Time seems to be flying by!

Shockingly, time hasn't been dragging like I know it does for some. At least not at the moment, especially now that we're coming into the holiday season, the weeks have been going fast. Can't believe I'm already 25 weeks with only 15 weeks left! And also, my baby shower is already in less then two months. I'm so very excited to start getting the things I need for Nathan and work on the nursery... I've been dying to "nest"!!!

I'm happy to say my sister and mom have felt Nathan move, just little flutters to them, but still exciting!




I am also happy to report Nathan seems to be developing very well from what I can tell. He is always so active, which I love and it's so relieving. Anytime I feel him kick or move around, a big smile crosses my face :) I already love him so much and look forward to seeing him for the first, what I special moment that will be for Aaron and I.

25 Weeks Pregnant

Fetal Development This Week

Baby's Lung Development

At nine inches and more than a pound and a half in weight, your baby is taller than two juice boxes stacked one on top of the other, and almost as heavy as four of those little boxes (an analogy you'll find particularly apropos in a few years, when those juice boxes start taking over your refrigerator, your pantry, your car.…).
 
Don't look now (as if you could), but your baby's skin is turning pinker. No, not because he or she's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping your baby at an always comfortable temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin and filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in your baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity — and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But at 25 weeks pregnant, those lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after the baby is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide when he or she exhales.

The lungs aren't the only system that's gearing up for air intake. Your baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week. This actually allows your little one to begin taking practice breaths. (Of course since there's no air in there, your baby is really only "breathing" amniotic fluid, but it's the practice that counts, right?)



Pregnancy Counter at WiddlyTinks.com
What is happening now?

You are now 25 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 26.

Your baby's eyelids are no longer fused, so they can now open their eyes and blink! It is also possible for your baby to respond to bright light (such as shining a torch through your belly). Newborns have vision that is perfectly focused from about 20 to 30 cm, usually as far away as the face of the person holding them.

Your baby's movements are generally more regular now and he or she may physically respond to you if you press on parts of their protruding feet, bottom or hands. Some parents play games with their unborn baby when they seem awake and alert! Your caregiver can now probably hear your baby's heartbeat with a Pinnard's stethoscope (rather than just an electronic Doppler) beating at around 110 to 170 beats per minute.

Babies born between 24 and 26 weeks are regarded as extremely preterm, but have a 50 to 70% chance of surviving if they have access to a fully equipped intensive care nursery. You can read more about premature babies here.

Physical Changes

Your growing baby is much larger and now big enough for your caregiver to feel where their head is situated. Your caregiver may even be able to guide your hands during a routine pregnancy visit so you can feel your own baby's head. Ask them to do this next time you see them. Your caregiver may also measure your belly's fundal height.

Babies change position frequently during this phase of pregnancy and are quite often in a breech position (bottom down) or lying across your belly in a transverse position. Your caregiver may start to write your baby's position on your pregnancy record card.

24 Weeks Pregnant

Fetal Development This Week

Your baby weighs more than a pound and a half right now and sports a crown-to-rump length of about eight and a half inches (standard letter size!).
 
Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like?  If you had a baby cam at 24 weeks pregnant, you'd almost be able to tell by now.  That beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed.  What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin.  Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones, and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this stage of fetal development are gaining about six ounces each week — with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle.

What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days?  All kinds of sounds can be heard by your baby in your womb: from air exhaling from your lungs (deep breath now), those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's (which your baby will be able to recognize at birth), and even very loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs, or a wailing fire truck.



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What is happening now?

You are now 24 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 25.

Your baby has grown to be about 11.75 inches long from head to toe and approximately 1 lb 8 oz in weight.

Your baby may now be big enough for others to feel your belly and sense them kicking and stretching!

Babies at 24 weeks have been noted to increase their breathing patterns (by expanding their lungs with amniotic fluid), after their mothers eat, especially if the food contains sugar! Your baby's lungs now start to produce a substance called surfactant, which lines their lungs and assists them to breathe after birth.

Physical Changes

Breathlessness. Many women complain of feeling breathless during pregnancy. This is very normal and usually comes and goes. You can be short of breatheven while sitting and having a normal conversation. You don't have to exert yourself at all!

Palpitations. This is a feeling that your heart is 'racing' or beating strongly and rapidly in your chest. Palpitations are very common during pregnancy, due to the extra workload on the heart pumping up to 50% more blood volume around your body. Palpitations can be felt for no apparent reason, but may be associated with exercising, being stressed, feeling anxious or excited. They usually subside on their own after a few minutes or less. Palpitations may also be associated with feeling breathless.



Pregnancy Tickers from WiddlyTinks.com

Monthly OBGYN Appointment

Today I had my regular monthly appointment and everything seemed well. Blood pressure, heart rate and weight was all good. Heard the baby's heart rate, always my favorite part! :) Also, my doctor try to help me feel my uterus, which is now above my belly button. But I had a hard time telling, lol. She said next time she will be able to feel the baby's body parts - wow!

I also got the H1N1 vaccine. Something that Aaron and I had been struggling with whether it would be a good thing or bad thing to have. But after a lot of research, we decided it would be for the best. And now I am so much more relieved about not getting sick and risking my baby's health. Next appointment I will take the test for gestational diabetes, wish me luck!!!


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23 Weeks Pregnant

Fetal Development This Week

Fetal Weight Gain

At eight inches and slightly over a pound, your baby is the size and shape of a small doll when you are 23 weeks pregnant. (But then, you already knew that you were carrying a living doll, didn't you?) This week marks the beginning of some serious weight gain. Your baby's weight in the next four weeks alone should double (and you may feel as though yours is too).
 
You have probably heard your developing baby's heartbeat through a Doppler a number of times already (though you never get tired of hearing it), but by now you can also hear it through a standard stethoscope. What a heart throb! 
 
Your baby's skin is reddish in color now because of the developing blood vessels underneath (remember, the skin is very thin still). It also hangs loosely from his or her little body at this point. That's because the skin grows faster than the fat develops during fetal growth. But don't worry.  By the time your baby is born, he or she will be pleasantly plump and filled out — from chubby cheeks to chubby toes.



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What is happenning now?

You are now 23 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 24.

Your baby has grown to be about 11.2 inches long from head to toe and approximately 1 lb 5 oz in weight.

Your baby can now rotate their head and may experience hiccups, which are caused by the sudden, irregular contractions of your baby's immature diaphragm (the muscle that supports their lungs). While unborn babies may be capable of sporadic hiccups as early as 12 weeks gestation, they are generally stronger and more rhythmic by this stage of pregnancy. Some unborn babies hiccup quite frequently, others not much at all. Many newborn babies continue to hiccup after birth. You may sometimes sense regular 'jumps' in your belly every now and then for short periods of time, if your baby has hiccups. A very strange sensation!

Your baby is now covered with a thick layer of white vernix cream, which protects their skin in their watery environment and they now have sweat glands. A fine layer of fat is forming between their muscle tissues and skin, covering their blood vessels and making their complexion look less translucent.

Physical Changes

Restless legs. A few women experience restless legs during their pregnancy. This can include sensations that your legs have to move all the time, or that they feel jittery or like they have 'butterflies' in them. Some women's legs ache and feel like they have to be constantly walking. Restless legs can make it difficult to sit for long periods and can stop you from sleeping well at night.

Pregnancy Glitter Graphics

Aaron Felt Nathan Kick!

Friday night Aaron and I were having dinner sitting on the couch and Nathan starting kicking. So I felt my tummy to see if I could feel from the outside, which I could. So hoping he'd still kick in that same place I told Aaron he was kicking and to try and feel. He did and as soon as I felt Nathan kick again, Aaron said he felt it unless it was me, so I told him, no that was him! He said 'Hi buddy"and seemed pretty thrilled since he mention all night long that he felt Nathan kick :)

Love this classic photo

This is so accurate!





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22 Weeks Pregnant =)

Baby's Hair Growth

Guess what? At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark. How heavy is that? Hold a one-pound box of sugar in your hand the next time you're in the grocery story (and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear). Is the box eight inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!  
 
This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as he or she develops the sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite developed by now — and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, he or she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours.

Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. You'd be quite surprised, though, if you could see your little one up close and in color. Hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white.

5 Months Pregnant!! (22 Weeks)

What is happenning now?

You are now 22 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 23.

The baby in that uterus measures about 7-1/2 inches (191 mm) in length and is about the size of a Barbie or Ken doll. In less than two weeks, the baby has gained more than 3 1/2 ounces (100 g).

Your baby's nervous system is now completely 'connected'. The vital link between their brain and spinal cord (the brain stem) has matured and many nerve cells make vigorous connections. Now your baby is capable of recognising warmth, light, sound and pain. While primitive brain waves have been detected in unborn babies as early as 7 weeks, it is not until 22 weeks that sustained patterns can be definitely recorded. Some women now notice that their baby jumps with a loud sound (if they can feel their baby move yet).

Unborn babies at this stage typically like to lie in a transverse position (or crossways inside your belly), with their feet and bottom on one side, and their head on the other side. Your baby's placenta is now processing about 50 pints every 24 hours and by 40 weeks this increases to about 600 pints in 24 hours.

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