Half way through... 20 weeks!

Finally the week we've all been waiting for!!! Today at 10:00am we'll know if the little bean's a boy or a girl! And, we'll be getting a 4-D ultrasound to go along with it. So I will be posting the pictures as soon as I'm able to! I'm so excited I feel like I could jump right out of my skin today!

How our baby's growing:

Our baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. It'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 its 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, it's measured from head to toe.)

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

How my life's changing:

Well, I've hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy! The top of my uterus is about level with my belly button, and I've likely gained around 10 pounds (yea, that sounds good). I should expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. I'm to make sure I'm getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, my body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for our growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

We haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, but we may want to start looking into one, especially if since we're first-timers. A structured class will help prepare me and the hubby for the rigors of labor and delivery.

Stay tuned everyone... good news will be coming soon!!