Thursday, June 25, 2009

Finally looking pregnant!

I know my baby belly has been growing slowly, but all of a sudden I LOOK pregnant! It's so crazy to me how one day I can sort of look normal, and then WHAM! Preggo! So you all can get a better idea, here's my first baby bump picture.




And now, onto what's new with the Boss this week!

Week 21 of Pregnancy: Baby's Taste Buds Develop

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. There's still a great deal of room in your womb — though your tenant will soon begin to feel cramped, so be prepared!

By 21 weeks pregnant, your baby swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day — not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting — skills your baby will need as soon as he or she arrives in your arms. And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten (spicy enchilada one day, sweet carrots another). And that smorgasbord of tastes won't be lost on your baby. That's because your little one has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth. Want your baby to eat his or her broccoli later? Eat yours now!

Your developing baby still has a great deal of room in your womb — though like anyone who lives in one space for a long time, this tenant will soon begin to feel cramped. Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, and even an occasional somersault (so that's what you were feeling last night!).

With all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your baby gets any sleep at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn, perhaps 12 to 14 hours per day! (Now if only you could get some sleep!)

So...with the little one already being at least 10 1/2 inches long, no wonder why I have a baby belly now!!!

That's that for this week! I hope you all have a great weekend...I know ours will be a good one!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Baby Pics

Here are a few of the pics we got during Friday's sonogram. In the first set (one blank, the other marked) the baby is rubbing it's eyes with it's hands, like we woke it up from a nap.

In the second set you can see the baby's face more clearly. Again, the second one is marked so you can see what is what.

We didn't get a lot of body shots, since we didn't want to know the sex.

Enjoy!




Half Way Mark

Holy moly Batman! I've reached the 20 week/half way point of my pregnancy!!!! I can't believe how fast it's gone by! We had our sonogram last Friday and it was so amazing. We actually got to SEE the baby and know what we were looking at this time! I'll post the pictures a little later after Adam finishes scanning them for me.

Now for the weekly update on the little one!

How your baby's growing:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Your baby can also hear sounds. At 20 weeks, she can cover her ears with her hands if the sounds are too loud and she may even "jump" inside your womb if any sounds startle her.

She is also moving around a lot inside you. Remember, if this is your first pregnancy or if you have a larger frame, you may not yet feel those movements. If you haven’t felt anything yet, you should in the coming weeks. Many times, these first movements are described as a flutter, or may feel like bubbles or gas. If you can feel your baby moving and shifting inside of you this week, you may be becoming aware of her sleep cycles.



It's all so exciting! I have been feeling flutters over the past week or so, but without any regularity. I'm hoping that I will soon feel them regularly and really be able to become aware of the sleep cycles and everything else going on with the baby. I'll have sonogram pictures for you all soon! Until then, have a happy Thursday evening!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Company

I'm so excited!!! I just found out my good friend that lives in California is PREGNANT!!!! She's barely pregnant, only 4 weeks, but still pregnant! We had talked about how much fun it would be to be pregnant at the same time, and have our babies grow up to be close friends...I'm so excited it will actually happen!

It's funny because I am 15 weeks further along than Alyssa (my newly pregnant friend), and my friend Katrina is 15 weeks further along than I am! It's actually kind of eerily strange how that has happened...Katrina and I wanted to be pregnant during the same time too!

Yay!!! Good luck to Alyssa and welcome to the club, Baby!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Tomorrow is 19 weeks!

Here's what's going on with baby starting tomorrow!

Fetal Development This Week
Week 19 of Pregnancy: Vernix Develops
Six inches long this week and about eight ounces in weight, your baby is the size of a large mango and is now covered in a protective substance called vernix. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone.

Six inches long this week and about eight ounces in weight, your baby is the size of a large mango.

Your little action figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves at 19 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements. Which explains all that kicking, stretching, and bodysurfing (or rather bellysurfing) you've possibly started feeling by now.

Something else going on this week: Your baby is getting a cheesy varnish. Say what? Yup — a protective substance called vernix caseosa (vernix is the Latin word for varnish; caseosa is cheese) now covers your baby's skin. It's greasy and white and is made up of lanugo (that downy hair), oil from your baby's glands, and dead skin cells. This waxy "cheese" may not sound too appetizing or attractive, but it's there for good reason: Vernix protects your baby's sensitive skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without it, your baby would look very wrinkled at birth (sort of what you'd look like if you soaked in a bath for nine months). Some babies — especially those born early — will still be covered with vernix at the delivery, so you might get a look at your baby's first anti-wrinkle cream.


Friday I have my next ultrasound. I'll make sure to post pictures Friday night. Saturday I'm throwing a baby shower for my friend Katrina. She's 32 weeks along. I've got some fun games planned, a tasty dinner to make, and other surprises that I'm not going to mention since Katrina reads this blog! Should be fun!

Have a great end of the week everyone!

 
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