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PREGNANCY

Pregnancy Week 18

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The eighteenth week of pregnancy

Your changing body
By around week 18, your baby bump starts showing and an increase in your body size gives you the perfect opportunity to pamper yourself with some loose-fit, yet stylish maternity clothes. Certain complaints may become apparent during this time but you needn’t worry.

For example, some pregnant women may experience low blood pressure which may make them dizzy. You may be asked to check your blood sugar to eliminate the possibility of Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) in your next visit to the obstetrician.

As the growing Uterus expands even further, sleeping may become more uncomfortable around this time and beyond. Start sleeping on your left side, avoid sleeping on your back because lying flat on your back may cause your Uterus to compress a major that returns blood back to the heart.

Placing a pillow behind your hip or upper leg can also lend some comfort. Your growing baby At week 18, your baby is enjoying periods of deep sleep. The nerves get covered by myelin, a protective covering.

If your little one is a girl, her fallopian tubes and Uterus descend to their right position. If you are having a little boy, his prostate glands start developing. Your little one’s hearing improves more and more and soon he/ she will get an ear to noises outside your womb including your chirpy talks.

Tiny air sacs (alveoli) get formed in the tiny lungs, which will help your baby to breathe when he/she is out of your womb. By the end of this week, your little one will be as long as a brinjal (14 cm) and weigh around 190 g.

The tiny finger tips and toes start developing pads under them. Meconium, comprising of the necrotic tissue in bowel is accumulating within the bowel. The baby’s first bowel movement will expel it after birth. Your baby will also start experiencing hiccups.

Tips for the eighteenth week of pregnancy
Eating healthy is essential during pregnancy to ensure good health of the mother and the baby. Click here to read more on eating for two. Your doctor might ask you to keep a count of your baby’s movements.

Consult your obstetrician immediately if you feel a difference in the frequency of movements. If you are a working mum-to-be, try not exerting yourself too much. Have an afternoon nap, if possible, by simply closing your eyes with your head rested, in the rest room or your chamber.

Munch on dry fruits during snack time to up your protein intake as well as to keep up your energy levels running high for the rest of the day. Get yourself acquainted better by exploring more on the different stages of pregnancy and labor.

Activities for the eighteenth week of pregnancy
If you are a working woman and would need to join your work two to three months after the birth of your baby, you might need to leave your baby in a crèche or childcare. Identify locations nearby your place of work or your home where you can do so.

Supplements to be taken during the eighteenth week of pregnancy
Folic acid, iron calcium supplements.

Common problems in the eighteenth week of pregnancy
You might experience dizzy spells if you get up very quickly from a sitting to a standing position. This is known as orthostatic hypotension and occurs because the blood pools into your lower body while sitting and does not reach the brain fast enough. Therefore, stand and rise gradually from a sitting or lying position.

Common tests in the eighteenth week of pregnancy
An Ultrasound scan (anomaly scan) is usually done between eighteen and twenty two weeks of pregnancy. It helps in the assessment of your baby’s growth and tracks abnormalities in the morphology of your baby such as spina bifida.

Besides the Ultrasound scan (as scheduled by your obstetrician), optional tests which include quadruple marker screening test or alpha-fetoprotein test or amniocentesis may be performed.


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With 27 Vital Nutrients including Choline and DHA For Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
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