, you guys I had no idea about papya. Sorry about that.
lell - 2 days ago
18 weeks today (finally)
and only 1 week to go until I have my scan and find if I'm having a boy or girl WooHoo
sarah... - 2 days ago
mom to grace, mines not untill the 16th :( grrr, i want it now! feel like this pregnancys not even happening!
momtograce:) - 2 days ago
Hey ladies, i've just had my scan date through and its not until the 30th of the month and i'm really disappointed. is anyone else in week 18 having one that late? :(
liesl1406 - 2 days ago
3xsacharm - Thanks for your reply. I eventually called my doc as well yesterday as I was getting really worried, and he said the exact same thing, which was a relief! Apparently its just our uterus that expanding!! Glad to say the cramping has also stopped since yesterday.
lisabutler - 2 days ago
@true. I'm sure if it was something that would cause problems the doctor would have said something and scheduled another visit to check and see if the placenta had moved. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
TrueAngel4ever - 3 days ago
I meant to ask earlier with my other post. My doctor told me that im carrying my placenta to the back and with my mom having 5 kids and my older sisters having 5 between then i thought they would know what that meant, but they dont. Does anyone know what that really means, and if it matters or can cause problems?
Neris82 - 3 days ago
I read about that before I ate it. I found this info. Although a fully ripe papaya is not considered dangerous, a papaya that is at all unripe contains a latex substance that triggers uterine contractions and may cause a miscarriage.
eviesmama - 3 days ago
Hi ladies, I have been enjoying reading your comments for the past several or more weeks, but had no plans of signing up - probably fear of another loss... But everything is going great this time, will have my US on the 10th. The reason I signed up, is to warn that overripen papaya can cause miscariage ( not sure if it only relevant in first trimester), some cultures use it as a form of Birth control. I hope this is helpful.
Good luck to every one.
HeCallsMeChula - 3 days ago
well ladies i just got back from the doctors an everything went great go to hear the HB a little because the baby would not stop moving i like just hearing the baby move just wish i could feel it. but the doctor was a little concerned about my cervix so i am going to the hospital in about an hour to have an ultrasound to check the lenght of my cervix.so wish me luck an ill update later.oh an maybe i can get a sneak peek at what is in between my babys legs..lol..
Jinx0523 - 3 days ago
i am new on here and we had our u/s yesterday, the baby was upside down and backwards all we got was mooned still no idea if boy or girl and it is our first so nothing to compair to
vinessalynn - 3 days ago
It's definitely nerve wracking to wait for your ultrasound... My husband and I were convinced it was a girl because I feel so awful and with my boys I was full of energy. He was about to leave the room to check on the kids when she asked if we wanted to know the sex. We said sure, but we already know it's a girl. The poor lady kept trying to convince me, but my husband pretty much knew the second he saw the 'wee wee'. Good luck to everyone 'patiently waiting' to see what you're having. I hope you're not as shocked as we were.lol
preggy pop - 3 days ago
I wish I had some kind of feeling of what we are having but NOTHING...We have 3 boys so I just keep thinking we are having another boy! The only thing is, is that this pregnancy is totallky different then with my boys so I guess we will see...5 more days till we find out!!!
emsgutz - 3 days ago
vinessalynn; I am almost positive I'm having a boy. I thought I saw something at my 14 week visit but my Dr said she had no idea and was to early to tell. I'm still sick and carrying low just like I did with my first son. I find out for sure in 5 days so I'll keep you informed.
The due date from members in week 18 is from Sunday 4 April 2010 up to & including Saturday 10 April 2010. See the full timeline here
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