>At 18 weeks pregnant, your baby is now 5.6 inches long from crown to rump. This is comparable to the length of a medium-sized banana pepper. Your little bundle of joy now weighs almost 7 ounces. Can you believe how big your baby is getting? Only a month ago, he or she only weighed 1.5 ounces.
Until this point in your pregnancy, the placenta was larger than your baby's body. At 18 weeks pregnant, this is no longer the case. Your baby has outgrown the placenta, and he or she will continue to get larger. The placenta still grows, but not as rapidly as it did earlier in your pregnancy.
By 18 weeks pregnant, your baby's heart has developed enough to show signs of defects. Ultrasound can be used to help detect any structural abnormalities that might exist in the heart. Fortunately, most babies will be born without any congenital abnormalities (birth defects). If an early ultrasound does detect something abnormal, you can plan ahead for any interventions or surgeries that may be necessary to support your newborn baby after birth.
Your little one is starting to produce a protective covering along the nerves, called myelin. This substance will be produced from 18 weeks pregnant through the ninth month.
By 18 weeks pregnant, your baby's genitals should be distinguishable, though you may not be able to find out if it's a boy or a girl for a few more weeks.
Your baby's lungs continue to develop at 18 weeks pregnant. Although the lungs remain immature and won't be fully developed until your baby is full-term, the trachea (or windpipe) has branched into two main bronchi (airways). From this week until 28 weeks pregnant, each of the two bronchi will branch even further into smaller bronchioles.
The outer ear is well developed by the time you hit 18 weeks pregnant. Your baby can already pick up sounds from outside the womb. For this reason, don't be shocked if your baby suddenly kicks you at the sound of a loud car horn or vacuum cleaner. Your baby's inner ears continue to develop, but they won't be completely mature until the end of your second trimester.
By pregnancy 18 weeks, you're probably looking forward to feeling your baby's first movements. This experience is called "quickening,” and for first pregnancies, these fetal movements can be felt anywhere between 18 weeks pregnant to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Women who have been pregnant before typically feel their baby's movements in utero sooner – possibly as early as 16 weeks pregnant.
When you first feel your little one move, it may feel like tiny butterflies in your stomach, or something is tapping on your womb. At first, the sensation can be easily mistaken as gas bubbles. However, as your pregnancy week by week continues, it will soon become apparent that it's your baby saying, "Hi, Mama!”
If you place your husband or partner's hand on your belly at 18 weeks pregnant, it may be too early for him to feel anything. As your second trimester progresses and your baby's kicks get stronger, your significant other will soon get to enjoy feeling your little one's jabs along with you.
In the meanwhile, remember to keep talking and interacting with your baby. Your baby's ears have developed enough that he or she can hear you when you speak to him or her. At pregnancy week 18, spend some time with your partner and talk to your baby. This will help the two of you bond better, and it gets baby acquainted with your voices.
Should you find out what your having ahead of time? You might be able to if you are in pregnancy at 18 weeks or higher. Most parents are split on this issue. Some can't wait to find out the gender of their baby, while others prefer to be surprised at birth. The decision you make should be yours entirely.
Keep in mind that while typically very accurate, ultrasound can sometimes be misleading. There is a small chance that your technician might believe your baby is a girl, when in reality your baby is a boy! More than one parent has been surprised in the past by a slightly inaccurate ultrasound. However, by this point in time, most ultrasounds are more than 99 percent accurate.
Just be sure you don't decorate the nursery entirely if your technician isn't 100 percent sure of the gender of your baby. An amniocentesis is the only foolproof way to determine it, other than delivery!
There are some fun old wives tales for determining the gender of your baby. Some people, for example, believe that you can predict the gender of the baby based on the way you are carrying. Others believe that you can predict the gender of the baby based on their heart rate. By and large, most of these methods are fun, but they are not any more accurate than simply guessing.
You should be able to feel your uterus now just below your bellybutton. You should definitely be showing a bit by now. Sleeping might start to get a bit more uncomfortable as your belly continues to expand during the 18th week and beyond.
One of the best things you can do during your pregnancy is lie on your left side, particularly during the third trimester. This will help prevent your uterus from compressing a vein in your body called the inferior vena cava. This vein helps return blood back to your heart. If you haven't invested in a pregnancy pillow at 18 weeks pregnant, you might consider one soon.
Most women will undergo an ultrasound sometime between 18 weeks pregnant and 20 weeks pregnant. An ultrasound is typically ordered to help detect birth defects and to ensure that the baby is growing properly. Your healthcare provider will examine your baby's placenta and umbilical cord and also determine whether or not the due date you have estimated is likely to be correct.
Many women have their husband join them during their ultrasound visit so they can enjoy the experience of seeing their miniature baby together.
You're probably feeling pretty good this week. Your pregnancy symptoms at 18 weeks pregnant are usually mild, and not too bothersome. Your energy levels are higher than they were in the first trimester, and you may have also noticed an increased in libido.
An increase in appetite is also common at 18 weeks pregnant. Since you're no longer nauseous at this point in your pregnancy, it's normal for you to be hungrier than normal. Be sure that you choose foods and snacks that are healthy and rich in the vitamins and nutrients that your little bundle of joy needs. Although it may be tempting to eat potato chips and candy, try to satisfy your sweet tooth with healthy alternatives.
Forgetfulness is also a normal pregnancy symptom to expect at 18 weeks pregnant. You may find that you forget appointments, meetings, and even important tasks. The absentmindedness you're experiencing is sometimes referred to as "pregnancy brain." Although annoying, it's a common experience in the second and third trimesters. To help you cope with being so forgetful, make sure that you write everything down to help you remember better. Setting alerts on your phone may also help.
Dizziness may also occur at 18 weeks pregnant. You may find that you experience dizziness or lightheadedness when you get up from your chair too quickly. You can blame this pregnancy symptom with cardiovascular system changes (you have double the amount of blood you normally do), paired with the fact that your blood pressure is likely to be lower in pregnancy.
Back pain and discomfort might start at 18 weeks pregnant. You should expect to feel back pain as you continue your pregnancy. Your heavy uterus, paired with your shifting center of gravity, can strain your back muscles, leading to back discomfort. You can get relief from back pain by applying hot or cold to the sore muscles and getting a back massage.
Vivid, crazy dreams are also normal at 18 weeks pregnant and throughout the second and third trimesters. There are a few common themes that occur in pregnancy dreams – your spouse is cheating on you in your dream; you fantasize of a sexy encounter with an ex; and dreams of being near cuddly baby animals. Try not to worry about having weird dreams (especially the cheating or the sexy encounter type of fantasies).
Most women will have a weight gain anywhere from 10 to 15 pounds at this point in time, though some will have gained less and some more. By pregnancy week 18, your uterus is the size of a small melon.
How much does it cost to have a baby? A lot! Most parents worry at some point or another about financing their baby. Realistically speaking, a lot of parents actually underestimate the cost of raising little ones. Don't fret, there are many things you can do to raise your newborn baby frugally but still ensure they enjoy the best things in life.
So what are the primary expenses you should be considering? During the first year, most of your expenses will come from diapers, diaper accessories, baby bedding and clothing. Don't forget along with diapers come baby wipes. Did you know that the average newborn baby requires anywhere from 8 to 10 diaper changes per day? If you are looking to save money, you can always decide to go with cloth diapers. Cloth diapers save a lot of money in the long run. Nowadays there are also many convenient diaper services that are available to haul your dirty diapers away and replace them with clean ones, so you don't have to worry about the trouble of washing all those dirty diapers!
Make Your Own Baby Products to Save!
Baby wipes can also get expensive. Most thrifty and experienced moms however realize that they can make their own! You don't have to use a washcloth either, which can get tedious and dirty. There are actually several different recipes available for making baby wipes. The most common include the following:
Single roll of thick paper towels cut in half.
Two cups hot water.
2-4 tablespoons of baby bath.
Resealable container big enough to hold wipes.
All you have to do is mix the water and baby bath in your container and add the paper towels. Seal the container and you have home made wipes at less than half the cost of what they sell for in the store!
If you plan on breastfeeding your newborn baby, you will also save plenty during the first year. If you choose or need to use formula, powdered formula is much less expensive than premixed formulas or concentrate.
You can even find bargains on baby clothes. By adding a few new pieces, you can make your newborn baby look cute and adorable. Aside from that, consider online auctions or other discount resources where you can get baby clothes inexpensively. You'll need about 8-10 pair of onesies at minimum, so you aren't washing clothes constantly during the first few weeks. You should also invest in some warm baby socks and sleepers to keep your baby warm at night.
Most of the expenses for the first year come from buying baby accessories and toys. Keep in mind that your newborn baby won't even pay attention to most toys until they are between 3 and 6 months old. Most newborn babies are more interested in looking at your face than they are interested in looking at toys.
Just remember to take everything in stride. You will be able to figure out how to make it work. Parents have been doing it since the dawn of time. You can start by setting aside a change jar that you throw all of your loose change into every week. Use that money as your play money to go out to eat on occasion or splurge on other 'luxuries'. In the meantime, start putting away ten to twenty dollars per week in a savings account to help manage baby expenses. If you don't access that money, over time interest will accrue and you'll find yourself with a nice little sum of money that you can use to splurge on your new family!
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By pregnancy 18 weeks, you're probably looking forward to feeling your baby's first movements. This experience is called "quickening,” and for first pregnancies, these fetal movements can be felt anywhere between 18 weeks pregnant to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Women who have been pregnant before typically feel their baby's movements in utero sooner – possibly as early as 16 weeks pregnant. 
Should you find out what your having ahead of time? You might be able to if you are in pregnancy at 18 weeks or higher. Most parents are split on this issue. Some can't wait to find out the gender of their baby, while others prefer to be surprised at birth. The decision you make should be yours entirely. 
You should be able to feel your uterus now just below your bellybutton. You should definitely be showing a bit by now. Sleeping might start to get a bit more uncomfortable as your belly continues to expand during the 18th week and beyond.
You're probably feeling pretty good this week. Your pregnancy symptoms at 18 weeks pregnant are usually mild, and not too bothersome. Your energy levels are higher than they were in the first trimester, and you may have also noticed an increased in libido. 
How much does it cost to have a baby? A lot! Most parents worry at some point or another about financing their baby. Realistically speaking, a lot of parents actually underestimate the cost of raising little ones. Don't fret, there are many things you can do to raise your newborn baby frugally but still ensure they enjoy the best things in life. 
You can even find bargains on baby clothes. By adding a few new pieces, you can make your newborn baby look cute and adorable. Aside from that, consider online auctions or other discount resources where you can get baby clothes inexpensively. You'll need about 8-10 pair of onesies at minimum, so you aren't washing clothes constantly during the first few weeks. You should also invest in some warm baby socks and sleepers to keep your baby warm at night. 