Your Pregnancy at Week 18

You may have started to notice that your hands and feet are a little puffy - especially towards the end of the day or in hot weather. This is quite normal but shouldn't be excessive. This is down to the excess fluid your body will be holding onto. If you are worried that you may be swelling up more than is considered normal, contact your midwife.

This week may be also around the time that you start to experience some <ahref="https://www.yourbabyclub.co.uk/pelvic-girdle-pain-826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discomfort in your pelvic area, while your muscles and ligaments start to relax due to a hormone called 'relaxin'. In addition, as your bump grows, you may be altering your posture slightly and will be unable to comfortably lay on your back. Consider signing up to a prenatal pilates or yoga class, which can really help strengthen your muscles and keep your joints functioning with ease.

If pain persists, it may be worth seeing a physiotherapist or osteopath to get some help with your alignment and muscle strain to ease your pain.

Your mind is busily preparing for your new arrival, your body is busy growing a human being, and in the middle of all that are aches, pains, spots, and... gas.

The ups and downs of pregnancy are exhausting, but once you're holding that bundle of joy and staring into those perfect, trusting eyes, it will all be entirely worth it. Below is a list of symptoms you might experience this week.

Baby kicks: At week 18, you may start feeling your baby's movements more regularly. These gentle flutters or kicks are reassuring signs of your baby's growth and activity, and are the start of more to come! Head here for more on when you’ll feel your baby kicking.

Sleep complications: As your baby continues to grow, finding a comfortable sleeping position might become challenging. You may experience disrupted sleep due to discomfort from growing belly, frequent trips to the bathroom, or even vivid pregnancy dreams.

Swollen ankles and feet: Increased pressure on blood vessels from your growing uterus can lead to fluid retention, particularly in the lower body. Swelling in the ankles and feet is common during pregnancy and often worsens as the day progresses. Here’s how to reduce ankle swelling.

Backaches, headaches, and hip pain (oh my!): The strain on your body's ligaments and muscles, coupled with the shift in your centre of gravity, can contribute to discomfort in various areas.  

Clumsiness: Hormonal changes, loosening of ligaments, and shifts in your centre of gravity can affect your coordination and balance, leading to moments of clumsiness. Take it slow and be mindful to not go beyond what your body can take.

Crazy dreams: Hormonal fluctuations throughout pregnancy can result in a fair share of vivid and sometimes bizarre dreams. These dreams are a normal part of pregnancy and typically subside after giving birth. Here’s a guide to pregnancy dreams.

Acne: Fluctuating hormone levels during pregnancy can trigger acne breakouts, particularly in the first and second trimesters. Increased oil production and changes in skin pH can contribute to the development of pimples and blemishes.

Itchy stomach: Your expanding belly and breasts may become itchy as your skin stretches to accommodate your growing baby.

Remember, every pregnancy is different, and not everyone will experience the same symptoms. If you have any concerns about your symptoms, don't hesitate to reach out to your midwife or GP.

Have you signed up for a childbirth class yet? If you are thinking about it, it's not too soon to start looking at what's offered near you. Limited class sizes tend to fill up more quickly than you'd expect. Some classes will last a couple of days, while others span over a couple of weeks or months. 

Finding a Birth Class

Do your research before deciding which birthing style is best for you. There are many techniques, such as hypnobirthing, water birthing, and the lamaze technique.

The Lamaze Technique teaches that childbirth is a normal, natural, and healthy process. It empowers women through education and support. This method should help you approach childbirth with confidence and explores ways to find strength, or comfort, during delivery, using various techniques for relaxation and eliminating counterproductive responses (like tensing up).

Write in your pregnancy journal - what do you think you are having? A boy? A girl? Write down your prediction!

By week 18, you’re probably anxiously awaiting your upcoming scan. An ultrasound is usually scheduled sometime around week 20. The midwife will use this time to check your baby's growth, fluid levels, heart rate, and movement, look for any abnormalities, AND determine the gender of your little one! You should be able to bring your partner with you. You should also be able to get photos and/or a video of the ultrasound. 

Should you find out the gender?

There are reasons for and against finding out the gender at this point in time. Knowing ahead of time can allow for nursery personalisation, gender-specific name selections, toys, and clothing, and gives you the ability to genuinely picture what life after childbirth might look like. 

Alternatively, keeping your little one's gender a surprise builds suspense and gives parents something truly exciting to look forward to. You and your partner should come together when determining which path is right for both of you. And it's possible your baby will make the decision for you, because if he or she isn't ready to reveal their private parts, the most practiced sonographer won't be able to uncross those little legs!

If your baby is uncooperative, or if you just want to see more, you might choose to get a private, 3D ultrasound. This more expensive photoshoot can be tempting, especially if your doctor-ordered ultrasound revealed less than you'd hoped for.