How big should your belly be at 18 weeks pregnant?

For a woman, pregnancy is a time of extra caution. After all, any minor illness or pain may affect the baby's health. Moreover, the mother is also very concerned about the baby's growth in her belly. Some mothers may have questions. They are 18 weeks pregnant and sometimes feel that their belly is very small. So, how big should the belly of an expectant mother be to be considered normal for 18 weeks of pregnancy?

Fetal development

The fetus is about 20cm long and weighs about 200g. It now weighs as much as an apple.

Mom changes

Your uterus is getting bigger and bigger, and now you are having trouble moving. Don't wear high heels anymore, choose flat shoes or low heels instead. Changes in the mother's oral cavity during pregnancy will also affect the healthy growth of the baby!

During the second trimester, the fetus is relatively stable and enters a period of rapid growth and development. At the same time, in order to adapt to the growth and development of the fetus and preparation for postpartum lactation, the uterus, placenta, breasts, etc. also gradually develop. During this period, the amount of food needs to be appropriately increased to meet the significantly increased energy and nutrient needs of pregnant women. At this time, you can drink milk powder for pregnant women in moderation every day. Compared with fresh milk, milk powder for pregnant women is high in calcium and low in fat, which helps pregnant mothers to have a balanced and reasonable diet without causing them to gain weight too quickly. Secondly, pregnant mothers can appropriately increase the intake of nutritious food, combine meat and vegetables, coarse and fine foods, moderate hunger and fullness, and not be partial or picky about food. They should determine the intake and dietary focus based on their personal activity level, physical condition, and pre-pregnancy weight, and engage in appropriate exercise. In addition, your body will experience some changes during the second trimester, such as enlargement of the areola, small black particles on the areola, increased vaginal discharge, itchy skin, and stretch marks. These are all normal reactions during pregnancy, so don't be nervous. You can have appropriate sexual life during this period, but you should pay attention to the intensity, position and frequency. Sexual intercourse is not recommended for pregnant women with a tendency to miscarriage, malposition of the fetus, or advanced age.

For an expectant mother who is 18 weeks pregnant, half of the ten months of pregnancy has passed. The baby at this time should weigh as much as an apple. Isn’t it incredible? In fact, it is because the baby grows faster in the later stages of pregnancy. Therefore, in the later stages of pregnancy, expectant mothers should pay more attention to supplementing nutrition so that the baby can grow up healthily.