Around the 18th week of pregnancy, the baby will have gone through a growth spurt that would cause its weight to nearly double. The baby would measure about five and a half inches now from its crown to its rump and will have started to flex its arms and its legs a great deal. What would initially have felt like butterfly movements in the mother’s tummy will now become more apparent and obvious. The baby’s ears will now have moved into its final position more or less and its blood vessels would be visible through the baby’s thin skin. By now a protective covering known as myelin would begin to form around the baby’s nerves.
This process will continue for almost a year after the baby’s birth. If the baby is a boy, then the genitals will begin to be visible and if it’s a girl the fallopian tubes and the uterus will have already been formed. As the uterus keeps expanding with the growing fetus the mother may find it more difficult to balance. Hence it is essential for her to take adequate steps not to fall and cause any trauma to herself or the baby.
The pregnant mother should ensure that she is eating very well and getting an adequate intake of nutrients and vitamins. She should avoid eating food that contains empty calories like chips, French fries or candy. She should tray and wear larger sized clothes that are loose and comfortable and allow her stomach some room. Now the cardiovascular system of the mother will also be undergoing some changes, hence she should take care while moving or getting up of from sitting or lying down positions. Her blood pressure is also likely to be a lot lower now. When sleeping or lying down the mother should now preferably sleep on one side. She should avoid sleeping on her back as this can cause the uterus to compress the major vein and cause the blood flow to the heart to decrease. She should make use of pillows to support her legs and back when sleeping. The second ultrasound scan will usually happen around this time. The scan is useful in determining if the baby is suffering from any birth defects and also to ascertain the position of the baby. The doctors will also check the baby’s placenta and the umbilical cord. They will also try to pinpoint the actual due date.
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