Can you feel baby movement at 18 weeks

18 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms and Baby Development

18 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby’s Development

This week, your little one is developing a unique characteristic: fingerprints. Pads of fat accumulating on the fingertips and toes will turn into distinguishing swirling lines.

The developing digestive system has been going through its paces for several weeks already. Your baby swallows amniotic fluid, which makes its way through the stomach and intestines. That fluid will combine with dead cells and secretions in the intestines to form meconium — a black, tarry substance you'll see at the very first diaper change.

Around 18 weeks, your baby’s ears will begin to stand out from of the sides of the head and may even begin to register sounds.

Your baby will need bile to digest nutrients, and at 18 weeks, the gall bladder may begin to work.

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The Size of the Fetus at 18 Weeks Pregnant

When you’re 18 weeks pregnant, the fetus is around the size of a sweet potato, measuring about 5 and a half inches long from crown to rump, and weighing around 7 ounces. The illustration below shows how things may be looking inside your belly this week:

Mom’s Body at 18 Weeks Pregnant

If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel the baby begin to move inside your belly sometime soon. This fluttering feeling is known as quickening.

As your baby gets bigger, you may notice stronger movements and maybe even kicks in the weeks to come. Because each mom is different, you may feel this movement earlier (this is common if this is not your first baby) or in some cases even later. So, even if you don’t feel any movement at 18 weeks pregnant, there is no need to worry.

At this stage of your pregnancy, your body is going through a lot of circulation changes, such as increased blood volume and rapidly expanding blood vessels, which can cause your blood pressure to drop. This can leave you feeling lightheaded if you’re not getting enough blood flow to your head and upper body.

You may also notice around 18 weeks that your feet are getting bigger. A part of this is due to swelling caused by water retention, known as edema, which can occur from the second trimester onward.

Hormones also play a part in growing feet. The pregnancy hormone relaxin, which relaxes your pelvic joints so your baby can fit through the birth canal, loosens the ligaments in your feet, causing the foot bones to spread. You can relieve the swelling with a footbath of cool water and by keeping your feet raised; don’t worry (and have fun!) if you need to head out shoe shopping for a bigger size.

If you’re wondering how many months pregnant you are at 18 weeks, the answer is you have probably now just turned 5 months pregnant.

18 Weeks Pregnant: Your Symptoms

At 18 weeks pregnant, here are some of the symptoms you may be experiencing:

Dizzy spells. Your heart is working 40 to 50 percent harder than it did before you were pregnant. This effort, combined with the pressure of your growing uterus on blood vessels, can occasionally leave you feeling faint, particularly when you get up quickly. Be sure to rest frequently. Lie down on your side when you feel faint or dizzy. Low blood sugar can also lead to wooziness. Resting, lying down on your side, or eating a piece of fruit will help boost blood sugar levels and settle dizzy spells.
Mini moves. Most women first feel their little one's movements between 16 and 20 weeks. Your baby is still small, so at around 18 weeks pregnant, it'll be more of a gentle flutter than a forceful kick in your belly.
Leg cramps. You may find that leg cramps strike at 18 weeks pregnant, usually at night. Try to stretch your calf muscles before bed and stay hydrated. A warm bath, hot shower, or a massage may help, too.
Nasal problems. Thank s to a surge in hormones and increased blood volume during pregnancy, which causes mucous membranes to swell up, you might experience nosebleeds and congestion.
Aches and pains in the back. Your growing belly and hormonal changes can lead to aches and pains in your lower back area.

18 Weeks Pregnant: Things to Consider

Follow a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Getting the nutrients you and your baby need is important, and omega-3 fatty acids are a crucial part of a healthy diet. Omega-3s help your little one’s nervous system develop, and some research shows that they may also help boost your immune system and reduce the symptoms of depression. Look for foods that are rich in this nutrient, like salmon or other fatty fish, or get your omega-3s from vegetarian sources like flaxseed, broccoli, or walnuts. You can learn more about nutrition during pregnancy in our downloadable pregnancy guide.
Increase your calorie intake healthily. You'll need some extra calories to support your growing baby, but you don’t actually need to eat for two. Once you reach the second trimester, this could be an extra 300 calories — half a sandwich and a glass of skim milk, say — on top of an average 2,000 calories a day. You can check your pregnancy weight gain with our downloadable and printable tracker.
You may notice that everyone, from your mother-in-law to complete strangers, feels compelled to offer advice about your pregnancy. Although unsolicited opinions can be annoying, try to take them in stride. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. A simple "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind" should do the trick. Try to remember that people mean well, and they're excited for you. You may even find some of the parenting tips you get are actually helpful.
In rare cases, the mid-pregnancy ultrasound reveals a problem associated with the placenta. Your healthcare provider will tell you if he suspects either placenta accreta or placenta previa and will be able to advise you on what care you will be given to lower any risks associated with either condition.

18 Weeks Pregnant: Ask Your Doctor

Is your baby’s level of movement and position on track for 18 weeks pregnant? You can read more about quickening and fetal movement.
What are the risks and benefits of any genetic tests that may be offered this trimester?
Do you recommend the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (or MSAFP for short) screening test?
When will your mid-pregnancy ultrasound exam be?

18 Weeks Pregnant: Your Checklist

Make a list of foods rich in omega-3s and add them to your weekly shopping list.
Start collecting books to read to your baby. Discover the best baby books according to Pampers Parents.
Think about baby names for your little one, and check out our Baby Name Generator for inspiration.
Sign up for even more pregnancy tips here:

What Do Baby Kicks Feel Like

Did you know that the ~legit~ name for “baby kicks” is called quickening? Yup, it’s called quickening when an expectant mother can start to feel movement from their baby inside them. According to the Mayo Clinic, quickening tends to happen around 20 weeks of pregnancy (or 18 weeks after conception), during your second trimester.

Your baby kicking inside you can also be confused for gas (sorry to ruin the moment), among many other sensations you’ll read about below: everything from butterflies in your gut when you see someone you love, to tickles, to twitches.

No matter what the name, it can be one of the most exciting times in your pregnancy when you first feel your baby kick. Whether you’re an expectant mother who can’t wait to feel their baby kick, a mother reliving the feeling of quickening, or just someone curious as to what it feels like, here’s how 15 mothers describe the feeling of their baby first kicking.

1. “It felt like being tickled from the inside. I was eating cake when I first felt my first baby kick, and it felt like every few bites of cake I ate, I felt more and more tickles. ”—Gina, 38

2. “I would describe the feeling of my baby kicking for the first time as a soft flutter or ripple against my belly. I was sitting alone in a conference room after wrapping up an early meeting when I felt the unmistakable flutter in my stomach. It felt like tiny gas bubbles, but without pain. “—Allie, 30

3. “The first time feeling our son kick felt like butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I think of it like the feeling you get when you look at your partner and get that shy feeling inside. It was weird because it was so unexpected, and up until that time, it didn't really hit me that I was pregnant. As a masculine identifying lesbian, I never thought I'd be pregnant. After feeling him kick, my first thought was holy s$*@, this is really happening.”—Corritta, 28

4."Honestly, the first time I felt my baby kick, it was a very strange and uncomfortable feeling. I remember I was scared because she was very calm and suddenly she moved fast and hard. It was very painful and I noticed her little knee sticking out of my belly. I was at work, and I screamed hard, and then I got very emotional."—Nedime, 29

5. "At first it felt like bubbles or popcorn popping. Now that he's bigger it's harder to describe. Like it definitely feels like he's kicking or punching but it doesn't hurt. Sometimes when he stretches or rolls around it feels kind of like a wave."—Daylee, 24

6. "Both my husband and I were lucky to be able to feel our baby kick early at 16 weeks! I was thankful to be so in tuned with my body because I can definitely understand how many women confuse the movements with gas bubbles. They are the most lovely, welcomed gas bubbles ever!" —Katy, 31

7. "It's the most spectacular feeling I've ever experienced. The best way to describe the sensation is like having a private party with just you and your child and no one else is invited. You will sometimes see me stop and smile out of nowhere, or rub my belly with a comical grin on my face as if to say 'alright buddy, I know you're in there.'"— Demia, 31

8. "It would mostly happen at night when I was trying to relax. It feels incredible, like fluttering, and as the months progressed it would get more aggressive. Sometimes I’d let out a yelp because [the baby would] jab my bladder or ribs. From the outside my husband said it looked like an alien was inside my belly."—Rana, 34

9. "The first time I felt my baby, it felt like flutters, so faint it might have been indigestion and I just remember thinking 'Was that [the baby]? Am I imagining things?' As the weeks passed, I could feel her sort of bumbling around, sort of pushing on the walls of her little cocoon, then, one day, a kick! We would play this game where she would kick and I would push back a bit. Closer to the end, I could see her kicking, which is the weirdest thing ever. It is both comforting and terrifying to carry a tiny human inside of you — you are never alone, but it also feels like a little parasite and you are so terrified about eating the wrong thing or falling or the million other things that can go wrong."—Hilary, 32

10. "With my first child I felt the first kick at 17 weeks. I was lying in bed on my back and I felt a little flutter within me. It wasn’t a rumble from hunger or gas, it was fleeting and gentle. I had seen the sonogram and obviously knew a baby was inside me, but feeling that movement for the first time made it more real. I marveled at the life inside of me, immediately touched my stomach, and felt more protective of the little baby I was in charge of growing. The kicks become addictive — you are always waiting for another one."—Kelly, 32

11. "I recall the first time feeling my baby kick as a fluttering sensation. In the beginning, it is so light that you will wonder if it is actually happening. To me, it felt like a twitch in my stomach, as though my muscles were contracting slightly. Feeling your baby kick for the first time (and each subsequent time) is a truly incredible feeling. It is reaffirming that there is a little being growing and being nurtured inside of you. Even after all of my pregnancies, I still feel the little twitch from time to time and it brings me right back to those memories. There really is nothing else like it."—Jamie, 32

12. "I've described it like you've eaten a meatball sandwich that gave you gas and now it's kicking you! It might start out as butterfly kicks, tiny and rapid, but as the baby gets bigger (around month six of pregnancy), you will get these feelings of long stretches, like arms or legs, where baby is feeling its way around your womb. And often times you can actually see baby moving in your belly at this stage. "—Kenna, 30

13. "When I felt my baby kick for the first time, it felt like there were butterflies flying around inside my stomach. At first, I thought it was just my stomach growling or nervous twitches, but a few times later, I knew it was him kicking. The feeling is unlike anything else and I feel that after you feel them kick, the connection between you and the baby is so much stronger. That's when pregnancy really starts to feel real."—Cassidy, 23

14. "The first time my son kicked me while I was pregnant, I wasn't even sure if that's what it was. I remember so clearly, my husband and I were looking at apartments and we stopped at a gas station to fill up and (who are we kidding) get me some snacks. Everyone always told me that feeling that first kick feels like popcorn popping in your stomach — which is completely true, but it's a a sensation you'll never understand until you go through it. The best way I could describe it would be it almost felt like a very, teeny, tiny grumbling in my stomach."—Jacqueline, 31

15. "The first time I felt my son kick it was one of those weird 'is it or isn’t it' experiences. Since it’s a totally new sensation, you’re not really sure if it’s just your stomach or the baby. It was one of the most 'we’re really doing this' moments of the pregnancy, though because it made it feel real and very tangible — not the abstract idea of 'your baby is the size of a grape' or whatever tiny fruit of the week it equates to in size. The only downside is that, at that early point, it’s not really a shared experience yet, so I could explain it to my husband, but he couldn’t feel anything himself."—Danielle, 33

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Carina Hsieh

Sex & Relationships Editor

Carina Hsieh lives in NYC with her French Bulldog Bao Bao — follow her on Instagram and Twitter • Candace Bushnell once called her the Samantha Jones of Tinder • She enjoys hanging out in the candle aisle of TJ Maxx and getting lost in Amazon spirals.

Fetal movements, what to look for

There is no strictly defined time when the mother begins to feel movements: especially sensitive women can notice them as early as 15 weeks, but more frequent cases are 18-20 weeks. Primiparous feel the movements, as a rule, a little later than those who give birth for the second or third time.

If there is no movement at 22 weeks, you should see a doctor and have an ultrasound done to make sure your baby's cardiovascular system is functioning properly. nine0003

More often the movements are felt in the evening, before going to bed, in a calm state. At first, they will look like fluttering butterflies or stroking from the inside, and then the baby will work out the movements that he learns, and they will become more distinct. Actively working mothers, driving, busy with their thoughts, may not notice the first movements and start to worry: in this case, you need to have dinner, lie down on the bed and listen to yourself, without being distracted by something else - perhaps the baby is already moving, but Mom doesn't notice. nine0003

What determines fetal movement?
- closer to full-term, the child seems to be quieter to the mother, although he moves just as often: the fact is that he no longer moves his whole body, but only his limbs;
- if the mother does gymnastics, the child becomes quiet - this is normal;
- if the mother is in an uncomfortable position or a stuffy room, the child may either quiet down, or vice versa, begin to move actively and painfully - then you need to go out into the fresh air or change your position. nine0003

It will be useful to evaluate the nature of the movements, record how many movements the child makes within 2-3 hours, so that in case of significant changes, consult a doctor and make sure that this is a variant of the norm.

When will the baby start moving?

1
August 31, 2012 07:01 PM
How long does it take for stomach flutter to start? This is my first pregnancy, the period is still not long at all and I practically don’t feel anything, but I really want something to begin to be felt, to move inside. I read in the literature that the movements begin differently for everyone and for someone they can even be delayed, and someone feels them almost in the first months. It’s still quiet and peaceful in my stomach, sometimes it feels like the child is hiding and biding its time, so it became interesting how approximately the time should be expected to start stirring so as not to listen in vain every minute. And in general, what are they, what are they? Is it possible to confuse the usual rumbling in the stomach with the movements of the unborn child, in what week does he begin to move at all? Nine months is so long, I just want them to fly by, and it's time to give birth, so that the baby is finally born, you can press him, feel him near you, kiss, stroke him. In the meantime, you can stroke and care only for a gradually growing belly, but the husband is very pleased, he really likes the protruding tummy, although it is still very small and almost invisible, but he constantly strokes and takes care of it. nine0003

2
September 1, 2012 08:51 PM
It all depends on the attachment of the fetus and on the figure of the mother. Skinny girls usually hear movements earlier, as far as I know, maybe after 15 weeks. And fuller mothers may not feel movement until 20-22 weeks.

3
September 2, 2012 10:42 PM
Everything is individual. Even with different pregnancies in different ways.

They ask their son in kindergarten: "What do your parents do?" - "Dad works, mom is beautiful !!!" nine0003

4
September 7, 2012 10:05
I felt the first movement at about 15 weeks, but I am very thin. The doctor said that it seems to me) But then it only became clearer. so I understand that it was still a stir. And with the second pregnancy and at 14 weeks it was already clear.

But my friend only felt at 21 weeks, but she has extra pounds.

5
September 15, 2012 06:16 PM
It began to seem to me that the baby was moving half an hour after the gynecologist confirmed the pregnancy)) But seriously, somewhere around 15-16 weeks I began to feel, then I still doubted the truth, but soon the doubts disappeared)

6
September 20, 2012 11:01 AM
I felt at 16 weeks, as if there was some kind of tickling in my stomach. You can’t confuse these sensations with anything else, it feels like fish are swimming in your stomach

7
September 23, 2012 04:23 PM
And at first I did not understand that this child was pushing. Only weeks on the twentieth figured out that it was his tremors. The mood immediately lifted. Then they got stronger, in the ninth month it even hurt

8
October 8, 2012 06:51 PM
My moves are yet to come). And my little sister felt her niece stir at 13-14 weeks, at first no one even believed her, they thought her imagination was running wild :)

9
October 14, 2012 12:20 pm
I felt barely noticeable movements at 14 weeks, the doctor said it was too early, but my baby was somehow attached to the outer wall and I myself am thin. By 16 weeks, I already clearly felt every movement)

10
October 15, 2012 01:22 PM
I still don't move though it's only 11 weeks. But I really want to feel that inside someone alive is growing.

11
October 17, 2012 01:32 PM
Everything is individual. I didn't feel it early. Weeks at 17 it seems. And in the second pregnancy, they say, in general, they begin to feel the movements earlier.

12
October 17, 2012 07:17 PM
Not always in the second pregnancy before. On the contrary, I felt later, I even began to worry. nine0003

The most valuable cargo in the world is a baby in the belly!!

13
October 24, 2012 11:39 PM
I can't wait, but I don't know how it is? everyone describes differently and says I won’t miss it.

It's easier not to let us in than to kick us out later!

14
November 19, 2012 2:54 AM
Such a photo is cool.: D I started moving with the first at 16 weeks, and with the second, earlier, as they say. For some reason, everything happens with the second child earlier than with the first. There is happiness... I know him... I know the color of his eyes, his laugh... And it calls me mom! nine0003

15
November 30, 2012 10:24 AM
And I didn’t feel any movement during the whole pregnancy, there was polyhydramnios and the child very rarely, very smoothly changed position - and that’s all :). I was just waiting for any such movement as a sign that everything was in order. And I began to feel it at about 20 weeks, although I don’t bother with extra pounds.

16
December 4, 2012 22:39
I have a baby. My son started moving around 14-15 weeks. I'm thin myself, I quickly felt it. And I started to notice girls even earlier, very slight movements, but I already knew how it was)

17
December 6, 2012 11:21 AM
Somewhere around 18 weeks I began to notice some actions in my stomach, at first I didn’t even think that this was how the baby was moving, somehow not usually. And then yes, gave heat! The most interesting thing is that he calmed down when dad put his hands on his stomach :).

18
December 6, 2012 06:05 PM
Quote
I WANT A desperate couple to be told: "Congratulations - you will have a baby!" "To elderly parents:" We miss you - Let's go! Get dressed - Mom came for you! nine0009 At first, I didn’t even understand that it was a baby moving. But by the age of five, I realized that he was moving.

19
January 12, 2013 11:12
I don't seem to be very sensitive. Or maybe I just have a life on the run all the time, so there is not much opportunity to listen to myself.
I began to notice my son's movements only by 20 weeks. Although I have never been overweight.

20
January 17, 2013 8:57 AM
I felt something at 15 weeks. At first I wasn’t sure, but by 16, I knew for sure that it was my baby knocking from the inside)) Doctors say that 15-18 weeks is normal for a first pregnancy, and if a girl has extra pounds, then maybe later. In addition, much depends on the attachment of the placenta. nine0009

Fetal movements during pregnancy

Fetal movements are expected by pregnant women and obstetrician-gynecologists. This is a very important sign that allows you to judge that the pregnancy is going well, and the child is developing successfully. Also, the baby communicates with the mother with the help of movements and can tell her about any inconvenience, so you need to listen to the movements of the fetus.

When fetal movements appear

The first fetal movements appear at the seventh or eighth week of pregnancy. However, the small fetus does not come into contact with the walls of the uterus, so the mother does not feel its movements. nine0120
Closer to the seventeenth week, the fetus begins to react to loud sound and light, from the eighteenth it begins to consciously move.
A woman begins to feel movements during her first pregnancy from the twentieth week. In subsequent pregnancies, these sensations occur two to three weeks earlier. Also, a woman will feel the first movement of the fetus earlier if she is slim and leads an active lifestyle.
From the twenty-eighth week, especially active movements are observed. The child "communicates" with the mother, reacts to her emotions. This continues until the thirty-second week, when the baby grows so much that it can no longer actively move in the uterus. nine0120

Fetal movement - as normal

Except for three to four hours a day when the baby sleeps, he is in constant motion. In the twentieth week, the fetus makes two hundred perturbations a day, from the twenty-eighth to the thirty-second, their number increases to six hundred. Then, the activity decreases again.

Fetal activity may vary depending on the following factors:

Time of day . Usually the fetus moves more actively in the evening and at night.
Mother's emotions . If a pregnant woman is under stress, then the child is frightened, may freeze and stop moving, or, conversely, react to adrenaline with active movements.
Physical activity . During physical activity, the child is usually more calm than at rest. If the mother is in an uncomfortable position for a long time, the fetus may react with strong painful shocks. nine0120
Pregnant diet . If the mother feels hungry, the child begins to move more actively. Also pushing and touching become stronger after eating. Especially if mom eats sweets.
Environment a. The fetus reacts to loud sounds, sudden switching on of light. He may freeze in fear, or vice versa, begin to move more actively.

Why and how to count fetal movements

Changes in the motor activity of the fetus may be a sign of pregnancy pathology. Too strong, painful, or vice versa, weakened movements signal that the child does not have enough oxygen. This condition is called fetal hypoxia. In addition, sensations change when the amount of amniotic fluid changes. Therefore, it is important to count fetal movements, especially during the first pregnancy. nine0003

There are three methods for counting fetal movements: