My Baby's Growth Spurt

You are on day 119 of your pregnancy.
You are 17 weeks pregnant.
You have 23 weeks to go.

This was a week of rapid, whole-body growth for your baby. Existing structures became larger and more well-developed, but no new structures were formed. The chances are good that this week’s growth spurt for your baby also resulted in a growth spurt for you.

This is sooooo true. Before this week my belly was more bloat than baby, but all of a sudden my belly got much more firmer. I love my belly now!! =) New baby bump pic to come!


Pregnancy Glitter Graphics

Baby Movement

After I felt the baby move for the first time, I haven't felt it again in awhile. But lately, I'm feeling the baby move quite often! I know some women don't feel the baby until later on, but I am definitely feeling this baby! Occasionally I'll get a sensation of a bunch of bubbles popping in my lower abdomen. Exciting to know the feelings will eventually come more often and harder. Can't wait for Aaron to be able to feel! =)

Ultrasound in two weeks!! Boy or girl?? Take my poll - two postings below :)




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17 Weeks Pregnant

Baby's Body Fat 

Your baby is about five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. Baby's body fat is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.

How big is your baby at 17 weeks pregnant? About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces  — the size of your open hand. (Open the other one too and imagine your baby cradled in both your arms right after delivery!)  Body fat (baby's, that is) is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy.  By the time your baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his or her weight (and will make all those chubby parts especially yummy).
 
Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts).  Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration  to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed.  And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.

And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).

Remember when you were so queasy you could barely stomach ginger ale and a cracker? Happily, your toilet-hugging days (and nights) are probably over.  And happily (and hungrily) these days it's more likely that you can't get enough to eat.  For most women, the second trimester not only brings relief from morning sickness, but also brings on a truck driver's appetite.  Don't be surprised if you suddenly feel hungry enough to polish off a 24-ounce porterhouse, a three-pound lobster (with lots of butter), or a whole tray of baked ziti at 17 weeks pregnant. And was that you who turned that extra large pizza into a personal pan?

I luckily didn't have much morning sickness, but that appetite is definite getting bigger and the pounds are starting to come on!!

	What is happenning now? You are now 17 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 18. Your baby measures about 19 cm from head to toe (or 7.6 inches) and weighs about 280 grams (9.8 ounces). Your baby's skin is still fine, transparent and slightly wrinkled because they do not have fat layers yet. The many blood vessels flowing underneath their skin makes their complexion appear purple-red in colour. There is now plenty of fluid around your baby, allowing them to turn, twist and change position frequently. A few women feel their baby move for the first time at this stage, but most do not experience this exciting event (called quickening) until 20 to 22 weeks! Your baby now explores their own body with their hands and if you are having twins or triplets, they may try to locate each other, by touching and exploring their brother or sister.
	Physical changes Warm and sweaty. Pregnant women usually feel warmer and sweat more, due to increased blood flowing through their body. The pregnancy hormone progesterone also makes the tiny blood vessels in the skin (called capillaries) relax and dilate to become fuller and closer to the skin's surface, referred to as vasodilation. Vasodilation and increased metabolism slightly increases your body temperature. This may mean you prefer to sleep with only a sheet covering you, while your partner lies under blankets in the winter months!

POLL: Boy or Girl?

I had my monthly OB appointment today and everything was good -- heard the beautiful heartbeat, which is always a great reassurance! My next appointment, on October 13, is my second trimester ultrasound, which is when we should find out the baby's gender -- as long as the baby corporates!! Any guesses on what I may be having?? Please take my poll...

What am I going to have, a Girl or Boy?

Girl

Boy

Create a Poll | More Polls | by Tjshome.com

16 Weeks Pregnant

Baby's Hearing Develops

This little one's a looker — with a face that has both eyebrows and eyelashes — but a skinny looker since there's no baby fat yet. Baby's crown-to-rump measurement is between four and five inches, and weight is around three ounces.

Listen up: Tiny bones in your fetus's ears are in place this week, making it likely that the baby can hear your voice when you're speaking (or singing in the shower)at 16 weeks pregnant. In fact, studies have found that babies who are sung to while they're in the womb recognize the same tune when it's sung to them after they are born (so choose your baby Muzak with that in mind…). 
 
And baby's busily boning up in other ways. For one, the backbone (along with the back muscles) is stronger now — strong enough, in fact, to enable your baby to work on straightening his or her head and neck even more. Baby's crown-to-rump measurement is between four and five inches in length, and weight is hovering around three ounces.
This little one's a looker — with a face that has both eyebrows and eyelashes — but a skinny looker since there's no baby fat yet. And here's the skinny on baby skin: It's practically translucent now, so if you took a peek inside your uterus, you'd be able to see your baby's blood vessels under that thin skin.

What is happenning now? You are now 16 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 17. Your baby is about 17 cm long (6.7 inches) from head to toe and weighs approximately 200 grams (or 7 ounces). Your baby is now bigger than their placenta, but you could still cradle them in one hand. The amniotic fluid around your baby is increasing, allowing them to move freely, floating like an astronaut in space. However, most women can't feel these movements just yet. Your baby's umbilical cord is now completely mature. Their cord contains two arteries and one vein, enclosed and protected by a thick, gristle-like substance called Wharton's Jelly. This makes the cord slippery and allows it to move freely around your baby and resist compression. Did you know? The cord contains no nerves (similar to your hair or fingernails) so when it is cut after the birth there is no pain experienced by either mother or baby.

Physical changes

If you lie down, the top of your uterus (or fundus) can be felt about half-way between your pubic bone and belly button. It may be harder for you to bend over now to pick things up (or lift your toddler). Always, use your legs to bend to help protect your back.

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com
 

15 Weeks Pregnant

Baby Kicking and Curling

Your baby is as long as four and a half inches right now, and weighs a bit over two ounces. Hold a large navel orange in your hand — that's how big your little darlin' is.

Curious why your body is finally looking like it's pregnant? That's because your baby is growing bigger each week — he or she is as long as four and a half inches right now. Need a better visual (and a snack)?  Hold a large navel orange in your hand — that's how big your little darlin' is at 15 weeks pregnant. (Now that you're done looking, peel that orange and eat it for a delicious two servings of vitamin C!).
 
So what keeps your baby busy all day? Mostly, your fetus is in rehearsals — practice, practice, practicing, and getting ready for that big debut. Babies practice breathing, sucking, and swallowing so that when they leave your comfy womb and move into your comfy house, they'll have the skills necessary to survive.
 
Fetal body movements continue to get practice this week, too. But because your baby weighs so little (a bit over two ounces), you won't feel the calisthenics going on inside your abdominal gym. But don't let that fool you. Your fetus is holding daily aerobics classes — kicking, curling toes, and moving those little arms and legs. 
 
And with each passing week, your fetus is looking more and more like the baby you're picturing in your dreams. By now, the ears are positioned properly on the sides of the head (they used to be in the neck) and the eyes are moving from the side of the head to the front of the face — where they'll soon meet your loving gaze.

What is happenning now? You are now 15 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 16. Your baby measures around 15 cms (6 inches) from head to toe, or about 10cms (4 inches) from crown to rump, and weighs about 120 grams (or 4.2 ounces). Your baby is now more in proportion physically, but their head still accounts for about 1/3 of their body size. Your baby's vocal chords are now formed and they can make different facial expressions. Your baby can grasp with their hands and suck their thumb and they begin to explore the inside of your uterus with their hands and feet. If you press your belly from the outside, this may produce a small startle response in your baby (one of the many newborn reflexes present after birth). If this is not your first pregnancy you may start to feel small sensations of your baby's movements soon, although movements are more commonly felt between 18 and 22 weeks.

First Baby Bump Pic

14 weeks pregnant! 

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Chinese Gender Predictor

Predict the sex of your baby

The Chinese Baby Gender Predictor was discovered in a royal tomb about 700 years ago, the original of which is now kept in the Institute of Science at Peking.

Although many believe the chances of the chart predicting the sex of your baby are completely random, there have been surveys in Chinese hospitals where the accuracy rate is around 70%! See if this chart correctly guesses the sex of your baby - or if you already have children then see if the prediction was right!

This gender chart uses your Chinese lunar age - to find your lunar age you usually add on 2 years to your actual age, but ours calculates this for you automatically!

Get your own gender prediction!

Growing Bigger Every Day

All day yesterday I was having Round Ligament Pains, those pregnancy aches they were talking about in the post below. That were a pain but happy to know (feel) that everything is going perfectly according to plan! :)

Updates:

14 Weeks Pregnant

It's all about hair now as your baby sprouts some on his head, eyebrows, and body. As for Mom, those first-trimester symptoms should be easing up a bit.

Welcome to the second trimester! With any luck, your breasts aren't quite as tender as they were last trimester and your energy level is making a comeback. More good news on the horizon: less morning sickness and fewer trips to the potty to pee. You might find yourself feeling pregnancy aches on the lower sides of your abdomen about now as the muscles and ligaments that support your growing uterus stretch. And though it might be a pain in the — well, lower abdomen, it's pain with a gain — and a sign that it won't be long now until your body finally starts to show that you're expecting. Meanwhile, your baby is about the size of a clenched fist and he's sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — you won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months, keeping your baby warm and toasty — and allowing most of that hair to shed. 

Felt the Baby Move!

So I didn't say anything to anyone at first because it was too hard to believe but I do now believe I felt the baby! Couple of nights ago I was ready to call it a night and was laying in bed when I felt a bubble popping sensation. I automatically thought of the baby, but thought it must be wishful thinking. But just a little while ago I was reading a post on one of the many pregnancy sites I visit, and a few people on the site who are due around the same time said they had the same sensations and that it was the baby! How exciting, I can't wait until I feel a kick!!