OB Appointment #3

Well, the doc says everything's FANTASTIC! No ultrasound this time around, but we did still get to hear the heartbeat, measured at a 148 beats/min! You just can't help but put a smile on your face and giggle a little bit as soon as you start to hear that little heart a beating. Amazes me every time! And no troubles finding it this time either, thank God!

I also had some blood drawn for some screening tests done for any kind of chromosomal abnormalities (downs syndrome), spina bifida, and some other stuff that I can't remember the name of. They're just precautionary measures to let us know if our baby is at risk for any of these things.

No other news to tell you, except to stay posted into the New Year to find out the gender of our little one!! January 4th, 2010 is our next appointment (#4) and we'll be doing a 4-D ultrasound to get realistic pictures and to find out if we're having a boy or a girl! I already can't wait!
I'll try to get some more "bump" pictures up soon too!!

16 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

I'm getting ready for a growth spurt! In the next few weeks, our baby will double its weight and add inches to its length. Right now, it's about the size of an avocado: approximately 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. Its legs are much more developed, its head is more erect than it has been, and eyes have moved closer to the front of its head. Its ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of the scalp has begun, though its locks aren't recognizable yet. It's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, the heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as our baby continues to develop.

How my life's changing:

The top of my uterus is about halfway between my pubic bone and my navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. I'm definitely feeling a whole lot better as I settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

I should soon be able to feel the earliest of baby movements. Which may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and I'll be able to feel them much more frequently. I'm looking very forward to experience this most amazing feeling!!

#3 OB appointment this week! Thursday, December 10th! Stay posted for updates from the doc!

15 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

Our 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). It's busy moving amniotic fluid through its nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in the lungs begin to develop. Legs are growing longer than the arms now, and it can move all of its joints and limbs. Although the eyelids are still fused shut, it can sense light. If I were to shine a flashlight at my tummy, for instance, it's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for our baby to taste at this point, but it is forming taste buds. Finally, we could be able to find out whether our baby's a boy or a girl!!! (but we're not finding out till our appointment on Jan 4th - That is if he or she isn't modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

My body is definitely in ready, set, go mode for the baby to grow! I've grown out of all of my normal size attire (including undergarments...ugh). My Victoria's Secret shopping experience last weekend was not exactly uplifting, HA! Guess it's time to give into the official world of prego-wear. But, worse than that is my extremely stuffy nose I get ALL THE TIME! I have to carry around nose spray with me everywhere I go, 'cause I'm constantly stuffed. This condition (according to babycenter.com) is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." So, I if that's all I have to live with...then I can handle that! Amen for no more "morning sickness" feelings, or being completely exhausted!!

Oh, and other good news... my progesterone levels are rising wonderfully well as they should, as proven by the blood test I took last week. Yea!

GROW BABY GROW!

Week 14

It's so hard to suck it in anymore!! But, that's a good sign and I'm still pretty good at hiding it with loose clothing. Don't want to show it off too much yet, 'cause with clothing on I still look just fat. ;-) But, at the rate our little bean is growing, I'm sure it won't be long before I just can't hide it anymore!

* 3rd OB appointment ~ Thursday, December 10th at 9:10am!
(I'm pretty sure there won't be an ultrasound at this one, but we should definitely be hearing it's little heartbeat from the baby doppler this time.)

How our baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Our baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck its thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, facial muscles are getting a workout as its tiny features form one expression after another. Kidneys are producing urine, which release into the amniotic fluid around the baby — a process that will keep up until birth. It can grasp, too, and if we were to have an ultrasound now, we may even catch the little person sucking its thumb.

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

Ultrasound #2 & Week 13

Results from our second OB appointment that was on Friday, Nov 13th:
We originally were not supposed to get an ultrasound, but after about 5 minutes of using the little fetal doppler to try to hear the heartbeat and getting nothing, I demanded an ultrasound before leaving the office! There was no way I was leaving there not knowing if our baby had a heart beat or not (especially considering earlier that week I had a small amount of blood spotting). Turns out the fetal doppler was not able to pick up the tiny heartbeat because the little bean was tucked to far behind my pelvic bone. The ultrasound picked it up immediately and we got to hear the little one's heart beat racing at 148 beats per minute, just as it should!

The pictures are not very clear because we ended up waiting 50 minutes in the room before the doc came in (he forgot about us!), and by that time my bladder had filled up again, making for a not so clear ultrasound. But, nonetheless we found out the baby is growing healthy and was just snuggled up laying on it's side havin' sweet dreams! So, all is well and we're heading into week #13!!

How our baby's growing for week 13:
Fingerprints have formed on our baby's tiny fingertips, veins and organs are clearly visible through the still-thin skin, and the body is starting to catch up with the head — which makes up just a third of the body size now. Our baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

(source: babycenter.com)

Sleep tight little bean, Momma loves you!!

12 week baby bump

Okay it's official... I just can't hide or "suck in" the baby bump any longer! It's little, but it's there so I decided I should finally share with everyone, 'cause I know you're all waiting to see it! It's still kind of easy to hide with loose clothing, but the plumping up in the mid-section is definitely happening...and not to mention the "girls upstairs", as you can well see! I suppose the bump will start growing even faster before our eyes now that we're onto the 12th week and everything on the baby is in it's place ready to just grow and develop!


Also, Next OB appointment (#2) is on Friday the 13th at 11:10am. Pretty excited to see what the doc has to say this time! Hopefully I'll have more ultrasound pics!

Hugs to all!! Kort

Week 12

So, I know I didn't have anything posted for week 11!! I was stuck in Washington DC all week trying to learn, ha! So, I had very limited access to a computer. That's alright though...on to week 12!!

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

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in our baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. The face looks unquestionably human: Eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head, and ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, our baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.