18 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect

EP 88:

Welcome back to Oh Baybee! In today’s episode, we’re diving into everything you need to know about week 18 of pregnancy! From your baby’s latest milestones to the symptoms you might be experiencing, I’ll break it all down so you feel confident and prepared.

🎙️ In this episode, we’ll cover:
✅ How your baby is growing at 18 weeks 
✅ Common pregnancy symptoms at this stage and how to manage them
✅ Changes in your body you might notice this week
✅ When to start feeling baby’s first kicks 💕
✅ Essential tips to stay comfortable and healthy

📢 Mentioned in this episode:
➡️ My Bump to Bundle Blueprint (Your complete pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding course!) – [Insert link]
 

✨ If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow mama!

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. We're here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh, Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms, preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. Did you know that at 18 weeks pregnant, your baby is developing a sense of taste? Yep. That means that whatever you eat, your little one is actually tasting tiny hints of it through your amniotic fluid. I know. Crazy, right? But that's just the beginning. This week, their ears are now fully formed and can hear your voice, music, and even your heartbeat. Their lungs, well, they've started practicing for life. Outside of the body by inhaling and exhaling some of the amniotic fluid and your body. Well, let's just say pregnancy at 18 weeks comes with some unexpected surprises. Like, why does it feel like you're running out of breath so quickly? Hmm. Why are you suddenly dealing with leg cramps in the middle of the night? And why do some moms notice their belly buttons starting to pop out already? Oh, and stick around until the end, because I'm going to share one wild but true pregnancy fact that most moms don't know about until it really happens. To them. All right, mama. Grab a snack, get comfy. You know what to do, and let's talk about everything you need to know. about being 18 weeks pregnant. By now, your little one is about five and a half inches long, which is slightly around the size of a sweet potato and weighing in at seven ounces. But here's where it gets really cool. Your baby is tasting what you eat. That's right. Flavors from your meals are actually passing through the amniotic fluid. So if you're munching on. Garlic, spicy food, or even chocolate, your baby is getting a little taste test. In fact, studies show that babies exposed to a variety of flavors in the womb tend to be less picky eaters after birth. So this is a great time to start eating a mix of healthy food. All right, next up. Your baby can now hear you. That's right. We talked about it a little bit last week, but their ears are fully formed, which means that they can hear inside and outside of your belly. They can hear things like your voice, your heartbeat, even loud noises from the world around you. So here's a mama tip. Okay, I've said it before. I'm gonna say it again'cause I really wanna encourage you to increase the amount of time that you're talking to your baby. Start talking to them, reading to them, or even playing music for your baby. It helps them to recognize your voice. And ultimately it has been shown to help soothe them after birth. Okay. Let's move into the third thing going on with your sweet baby right now, and that is that your baby's nervous system is exploding with growth. Tiny nerve endings are connecting all over their body, meaning that they're starting to feel touch for the very first time. How exciting is that? Now let's talk about you because this week brings some unexpected changes that no one really warns you about, which is why I'm here. And so, yeah, let's hop into it. First up, the pregnancy waddle. It actually might start a little early starting this week. Now why is it? It's because your center of gravity is shifting and your belly is definitely growing, which means that you might catch yourself waddling already, and that is totally normal. So here's a mama tip. Try to focus on your posture and be sure to wear supportive shoes to help with your balance. It's all right. Number two, you might be wondering, why am I out of breath so fast? You probably are wondering that because you feel like you just climbed a mountain when all you've really done is walk across the room, but that's because your body is pumping 50% more blood now making your heart and your lungs work overtime. So you might be wondering, well, what helps. First of all, slow down. Give yourself permission to really slow down and take breaks. And if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, you'll probably hear it a thousand more just in this video alone. But of course, I'm gonna say hydrate, hydrate, hydrate like a pro because water helps your blood flow more efficiently. All right, tip number three, let's talk about those leg cramps at night. O. Oh my goodness. If you've woken up in the middle of the night with a Charlie horse in your calf, you are not alone, my friend. These cramps happen because your growing uterus is putting pressure on your nerves and blood vessels. So here's a few things to fix that fast. Number one, I want you to start doing some light stretches before bed. That really helps. Number two, say it with me. This is the second time in the episode, stay hydrated. And number three, I want you to eat foods high in magnesium and potassium. Things like bananas, spinach, and nuts will help you out in that area. All right, mama. As promised, here is that wild pregnancy fact that we talked about in the beginning. At 18 weeks, your baby starts having hiccups in the womb. Yep. Those little rhythmic twitches that you feel in your belly, well, that's your baby. Practicing breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid, and sometimes it makes them hiccup. How cool is that Now that you know what's happening at 18 weeks, you are probably wondering, okay, so what do I need to do to actually prepare for birth and breastfeeding and that my friend, is why I created. Bump to bundle blueprint. It's my step-by-step proprietary system that walks you through how to prepare for birth without feeling overwhelmed. How to get ready for breastfeeding so that you are not struggling after birth, and what to expect in the hospital. And how to advocate for yourself. And the best part is The link is in the description. All right, if you love this episode, please make sure to like it so that other new mommies can find it too. And comment below. What's been the biggest surprise for you at. 18 weeks. Have you had any of the symptoms? I wanna know. Let's chat in the comments. Alright, next week. We are talking about week 19 and trust me, you do not want to miss it. So be sure to subscribe and stay tuned. I will see you next week for week 19. Pregnancy updates.