As week 18 draws to a close, the baby is now approaching 6 inches in length and weighs about a half a pound. For those following the fruit analogies, they are back! The baby is now about the size of a large mango. Covering the baby now is something called the vernix caseosa, which is a greasy white protective substance (eww) that covers the baby's skin to protect it from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without this coating though the baby would look all "Benjamin Button"-like (very wrinkly!) at birth...haha This fluid starts to be shed as delivery approaches.
There isn't a whole lot new and interesting to report this week. My belly is continuing to expand (as Mark mentioned earlier this week), and I definitely am starting to have days where I feel rather large. But, I know I still have a long way to go, so I better get used to it! haha
I was very stuffy for the past week, which made it hard to get any good sleep for a few days straight. The stuffiness is finally easing up though and last night was the first night I went to sleep with out the aid of breathing strips, Vicks vapo-rub, or saline spray. Now I just have a cough that can be annoying, but at least I can breathe again!
Since last week, I have felt little movements from the baby every day. I usually feel them at night or in the afternoon if I'm in a meeting at work. I think that has to deal more with the position I'm sitting in (which positions the moving baby in a way that I can actually feel it) than anything else.
That's about it for now. Next week should be more exciting with another monthly check-up and the 20-week anatomy ultrasound (when we find out if we're having a boy or a girl!) scheduled.
-Mandy :)
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