Week 18: Covered in wax & nowhere to slip

Fetal development in pregnancy week 18

~length
5.6 in | 14 cm

~weight
6.7 oz | 190 g

WOOHOO! We have two more ounces of amazing baby this week!
Your super-cute uterus hi-jacker is smack in the middle of a growth spurt!
Oh and guess what? They're also all slathered in a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance known as vernix caseosa.
Yeah, it sounds pretty nasty, but the mixture of fatty secretions covers your little swimmer from head to toe and protects their paper-thin skin from bruising, abrasions, and chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure.
And then there's the birthing process, right? You know, where you have to push something the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a grape.
Well, that adorable little greased piglet would have a lot harder time getting through the birth canal if they didn't have that greasy vernix caseosa slip-n-sliding them out of your hyper-extended birth canal.
And how's mom doing?

If it's getting slightly difficult to breathe, you can thank your not-so-small womb-stretching resident for squishing your lungs... and you're not even half-way yet! Ah, the joys of motherhood are already kicking in.Your little break-dancer will take tons of naps during the day, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic motions of your moving body as you go about your day, but once you lay down and relax... yep, that's right, they think it's time for get down with some super-funky moves because mama's boring and quiet
Keep in mind that as your body increases in size you produce more blood (for both of you), which lowers your blood pressure. So, standing up quickly and fast movements may cause slight dizziness or lightheadedness.
If you're constantly light-headed, on the other hand, you may have blood pressure issues, and you should contact your caregiver immediately.
One more fun pregnancy symptom to add to the list: you are now producing more melanin (the stuff that makes you whatever color you are), which can cause dark patches of skin to occur on random parts of your body. Don’t worry, these dark spots (unlike your parents' age spots) will retreat soon after birth.
And now that you're expecting to feel those first kicks any time now, be warned: the poking and kicking isn't as charming during sleeping hours... which is exactly what's going to happen.
Your little break-dancer will take tons of naps during the day, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic motions of your moving body as you go about your day, but once you lay down and relax... yep, that's right, they think it's time for get down with some super-funky moves because mama's boring and quiet!
Look on the bright side: this is nothing compared to all the nights they're going to be waking you with their crying (yes, dear, if you didn't know, infants don't sleep through the night!)