18 Weeks Pregnant

The 18th week of pregnancy is the first week of the fifth month of pregnancy. At 18 weeks pregnant , we have some symptoms and body changes to cover including one that might be pretty exciting. We will also cover baby developments and then we are going to go over what you might be wanting to add to your “Think” and “Do” list this week.

There is a lot of growth happening with your body at week 18, and here’s what they are:

• Appearance of stretch marks . Many women often notice these first on their breast, though they often appear on the abdomen and thigh as well. Stretch marks are the result of skin stretching quickly. They usually lighten with time after pregnancy. 

• Mood swings. The changing hormones that happen at 18 Weeks Pregnant can cause quite an impact on your mood. While this usually comes and goes, if you ever are experiencing a concerning change in your mood or your mental health , please reach out to your care provider. There are treatment options for mood disorders that can occur in pregnancy and you shouldn't have to suffer without help.

• You start to feel the baby move. 18 Weeks Pregnant could be the week for this exciting development. These movements can feel kind of like bubbles or fluttering inside. If you have an anterior placenta (when the placenta is attached to the front side of your uterus) you may not be feeling movement yet. Having anterior placenta is very normal, but it can buffer the feeling of fetal movement.

  For more information about anterior placentas, check out this video.

Other symptoms you might be experiencing at 18 weeks pregnant include.

• Leg cramps

• Breast changes

• Skin changes

• Heartburn and gas

Here are what is happening with baby's development this week at 18 weeks pregnant: 

• The fetus is between 5.6 and 6.7 inches (14.2 to 17 cm) in length which is about the same length as a bell pepper.

• The weight of the fetus is just about 6.7 to 7.5 ounces (about the weight of an iPhone).

• Fetus is moving their arms and legs more freely though the movements might still mostly be reflexes.

• These movements might not just be kicks but also stretches and flexing.

• Fetus is practicing swallowing and could start swallowing small amounts of amniotic fluid. This process is critical for developing the gastrointestional tract of the fetus and for managing the amount of amniotic fluid inside of the womb.

At four weeks into the second trimester you're probably feeling pretty energized this week. Which is why I put three items on our “Do” side, and we are adding child care, classes, and registry on the “Think” side.

If you're able to this week, you can take some action on these. I often have couples purchase my child birth class in their second trimester and then put them on their schedule for their third trimester. I usually recommend that couples start taking a class by their 30th week of pregnancy, but it is really never too early to begin educating yourself about birth.

Have you made any decisions regarding child care ? This one often sneaks up on people that's why I made sure to put it on the “Do” side this week. Some child care options have a waiting list that people sign up on during pregnancy! At 18 weeks pregnant this might be the last thing on your mind, but the earlier you look into your options the more options you will have.

The registry is fun but can take a little bit of work, so if you have energy take action on that this week. Two great options for setting up a registry are Amazon and Babylist. 

I'm thrilled to announce this week's sponsor, the Better Shea Butter . They are the makers of this amazing magnesium cream, and my favorite is lavender. I love the smell. I wish you could smell it, and it's great using it for sleep.

There's also an unscented version of vanilla rose and a peppermint. This cream contains a high concentration of magnesium, and unlike other magnesium creams that I tested out, this one is not sticky. It actually has a really luxurious feel on your skin. 

Better Shea Butter is a small company based in Austin, Texas, and they have a formulation lab inside their warehouse, making these products by hand. The company shared with me that these creams were actually created after an employee there who was pregnant. The employee was actually struggling with leg cramps and they wanted a natural solution. Now, their formula contains no artificial fragrances , and it's fast absorbing.

Thank you so much Better Shea Butter for helping us out during pregnancy, and for supporting childbirth education.

Before you go make sure you're getting our Weekly Newsletter , and you can also find it at Birth toolbox.com newsletter. I hope that  being 18 weeks pregnant was a good week for your in this expecting journey.

If you haven't check out the our YouTube Channel yet, don't miss it. You can find the popular week by week pregnancy series along with great birth affirmation videos and an excellent course guiding you how to breathe in labor.