18 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby measures about 5.2 to 6 inches (13-15cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces (200g).

The buds for the permanent teeth are forming behind those that have already developed for the first teeth.

Your baby's nervous system and brain development continue at a spectacular pace. By this week, your baby's motor neurons, which connect muscle to the brain, have grown into place so that your baby can consciously direct her movements. Millions of neurons inside your baby's brain are growing and forming connections and the nerves in her body are being covered in a fatty substance called myelin.

Your baby's ears are now placed on the sides of her head and her limbs are now in proportion. Your baby's tiny foot is just one inch long, but is in perfect proportion to the rest of her leg.

Your baby can hear your voice and recognize it.

Your Body This Coming Week

You have probably gained between 8 and 14 pounds by now, though your own experience may be different.

You may continue to feel fatigued and dizzy at times and you may continue to have a backache and round ligament pain.

People are probably beginning to comment on your pregnancy as it becomes more obvious.

You may have felt movement, or "quickening" as it is sometimes called at this point. You have probably heard your baby's heartbeat by now with an ultrasound device and you may have even seen your baby's heart beating on an ultrasound. Feeling, hearing and seeing your baby in your body can be an important bonding time for you and your baby as you begin to feel the reality that you are carrying a new tiny person inside of you. You may already be feeling strong maternal attachment to your baby. You may enjoy talking to your baby (who can hear and recognize your voice and may even be stimulated by it) and encouraging your partner to do the same (if he is comfortable with doing so) as a way of connecting with him.

18 Weeks Journal

How far along? 18 weeks.
Total weight gain/loss: up another pound.
TP test: Oddly, I seemed to have lost half a square- back to 10.
Maternity Clothes: Yup. Tried wearing a regular cami underneath a thin t-shirt this week. Didn't go so well. there was a definite line between the bottom of the cami and the top of the pants. Oops.
Food cravings/ aversions: Nope.
"Morning" Sickness: Nope.
Signs of Pregnancy: My belleh.
Stretch Marks: Nope.
Sleep: We got a new mattress and I seem to be sleeping pretty well.
Big things this week: Baby got to go to two Red Sox games during the past week! Last Thursday I was volunteering for the Red Sox Foundation, selling raffle tickets during the game, and then as a thanks for doing that, Chris and I were able to get tickets for this past Tuesday.
Movement: Not sure. I felt something on Tuesday morning, but I'm not sure if it was the baby moving or something else.
Labor Pains: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.

17 Weeks

Your baby weighs 5 ounces this week -- about as much as a turnip. (Length: 5 inches, head to bottom.)

17 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 5.25 ounces (150g) and now measures 5 to 5.6 inches (12.5 to 14cm) from crown to rump. He is practicing breathing by gulping amniotic fluid into its lungs. This helps the lung's development so they will function at birth. Your baby may also be sucking his thumb.

Meconium is present in your baby's bowels. There is hair present on your baby's scalp and sweat glands are developing.

Your baby is becoming more sensitive to the outside world and is moving around, kicking and punching. As there is still plenty of space in your uterus, your baby can move around a lot, sitting cross-legged, reclining or even turning somersaults!

He can probably hear by now as the ossicles (the bones that pass sound to the inner ear) have hardened and the portion of the brain that receives signals from the brain is under development. Your baby is getting used to the sound of your heartbeat and blood passing through the umbilical cord, but may be startled by loud noises. Your baby is aware of some things in the outside world, including sounds and light. If you let the sun shine on your belly, your baby may be able to perceive a warm red glow.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your uterus is a little bigger than a cantaloupe. Average weight gain by this point is between 5 and 13 pounds (4.5-5.8kg) but your own experience may be different.

Vaginal secretions may increase.

You may begin to experience back pain if you haven't already as your center of gravity begins to shift. You may feel dizzy at times, especially if you get up very quickly.

Your increasing belly size and the pressure of your baby bearing down on your rectum may also cause hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids usually disappear after delivery, but you can ask your doctor or pharmacist for an ointment to bring you relief.

With increasing symptoms, your pregnancy probably has begun to feel very real. This can be a very exciting week, since you might be able to start feeling fetal movement at this time. It's not time to worry if you don't yet feel this though. You may not feel movement for another week or two or maybe more, especially if you are overweight. While some women feel movement by the 14th week, most first-time moms begin to feel movement between the 17th and 20th weeks. Early fetal movement feels more like fluttering than kicks, so you may not be able to identify them or distinguish them from other rumblings in your belly until about the 26th week.

17 Week Journal

How far along? 17 weeks.
Total weight gain/loss: I think this may have been my first week of no change. Which is odd, since I feel like I've gotten larger.
TP test: About 10 1/2 squares.
Maternity Clothes: Yup. I fit into fewer and fewer old clothes.
Food cravings/ aversions: Nothing special this week.
"Morning" Sickness: Nope.
Signs of Pregnancy: Um, the largeness of my belly.
Stretch Marks: Nope.
Sleep: Last night we went and ordered a new mattress and bedroom furniture. The furniture will take 2-5 weeks to get here, but the mattress is being delivered on Saturday. I can't wait!!! There were a couple of nights where I woke up in so much pain that I almost got up and went into our guest bedroom which has a more comfortable bed.
Big things this week: Last Thursday I had another doctor appointment. In and out really quickly, but we did get to hear the heart beat again.
Gender prediction: Does this even matter?
Movement: Not yet, but apparently I should be able to start feeling Baby any day now.
Labor Pains: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Weekly Wisdom: Hmmm... nothing all that exciting to impart this week.

16 Weeks

Your baby measures up to an avocado, now, and weighs 3 1/2 ounces. (Length: 4 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

16 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs more than the surrounding placenta. She measures about 4.4 to 4.8 inches (about 11 to 12cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 3.5 ounces (100g). She is positioned halfway between your pubic bone and your navel.

Fat, which is important for your baby's metabolism and heat production is beginning to form around this time.

The placenta, which will weigh more than a pound at full term, is also developing rapidly. It is now a large and well-established network of blood vessels responsible for exchanging nutrients and waste to support your baby.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your pregnancy is showing more and your lower abdomen probably looks larger. Your uterus can now be felt between one and a half to two inches below your navel. You may also be gaining weight on other parts of your body, such as your thighs, hips and buttocks. It's normal to have gained between 5 and 10 pounds by now, but your own rate of weight gain may be different. Ask your doctor if you think you may be gaining too little or too much weight.

Your body's increased blood supply may give you nosebleeds or may just make your nose feel congested. It can also cause bleeding gums.

You may be sweating more than usual because of your increased metabolic rate. You may experience round ligament pain because your growing uterus stretches and pulls these ligaments. It can be uncomfortable but is not normally a cause for concern.

You may feel the baby moving this early.