15 weeks

Hi everyone, we hit 15 weeks today and I am feeling so much better than a couple weeks ago. Actually, my nausea stopped around the 2nd week of our vacation. I still have fatigue, but it has lessened a great deal. My appetite has been the same, still no real cravings. I still haven't gained one pound, but that may have something to do with all the awful food in the Azores :)

My only uncomfortable issue now is Round Ligament Pain. It gives me sharp side aches and pains across my tummy and is due to my uterus expanding. It happens every time I am active, which has been making teaching Zumba a bit uncomfortable. I may have to lower the amount of classes I teach a week, I'll have to ask my Dr her opinion.

As Miles mentioned in his post, we are able to find the baby's heartbeat on our doppler now, which is awesome! It gives me an extra sense of relief. In about 3 weeks or so, we will have our big gender ultrasound! So start placing your bets now :)

Here is a pic of my belly so far...

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

I missed my bed!

Hey Everyone! Baby had a fantastic trip to the Azores. Baby saw lots of waterfalls, flowers, doplhins, bunny rabbits, sheep and cows. Baby went on lots of hikes and walks to keep momma healthy. Baby was sick and tired of the food, which consisted of overcooked, unseasoned meat with dry rice and french fries. Baby also flew in a plane for the first time and decided we all needed more leg room.

We had our Dr's check up today to make sure that little baby is doing just fine. We heard a strong heartbeat at 148 bpm assuring us that our little bean is healthy and thriving.

Some of you may be reading this blog for the first time, Welcome! At 14 weeks 4 days we are well into the second trimester and more into the "safe zone" and are feeling really positive about our little bean joining us in December. Our official due date is 12/20. We also found the baby's heartbeat with our ebay purchased HiBebe Doppler which was quite exciting :)

Elody's blood test results came back well within the normal range from our NT Scan! Our next appt in about 4 weeks will let us know if the bean is a boy or a girl.

Week 14

How your baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Week 13

How your baby's growing:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

This is the last week of your first trimester, and your risk of miscarriage is now much lower than earlier in pregnancy. Next week marks the beginning of your second trimester, a time of relative comfort for many women who see early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue subside. More good news: Many couples also notice a distinct libido lift around this time. Birth is still months away, but your breasts may have already started making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow

Week 12

Well, today we are 11 weeks 6 days, so I am one day early posting this but we had a big appointment this morning and we wanted to share the news.

We went in for our NT scan, which is testing for genetic abnormalities in the first trimester (down syndrome, T18, etc). Our ultrasound tech was a totally creepy, nerdy, weird guy which was a bit obnoxious, but I think we handled it well :) The machine at the hospital was a lot nicer than the one at our OB's office, it was really incredible to see the baby dancing around on the screen. We could clearly see the baby's profile and perfect little nose. Baby had long, thin arms and legs and was moving around like crazy at the beginning. Then I guess it got a little tired and settled in for a nap. The tech kept jabbing my belly to make the baby move, but he/she was being stubborn and wouldn't comply :)

The measurements taken were perfectly normal! I also did a blood test that is 90-95% accurate if there are any genetic abnormalities, and we will get those results back when we return from our trip. So far everything looks great and baby is doing awesome!

We were able to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time as well. It lowered from 175 bmp 2 weeks ago to the current 157 bmp. I was assured that this was all normal. I also found out I have an anterior placenta, which just means the placenta is between the baby and my belly. This just means it will be harder to find the heart beat on a home doppler, and it cushions the baby's movement, so I won't be able to feel the baby moving around as much.

All in all, it was a great morning and now we are starting to get ready for out trip :) I will be posting the fruit analogies and what's going on for weeks 13 and 14 early since we won't have internet access on our trip.

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long and weighs half an ounce.

11 Weeks 6 Days