20 Week Ultrasound

Today I had my first real ultrasound. Since Elijah had off school and I had off work, I was able to take both the kids to get the first glimse of their little brother or sister. We did not find out what the baby is going to be, sorry guys, we like to be suprised. It was amazing as always. The coolest part was getting to see the baby open and closes its eyes, I have video footage of this as well, it was way cool. The baby is long for its gestational age of 20 weeks, they could not get an exact measurement for me due to how the baby was curled up. But the baby is weighing in at 13 ounces, or just over a can of soda. The ultrasound lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, and we got to see the babys heart, the four chambers to the heart, legs, arms, fingers, feet, ankles, toes, face, spine, and organs. We got to see the kidneys ect. It was cool and everything appears to be normal so far.

I also had my doctors appointment today and my sugar levels have been controlled with diet so all is going well on that front as well. The babys heart rate was 134. Next appointment is Nov 7th.

20 Weeks - Half Way There!

How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

You're half way there!
The rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival.
The baby's heart grows stronger. Find a quiet place, lay flat on your back. Locate your own heartbeat by finding your pulse. Next lay your hand on your belly. You may be able to distinguish the two heartbeats!
His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle develop occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon!
Immunities are being transferred from you to your baby now. These immune cells will protect her from viruses you've already had for up to six months after birth!
The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.
Your baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Amazingly, she can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during her development stages often are calming after birth.
If your baby is a girl, her uterus is starting to develop. She has approximately six million eggs in her ovaries. About one million will remain at birth.
Baby is about 6.46 inches (16.4cm) and weighs around 10.58 ounces (300g).

19 Weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing 6 million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

Your baby has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. He has a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods.
Throughout baby's body, nerves are being coated with a fatty substance called myelin, which insulates the nerves so that impulses can flow smoothly.
Scalp hair becomes apparent this week. It has sprouted and continues to grow.
The milk teeth buds have already developed and over the next few days the buds for the permanent teeth will begin to form behind the milk teeth.
If baby is female the uterus starts to develop. If you're having a girl, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place.
If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognizable.
Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and his or her kidneys are making urine.
Your little one's size is around 6.02 inches (15.3cm) and 8.47 ounces (240gm).

18 Weeks

I am now 18 weeks, it is so exciting. I have been having a pretty sore left leg so far, the veracose veins are getting worse and hurt. I have been wearing some support hose and that does seem to help some but beginning last week I started to get really bad tailbone pain. It hurts so much to sit sometimes, I brought a pillow to work and that does seem to help some. I looked it up online and it is pretty common for a lot of people and usually goes away after birth, so only 22 more weeks to go. Urghhhhh. Ok here is the development for this week:

18 Weeks -

How your baby's growing:Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. He'll be putting these lungs to good use in just a few months! Her vocal chords are formed. She goes through the motions of crying but without air she doesn't make a sound. Features of your baby's heart, including ventricles and chambers, should be visible during an ultrasound.

17 Weeks

Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

Week Highlights

By week 17, your baby weighs about 4.97 ounces (140gm) and is 5.12 inches (13cm) long.
He or she has a much more normal "human" appearance now. She holds her head more erect and her body and limbs are longer in proportion to her head.
Pads are forming on his tiny fingertips and toes. Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent.

Her eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.

Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become your baby's first poop!

The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to rush blood and nutrients to your growing baby.

If your child is male the prostate begins to develop.

Her skeleton is tranforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier.

Doctors Appointment

Today I had my 16 week appointment. They were able to find the heartbeat right away and it was in the high 140 to low 150 range. The doctor said that I had a very cooperative baby. I said hopefully it will stay that way. LOL :) According to urban legend and old wise tales, if the heartbeat is over 140 it is a girl, and under 140 is a boy. Not sure how much truth there is to that, Hannah's was higher than 140 though when I was pregnant with her. It has been so long since I was pregnant with Elijah that I really don't remember what his rates were.
The appointment went well, no insulin so far which is great. My levels have been controlled with diet. My next appointment is Oct 8th, and at my next appointment we will schedule my 20 week ultrasound. I am really excited for that, can't wait to see my little one in 4D. The baby has been moving a good bit, Bill even got to feel it the other night, it was really neat.
Over the weekend I found the perfect sleeper at a yard sale for the baby, it is yellow and has the words "Sweet Pea" embroidered on the one side of the chest, it is so cute. I had to get it. It was only $.50 which was a great selling point too. LOL :)
I gained one pound since my last appointment putting my weight gain at 3 lbs so far, which is great according to my doctor.

16 Weeks

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

The baby got its first beach experience this weekend, we took the kids to Wildwood for a mini vacation, it was nice to get away from all of the stresses of building the house etc. The baby got to ride some waves too, and also got to consume some seafood which was delicious. It was Hannah's first trip to the beach and she loved it, she did not want to leave.