BABY DEVELOPMENT
You've reached another milestone in your baby's development. For the first time in your baby's life, he/she is larger than the placenta. At 18 weeks pregnant, your little one is 5.6 inches long from crown to rump, and he/she weighs 6.7 ounces. This is a huge jump from four weeks ago, when your baby only weighed 1.5 ounces!
Your baby's genitals are now distinguishable on an ultrasound, but it may be a few more weeks until you will find out if you're having a boy or a girl. (It's typically around 20 weeks pregnant when most parents find out.) Ossification (the process of transforming your baby's skeleton from cartilage to bone) continues this week, and your baby's tooth buds continue to harden underneath the gums and his/her jaw continues to grow. Your baby's lungs continue to develop this week, but they won't be fully mature for life outside the womb until after 35 or 36 weeks pregnant. At 18 weeks, the windpipe has branched into two main bronchi (airways that lead from the windpipe to the lungs). The umbilical cord is getting stronger and thicker than ever. As you continue throughout your pregnancy, the umbilical cord grows to transport all the blood and nutrients that your baby requires. Your baby's outer ears are already well developed during pregnancy week 18, but the inner ear continues to mature. It will take another five weeks before the inner ear is completely developed.
Fun Fact:
Your baby's skin is still soft and smooth at 18 weeks pregnant, but in the next couple of weeks, he/she will develop his or her individual fingerprint and toe print patterns. This is quite exciting - no two individuals on earth, not even identical twins, have exactly the same fingerprints!
MOM'S CHANGES
Though every woman is unique and every pregnancy is different, you are definitely "showing" by 18 weeks pregnant. You have gained anywhere between 10 to 15 pounds by now. Your uterus, which is now the size of a small lemon, is just below your belly button.
As you're gaining weight, you may find that sleeping becomes increasingly difficult for you. Insomnia is a common pregnancy complaint, but you may find relief by sleeping on your left side. (This will keep your uterus from compressing a vein called the interior vena cava, which helps blood return back to your heart.) You may considering buying a pregnancy pillow to help support your growing belly and give you more peaceful sleep.
If you are a first-time mom, you may start to feel your baby's movements (called "quickening") this week. It may feel like you have little butterflies in your stomach or someone is tapping on your uterus. It's common for first time mothers to feel quickening between 18 weeks and 22 weeks of pregnancy. Mothers who have given birth before feel these movements sooner.
Though your estimated due date is 12 weeks away, you may want to sign up for a prenatal or childbirth class at pregnancy week 18. These classes fill up fast, and you'll want to take advantage of the information they offer. Plus, they are a great source of education and they offer an outlet for you to meet other expectant parents.
Helpful Tip:
Almost all hospitals offer childbirth classes. They are often offered for a small fee. If you're interested, call the hospital where you plan to deliver and see what they offer. You can also check their websites for their class listings.PREGNANCY 411
Overview of Childbirth Classes
If you are worried about giving birth, you should seriously consider signing up for a childbirth class. Many hospitals offer them, and they're a wonderful way to prepare for labor and delivery. In general, you should sign up for a childbirth class in the seventh month of pregnancy. They typically take place over seven or eight weeks, and consist of lectures, discussions, and exercises.
Though the approach of every childbirth method is different, the goal is to help you have a better birthing experience. Classes will provide you with information to help ease your fears and to help you make the right decision when it comes to your labor and delivery.
Classes often cover the signs of labor, the stages of labor and delivery, tips and techniques to help you cope with pain during labor, advice on how your partner can help you during the laboring process, when to call your doctor, and common childbirth complications and how they might be handled. You will also get to watch videos of vaginal and cesarean births, and you may learn the basics of breastfeeding and how to care for your newborn.
The three most popular childbirth classes in the United States include:
The Lamaze philosophy, which views birth as natural, normal, and healthy, and believes that women should have the right to give birth free of routine medical interventions. Though the focus is on achieve a more natural childbirth, Lamaze also educates women on pain relief medications available to them, and gives examples of when medical intervention may be necessary. The Bradley Method, which is a stricter program of natural childbirth. This program embraces that childbirth is natural and with the right preparation, women can avoid pain medication and routine medical interventions during labor and delivery. The curriculum typically lasts longer than the Lamaze philosophy, and it emphasizes the importance of nutrition and diet during pregnancy, as well as teaching deep breathing techniques and involving the husband or partner as an active participant in the birthing process. HynoBirthing is also a natural birthing program, and it teaches women to use self-hypnotization, deep relaxation, and visualization during childbirth so that they can experience a calm, serene, and comfortable birth.
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