Week 18
With a growing bump, and the onset of swollen feet and hands, we think it’s time to treat yourself to a few extra pregnancy friendly clothes and shoes that’ll be kind and accommodating to the ever-expanding waistline. If you’re a tummy sleeper, or enjoy sleeping on your back, it may be a good time to start getting used to sleeping on your side. When you lie on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood flow to your heart.
Your Baby
Your growing sprog is the size of a pear, about 14.2mm long and weighs in at 190 grams. Your baby is taking full advantage of their playground while they still have room to move, doing somersaults, punching and kicking around like crazy. By now you’ll most likely start to feel their little movements.
Your Body
You may find that your lower back is taking a bit of strain. Your growing uterus (now the size of a melon) shifts your centre of gravity, which makes your lower back pull forward while your abdomen is thrust out. Coupled with the pregnancy hormone called relaxin, which is designed to loosen your joints and relax ligaments, you left with backache and pains. For some moms, stretch marks may be showing across the belly and around the breast area. We know this may depress you, but consider it a parenting tattoo that you should wear with pride.
Sensible Tips
- Chat to our health care professional about keeping track of baby’s movement by using a kick chart count.
- Start reading up about the different labour and what to expect so that you can be as informed as possible before the big day.
- Make sure you have booked your 5 month fetal assessment would should be coming up soon.