By week 18 of the pregnancy, the baby's crown-to-rump length is 5 to 5.5 inches long. The baby continues to develop fat layers and weighs about 5.25 ounces. The baby will continue to grow and develop, but the rapid growth will slow down for a little while.
There is still space available in the uterus and the baby will be active for periods at a time. The baby may sit cross legged or turn somersaults.
Around this time, the baby becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods. The bones through which sound is passed to the inner ear have hardened and the part of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that the baby can hear now. The baby will get used to familiar sounds, such as the mothers heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds. The baby will become startled if he hears a loud sound.
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