Welcome to the 18th week! Have you felt your baby yet? Now is the time when some moms may start to feel flutters and kicks from their little one- but if you haven’t yet, don’t be concerned. Some moms may not feel their little ones movements for a few more weeks. If this is your first pregnancy, if you are very fit, or very overweight, you may not be able to feel movements until 24 weeks or so. So try not to stress over it. Once your little one starts kicking- they will keep you till all hours of the night. So be patient.
What you may be experiencing
Movements aside, almost everyone at this stage complains about sleep trouble. Finding the right position has become increasingly more difficult as your belly gets bigger. Strategically placed pillows can go a long way in making you get a better nights sleep. If you still have trouble, try waking a bit earlier or forgoing daytime naps. After a few days, you will begin to note an improvement in your sleep quality. Believe it or not- you may actually not need as much sleep as you think. So if you are heading to bed earlier, only to toss and turn, stay up and watch the late show. You will fall asleep earlier and sleep deeper.
Emotionally, this can be a difficult time for some moms. Especially if you aren’t showing or feeling your baby move yet. You may desperately want the world to know of your pregnancy, and it can be difficult if you have yet to show a tell-tale bulge. Try to relax and know that soon enough, the entire world will know your secret. If you are on the other end of the spectrum, the realization of your pregnancy may hit you around this time. Suddenly, you have people rubbing your belly and you start feeling the stirrings of your baby to be.
Your Baby
Your baby is now about 14 cm from tip to tail, and is starting to gain some weight. Chances are your little ones weighs about 7 ounces, and should be experiencing another growth spurt in the weeks ahead. At last, your baby is starting to become proportionate as the limbs start to grow longer. Inside those growing arms and legs, the bones are beginning to get hard- which is one of the reasons that you are starting to feel stirrings and kicks. So drink your calcium, your baby needs it right now!
Concerns or Points of Interest
Are you carrying multiples? Today 1 in every 50 pregnancies is a multiple one, so if you are expecting two or more babies you are not alone. Your chance of multiples increases with age and/or the use of fertility medications such as Pergonal or Clomiphene. It is very important when carrying more than one fetus, that you get prenatal care very early on. You will likely have to be monitored closer than other moms, and may even need to see a nutritionist to make the most out of each and every bite of food that you take.