Your dream child at 18th week
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What the heck is baby doing in there at 18 weeks? A lot! He’s working his muscles and practicing all kinds of moves. (Can you feel them yet?) Over the next few weeks, you should make sure to start sleeping on your side. That’s because baby (and your uterus) are getting big enough to press against large veins in the back of your abdomen, which can reduce the amount of blood going to your heart, making you feel lightheaded, or worse, lowering your blood pressure. Of course, your veins aren’t the only things that are prone to pressure -- you might be too! Not only are you super busy, but you might be having some not-so-fun symptoms, like swollen feet or hands, backaches, leg cramps and nosebleeds. And the stress and discomfort might be keeping you up at night around week 18. Be sure, in your hectic schedule, that you plan some time to unwind. (Great excuse for some pregnancy pampering! Can you say prenatal massage?!) It’s important to give your body and your mind a break for a little while. That just might help you get the sleep you need, too.

Development

No new structure will be formed now. Your baby has everything he needs, but he is not mature enough to survive if he was born at this age.

  • The last organ to develop is the lungs, and will take many weeks. That’s why premature babies often need help with their breathing.
  • At this stage, tiny air sacs alveoli are beginning to form the lungs.
  • His muscles are strengthening.
  • His kidneys are also working.
  • The placenta is also growing quickly, providing a huge surface area that will provide him with nutrients and remove his waste products.

Appearance

He's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and he keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.) Your baby’s head and body are more in proportion now, and the facial features are very clear. His skin looks red and her body is still very thin because the majority of fat will not be laid down until the final weeks.

What is umbilical cord?


week18

The umbilical cord connects a baby in the womb to its mother. It runs from an opening in your baby’s stomach to the placenta in the womb.


What does the umbilical cord do?

In the placenta, oxygen and nutrients from your bloodstream pass into your baby's bloodstream and are carried to your baby along the umbilical cord. Blood circulates through vessels in the cord, which consists of:

  • one vein that carries blood rich in oxygen and nutrients from you to your baby
  • two arteries that return deoxygenated blood and waste products, such as carbon dioxide, from your baby back to the placenta

These blood vessels are enclosed and protected by a sticky substance called Wharton’s jelly, which itself is covered by a layer of membrane called the amnion. Towards the end of your pregnancy, the placenta passes antibodies through the umbilical cord from you to your baby, giving it immunity from infections for about three months after birth. However, it only passes on antibodies that you already have.

  • At full term, the cord is about 50 cm long and 1-1.5 cm thick.
  • Your baby does not feel anything when the cord is cut after the birth.
  • After the birth, when your baby breathes, the cord has no further function though it provides him with extra blood and oxygen until it is clamped.

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