Week 18 of Pregnancy

And My Baby's Growing... Bones?!

Okay, mama. Week 18, here we come — a little punch drunk, but it's here. You aren't yet at the "Can't tie my shoes" stage, but you're definitely encountering some strangeness: waking up at the ghastly hour of 3 a.m. for no good reason; your stomach becoming, for God knows what reason, a community hot pad for strangers. Welcome to the middle of your pregnancy, where things get a little — let's just say it — "Is this normal?" phase. Spoiler: yes, it probably is.

It's a transitional time when you really begin to feel pregnant in ways you haven't before. Your body is doing extra work to grow an actual human—who now has a spine, is practicing how to yawn, and might be somersaulting in your Zoom meetings. Your jeans? Forget them. Your sleep? LOL. But here's the silver lining: this is also when many moms begin to feel baby move for the first time. Tiny flutters. Little popcorn pops. Weird gas? Maybe. But most likely your baby is simply saying, "Hey, I'm here! And, well, I'm practicing my karate." It's weird and beautiful and possibly a little uncomfortable, which, come to think of it, sounds a lot like pregnancy for a lot of people.

👶 Baby at 18 Weeks: This Week, It's a Mini Acrobat With a Skeleton!

Let's talk baby stats. At 18 weeks, your baby is about 5.5 inches long and weighs almost 7 ounces ( when we say "your baby is about the size of a bell pepper.") Cute, right? "I think they're just stretching," a friend once told me, laughing about the nightly show she got to watch.

Dr. Spatz says: "What happens if you're having a larger baby is that you might get that globe of a head as it's kicking out in space." If you're lucky, they might feel like bubbles or butterfly wings. Not sure — don't stress. Some first-timers don't experience movement until after 20 weeks.

What's going on?

Boy or girl?
If your baby plays ball at the ultrasound (big if), you may get a peek of their bits. Boys: You can see the penis and scrotum (unless they're actively engaged in fetal hide-and-seek). For girls, the uterus and fallopian tubes of are formed and in place. Science is showing off.

Skeletal evolution:
Your baby's skeleton, long all squishy cartilage, is now hardening into actual bone. I mean actual skeletal structure here — ribs, spine, legs! (That's right: You're essentially growing bones inside your body, which is some kind of poetry Superman would recite about the good times in a goateed, early-aughts X-Men origin story.)

Brain and nerves:
Enter: myelin. This greasy material begins to coat your baby's nerves this week, forming a protective covering that makes it easier for messages to be sent to and from the brain. It's a BIG part of baby's neurological development, and this process goes on even AFTER baby is born. So, as you've been losing track of where your keys are, your baby's wiring system has been shifting into a higher gear.

Vernix caseosa (aka slime shield):
Your baby's skin remains see-through and delicate, having been coated with a protective layer of this white, waxy substance known as vernix. Yes, it resembles creamy cheese, but it's also a superhero — preventing baby's skin from becoming prune-level wrinkly thanks to all that amniotic swimming.

🤰 Your Body: Insomnia, Belly Love, and the Great Pregnancy Pillow Takeover

If getting a good night's sleep now seems like a cruel game of pillow Jenga, you're not alone. With leg cramps, vivid dreams, and a college-keg-stand-level of bladder pressure, sleep at 18 weeks pregnant can be a challenge. The trick? Pillow strategy. One between your knees. One under your belly. One behind your back. And if you're fancy? A U-shaped pillow that might just become your threesome partner in bed.

Uninvited belly touches? Hard pass.
Oh, and let me tell you about belly invasions. Now your stomach is suddenly owned by the public. Coworkers! Neighbors! That lady from spin class you haven't laid eyes on in a year! They could all contact you as if you were a touchable, metaphorical display at a museum. Lexi tip: You have no obligation to let anyone have access to your body. You are allowed to step out, set boundaries, and tell your friends or family, "Nope, not today." Your body isn't a mixed-media public art display.

🧠 Mental Load Moment: It's Time to Talk Birthing Classes (Yes, Already)

Yep, it's time to include childbirth education in the brain tab of "Stuff I Should Be Doing." I know, that sounds early — but trust me, the good classes book up quickly, especially those with small group sizes. And no, not all of it is Lamaze-style breathing and puff-puff-hees. There are options.

Lamaze: Laid-back, relaxed vibes
This method approaches childbirth as a natural and healthy thing, and aims to teach you how to handle it by learning about breathing and relaxation and mind-over-body stuff. Essentially, you're training your brain not to flip into full-on panic-mode when labor comes. And it works.

Bradley Method: Partner power + crunchy core
This method encourages new-agey elements, and positions them to empower partners in the birthing room. Also called "husband-coached birth" (but partners of all kinds are invited), this 12-week class is deep-dive mode: nutrition, fitness, relaxation, instincts, breastfeeding. Think of it as a little doula school for you and your person.

If neither of those sounds like your jam, there are other options out there — hypnobirthing or hospital-based classes, hell, there are even online crash courses. Just ensure that you're learning from a credible source. TikTok doesn't count. (Okay, sometimes it does. But still.)

📆 The Week 18 Ultrasound: AKA Gender Reveal (or Baby's First Petulant Exit).

Sometime between weeks 18 and 20, you'll probably have the big anatomy scan—it's 20 to 30 minutes of watching Baby on an ultrasound screen as the tech checks out the organs, growth, fluid levels, heartbeat and general well-being. It's also the moment in which some parents learn their baby's gender — provided the little one cooperates.

The options:
Transabdomen ultrasound: Gel, gel with cold on standard wand singing on the belly.
Transvaginal ultrasound: More prevalent earlier or when baby is playing hard to get. A bit uncomfortable but not an actual pain.

See if your partner can join you and the doctor. And don't be afraid to ask for photos or a video — this is the time to watch your little human wiggle around like an undersea alien gymnast.

Gender: The unknown and knowing?
Some are on team "Tell me right now" — let's go decorate the nursery, pick a name and monogram everything. The rest are team "Surprise me," waiting for the magic of the delivery room. Either way is legit. Just so you know: not all babies come with the goods! And no, a grainy black and white picture doesn't always provide answer that stand up.

Considering booking a private 3D ultrasound? They're cute (and perfect for Instagram), but remember: Ultrasounds are medical treatments, not frivolous photo shoots. Before you plunk down cash at a boutique scan center, always check with your OB first.

✅ This Week's To-Do List

We want to help you prepare: And you can get into the mood with our cooking guides while you listen to the Modern Love Podcast before or after the meal.

• Schedule a birthing class (early bird=safe, sound and stress-free bird)
• Begin a journal entry — Are you hoping baby's a boy? girl? tiny rock climber?
• Discuss with your partner: gender reveal — yay or nay?
• Rest in moderation (pillow forts are optional but recommended)
• You need to vent sometimes — a parking-lot cry can be the only solution

💬 Lexi's Wrap-Up: You Got This, Mama

Week 18 walks the line of "still kinda chill" and "full-on countdown mode." You're growing bones, dodging awkward touches, fighting insomnia and even making actual decisions about how you want to bring your baby into the world. And all of that? Is incredible.

It's O.K. if you're feeling overwhelmed or bloated or if you burst into tears over a cereal commercial. This is the wild, crazy middle of the ride. You're not alone, you're not a failure, and no — you're not the only one who broke down in tears in the Target parking lot when you couldn't unhook your bra.

Take the nap. Eat the snack. Laugh when you can. Cry when you need to. And know that you're already doing an awesome job.