Trish: [00:00:00] Hey mama. Welcome to Pregnancy Unpacked. I'm Trish, labor nurse of 16 years Mama of seven, and your birth bestie. I'm gonna be walking you through not just baby bumps and fruit sizes. But the entire identity shift that pregnancy will be for you. Each episode drops every Wednesday, and we're gonna unpack what's happening in your body, what to expect, what to do, what's normal, even when it feels extremely weird, and how to actually feel supported emotionally and physically.

You're gonna hear from me where I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, but I'm gonna be cheering you on along the way. You can follow along each Wednesday because pregnancy deserves more than outdated advice and Google anxiety.

Hey mama. [00:01:00] Welcome back to Pregnancy Unpacked. If you're between 18 and 20 weeks pregnant, this episode is for you. If you're not quite there yet, girl, you can go ahead and listen in. This is the stretch where pregnancy shifts from like. Oh my God, is this really happening? I can't tell if I'm really pregnant to, whoa, this is definitely happening.

Where did that Fri bump come from? It's exciting, but also brings a lot of new emotions, responsibilities, and tons of decisions. So we're gonna break it all down 'cause y'all know. I've been through this stage six times, so let's talk about what's happening with baby at 18 to 20 weeks. Your sweet little baby bee, whatever you call it.

I don't know. We had nicknames for all of ours, like jelly bean, bean, baby, boo, whatever. Baby is now about six to six and a half inches long from. Crown to rump, little booty weighing in around nine to 11 ounces. Think of like a sweet potato, but [00:02:00] not look one of those really long, manly ones, but like, you know, a nice little sweet potato or a mango, which sounds.

So good. It's one of my favorite fruits. Their skin is still translucent, but forming Vernix Cosa, which I'm going to do a podcast episode on because that stuff right there is literally the most insanely magical. Thing ever. Like seriously, it's a protective white coating. But listen to the episode coming soon, their heartbeat can now be heard with a standard stethoscope, not just a doppler.

That means it is beating hard and loud and big and so amazing taste buds are developing. So yeah, your baby can actually taste different flavor changes. Inside their amniotic fluid based on what you're eating. So watch what you're eating. Don't go get in that spicy, hot salsa. 'cause baby can taste it.

Baby's ears are working and they're getting used to your voice, your heartbeat, and the sounds of your home. So your partner or [00:03:00] anyone that might be talking to your belly, have them do it. Read some books. One of my babies. I was obsessed with listening to Mozart and Beethoven, and I would play it on my tummy all the time, and he is my musician.

Go figure. Their arms and legs are in proportions. They don't look like a big jellybean like they did before. No wait. Not a jellybean, a gummy bear. They don't look like a big gummy bear like they did before, and their joints are getting more flexible. Those little boogers are flipping, stretching and somersaults inside there.

So you probably know this, I don't have to tell you 'cause you're feeling it now. If you haven't felt movement yet, don't panic. Do not panic. I know your brain wants to panic. It's normal to start feeling baby between 16 to 22 weeks. So if this is your first pregnancy, you've got a little bit of time, but here's my mama that's been pregnant a lot of times.

Tip for you, find a, you know, go and [00:04:00] drink like a big thing of Sprite or orange juice. Think something with a lot of sugar, and then lay down in a really quiet room and just lay still. And that might be when you feel those first little kicks and flutters. Okay, so we're gonna talk about the anatomy scan.

Now, I do have a full episode on this, but I'm gonna go ahead and deep dive into it right now. I think the episode is, what was the episode? I don't remember, but I'm feeling like I want to say. One 50, but y'all know I'm probably wrong. It's probably not episode one 50. I am trying to scroll and look as I talk really slowly so that you know which episode it is.

One 50. Are you guys so proud of me? I'm so proud of me. Okay. Anyway, episode one 50. I deep dive. The anatomy scan, what to expect. This is often called the [00:05:00] 20 week scan. This detailed ultrasound is typically done between 18 and 22 weeks. It is one of the most thorough AKA super-duper long scans of your entire pregnancy.

Here's what they're checking the brain, so they're looking at all the ventricles, the cerebellum, and the midline structures. They just wanna make sure everything's kosher. They're looking at their face, the nose, the lips. The chin. They're screening for cleft palate and other abnormalities. They're looking at the spine.

They wanna make sure it's in alignment, and they want to see that the closure of the neural tube has happened. They're looking at the heart for chambers, outflow tracks, valves, rhythm, heartbeat rate, all the things that Little heart is doing. They're looking at the lungs. They wanna make sure it's there.

They wanna make sure the structure is correct. They, they're looking at all things. They have not started using their lungs yet. Little note for you. They're looking at their tummy, their abdomen, the stomach, the kidneys, the bladder, the diaphragm, and the umbilical [00:06:00] cord insertion. They wanna make sure it's midline and it's.

In the right spot, right? They're looking at the baby's little limbs and bones. They measure the arms, the legs, the fingers, the toes. They're also checking a couple other things about you, sort of. They're checking the placenta. They wanna see where it's at. Is it interior? Is it posterior? Is it low lying?

And if it is low lying. I want you to know that a lot of times it will move up and away from the cervix. If they tell you that it's a lying, do not panic yet. I need to do an episode on that. I need to make a note. Let's do one on the placenta. They are also telling you, is it in the front, anterior or in the back?

Posterior. Posterior is most common. If it's in the front anterior, that might be why you haven't felt the baby move. It will muffle movements throughout the pregnancy. Now from my friends who have had an interior placenta, they tell me that once you get to like 36, 37 weeks, the movements feel the same.

They're also gonna measure the amniotic fluid level. If it's too [00:07:00] little, that's called oligo hydros, and if it's too much, it is polyhis and you may need a follow up if. One of those is going on. Now, the thing with the fluid is that the baby is actually the one who's responsible for making it. So sometimes that can be assigned, something's going on with baby cervical link.

Sometimes they assess it to determine, especially if you have a risk of preterm labor. So if you're hoping to find out the sex of the baby, this is often when you can if you haven't already. But again, if you listen to the last episode and I told you what happened to me, if not, go back and listen to the last episode.

So it's not a hundred percent guaranteed. Okay? So it is a long scan. Again, I wanna tell you that it may take 30 minutes to an hour depending on the person's level of skill, baby's position, and whether the tech can get clear images or if you're like me, when I had mine with Laney, which mind you, she was baby number six, I had an adopted daughter before her [00:08:00] four sons.

I given birth to all I wanted to know. Is this baby healthy and is this baby a girl? And the lady was training someone. So they did the whole scan and I was so patiently waiting. 60 minutes later she asked me if the tech, the new tech could do her scan. And I was like, I don't care. I just wanna know what I'm having.

And she goes, oh yeah, it's a girl. And I literally screamed like a horror show and the lady said, is she okay? Did she not want a girl? And my ex was like, no, she definitely wanted a girl. And then I boohooed the rest of the time. I was so freaking excited. My nervous system was on overdrive. Okay. What if something looks off?

Sometimes they can't get a clear view due to baby's position or maybe even the shape of your uterus. This is not a red flag. It just means you might need to come back. So if they do see something unusual, we talked about this in the last episode, you may be referred to an MFM, which is a maternal fetal medicine specialist for a [00:09:00] level two ultrasound, which is an even more detailed scan. Your provider may suggest genetic counseling depending on what's found, and you may have to do follow-up testing, which might include some noninvasive prenatal testing, which is the nipped or an echocardiogram or amniocentesis if more information is needed. Remember, a concerning finding does not equal a diagnosis. This is more about gathering data so you can be supported so you have a right to ask questions, get a second opinion and pause before making any decisions. Okay, so let's talk about our mindset, which we do every week, and we're gonna talk about bonding.

Some moms feel immediately connected the minute they see that positive sign. Others feel weirdly disconnected, but both are valid. You don't have to be excited to be a good mom. You don't have to cry at every ultrasound. You don't have to glow with joy. In fact, you can actually hate being pregnant. So guilt about not bonding, guilt [00:10:00] about not enjoying the pregnancy, especially if you tried really hard to get pregnant is real.

This is the real deal. It's incredibly common, but here's the truth. Bonding is a relationship, and relationships take. Time. So don't beat yourself up. Do you hear me? I want you to hear me. I want you to put your hand up and say, I hear you. So here are some ways to nurture connections, speak affirmations to your baby every stinking day, even if it feels awkward.

Keep a simple journal and write weekly notes or updates. Let your partner join in. Have them read to your belly. Like I said, play music, sing, talk about their hopes and dreams for this baby, I also want you to start visualizing your birth. This is something I teach inside the classes that you think.

Is really underrated, but so powerful. Visualize holding the baby and those first little sweet snuggles. Listen to some calming music. But remember, there's no pressure, girl. You feel what you feel. So here's your action [00:11:00] steps for this week. Go to your anatomy scan or schedule it. If it hasn't been done yet, prepare your questions ahead of time, especially about findings or what they're measuring.

You get to ask. You're not a problem Member. We've talked about this in the last episode. You're not difficult. You're prepared. Write down any feelings you're having, especially if you're struggling to bond, because sometimes just acknowledging it is so freaking powerful. Actually, all the time it is. Ask your provider if they're measuring your cervical length or your placenta placement, especially if you have a history of any complications.

Mama. You are in the middle of one of the biggest transitions of your life, and you are halfway there. I don't care what number baby this is, it's a new baby. It's a new human, and I'm so freaking proud of you. Whether you feel excited, nervous, not super excited, whether you're sick and you hate being pregnant, your feelings are so valid and so real.

You don't have to hold it all alone. You just have to keep walking for [00:12:00] it. So, as always, hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Write a review, please. It means so much to me. If you're on Spotify, write a comment. You are the magic. You are amazing, and I'm so proud of you. I love you so much. Don't forget it, and I will see you again next Wednesday.

Bye for now. Okay, mama. Let's recap what we talked today when we're talking about weeks 18 to 20. Number one, your little baby bean is growing. So. Fast and it's around the size of a mango. Their senses and movements are developing every single day. You'll likely have your mid-pregnancy anatomy scan during this time where baby's, organs, limbs, heart, and more are all checked in detail.

And you might even find out exactly what you're having and if something looks unclear, please if you remember anything from today, it does not mean something's wrong. It just means we need more information. So whether you're [00:13:00] floating with excitement. Or you're feeling anxious or somewhere in between. You got this.

I promise you're growing a little tiny human and a new version of yourself. Ask the questions. Trust your gut. Show up just as you are now. As always. Please hit subscribe, write a review. You guys have no idea how much those reviews mean to me. They just mean the world. And if you're on Spotify, check out our videos and also leave a comment.

I love you guys so much. You are the best audience in the whole world. I'll see you again next Wednesday. Bye for now.