With hunger pangs are setting in and my baby starting to make them known; it could only be week 18! These are exciting days for first-time parents, as my little one starts to wriggle and kick a little more inside my bump.

As my womb gets bigger and heavier (it's around the size of a small melon now) I notice my posture changing. My lower back gets pulled forward and my tummy thrusts itself out, which can be a bit sore on my back muscles. To add to that, the hormones in my body are relaxing my ligaments and loosening my joints to get ready for birth. All of this can lead to a bit of back pain. Using a foot rest when I sit down can help, and it’s also the perfect excuse to take a long, warm bath.

My baby is about the same size as a pepper. They're really active, and as well as turning somersaults in my womb they may also be playing with their umbilical cord. I might be able to feel all this activity as a fluttering feeling in my tummy. Their nervous system is developing, and so are the parts of their brain that register sensations like taste, touch, sound and smell. Their genitals are fully formed now, and if you're having a boy you might be able to see evidence of this at your next scan: unless he's camera shy!

I need to note down a date for an anomaly scan to make sure my baby's development is on the right track you can do it between now and week 20. I'll see my baby moving around for the first time, and the sonographer might be able to tell me whether I’m going to have a boy or a girl! If you want it to be a surprise, make sure you let them know beforehand so that they don't accidentally spill the beans. Now is also a good time to start shopping for my maternity wardrobe, if you haven't started already, as normal clothes will start to feel a little tight and clingy.