Sweet Potato

October 19, 2012

How far along are you? 18 weeks

Sleep? it's getting so much better, but still have those toss/turn nights

Best moment? lots of movement

Movement? more than usual!

Any food cravings/aversions? food=ick!

Gender? BOY!!

Belly button? still an innie!

What I miss? My appetite

Looking forward to anything? felling my baby kick from the outside

Symptoms this week: just morning sickness

Weight gain? somewhere around 9 pounds

Wedding rings? On

Maternity clothes? belly band with my jeans or sweats. maternity pants are extremely expensive

What TheBump says: 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 feel 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. Your baby's the size of a sweet potato! She's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and she keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.) Can you believe she's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing? And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it!