What is Happening This week - week 21

By now you can probably feel your baby move around. Enjoy it -- those butterfly flutters are one of the true joys of pregnancy. She's also giving her new digestive system a little practice by swallowing amniotic fluid, from which she absorbs nutrients and water. The unabsorbed matter continues into her bowel where it concentrates into meconium, the greenish black or light brown substance she'll pass the first few days after she's born.


I certainly do feel the baby moving around - every day it seems to get a little stronger and more often. She was almost hyperactive after I spent a long time on my feet at a recent wedding! I think she was asleep for quite a while and when I went to bed she had her own little party! She also danced her way through top of the pops last sunday!

Dan has not felt her move her yet - we have that to come. xx.

What will be examined at the 20 week scan?

What is examined at the 20 week scan?

Your baby's internal organs are examined in cross sectional views, or "slices" of your baby, which may be difficult — if not impossible — for you to make out! Bones will look white on the scan, fluid will be black and soft tissues will look grey and speckled.

The head
The head is usually examined first. A normal head is rugby-ball shaped with a mid-line separating the two halves of the brain which are surrounded by fluid. There is a dumb-bell shaped structure called the cerebellum (hindbrain) at the back of the head.

Spine and abdominal wall
The sonographer will check your baby's spine in both the long view and in cross section, moving through the neck and shoulders to the pelvis. She is making sure that all the vertebrae are in alignment, that the skin covers the spine at the back and the baby's abdominal wall covers all the internal organs at the front.

Heart and stomach
She will look at the heart, which should occupy a third of the chest and point to the left. The top two chambers, or "atria", and the bottom two chambers, or "ventricles", should be equal in size and the valves should open and close with each heartbeat. She will then look beneath the diaphragm to see the stomach, under the heart on the left side. Your baby swallows some of the amniotic fluid that it lies in; this can be seen in the stomach as a black bubble.

Kidneys and bladder
The two kidneys are either side of the spine, below the stomach and are usually quite hard to see. If the bladder is full, it's easy to see as a black bubble in the pelvis. If it is empty it should fill up during the scan — your baby has been weeing every half an hour or so for some months now!
Hands and feet
The long bones and position of hands and feet are examined; the fingers and toes are looked at but not counted.

Placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic fluid
The placenta may be on the front or the back wall of your womb, usually near the top (or fundus) so may be described as "fundal" on your scan report. Many are described as "low" because they reach down to or cover the neck of the womb (cervix). If your placenta is low, another scan will be arranged in the third trimester, by which time most placenta will have moved away from the cervix. (Read more about having a low-lying placenta.)
It is possible to count the three vessels in the umbilical cord but this may not be done routinely. There should be enough amniotic fluid surrounding the baby to allow it to move freely at this stage.

Officially in the Fifth Month now...

How your baby's growing:

This week, you officially begin your fifth month of pregnancy. Your baby may have reached 15 cm from crown to rump by now, and he can both feel and hear. Admittedly at the moment, all he can hear is your heartbeat and the flow of your digestive system but soon he'll be able to detect noise outside the womb and identify your voice.


How your life's changing: You're just a week away from the half-way mark (horray!!).


However, in the next few weeks you'll probably have an anomaly scan, to check your baby's organs. Seeing your baby curled up inside you — or kicking or rolling — is immensely moving so take your partner with you if you can (I just cant wait!!).


Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now. Treat yourself to a new pair of shoes also in a bigger size, your feet will swell along with your body, (I wondered why my work boots seemed tighter!!).

What is Happening This Week - Week 19

Me:

You will notice your baby being more and more active, and may even be able to see some of its movements (I haven't even felt it yet!!!). The growing uterus is pushing up against your lungs and pushing your tummy outward. Your navel may suddenly pop out and stay that way until after delivery.


Our Baby:
Sebum from the sebaceous glands mixes with skin cells and begins to form the protective vernix which clings to the lanugo all over the skin, especially on the hairier parts and in the creases.

What is Happening This Week - Week 18

Me:

Now is not too early to start practicing deep relaxation and steady, rhythmic breathing. Keep aside some time each day for this (sounds alike a good idea to me - the four of us can do it together - that includes Rico of course!).

You may notice that you are putting on weight on your buttocks as well as your abdomen. What??!! I;d rather put on weight on my tummy thanks and there only!!


Our Baby:
Buds for permanent teeth are forming behind those that have developed for the milk teeth.

Update

I have stopped taking my anti sickness tablets although I continue to be sick - usually in the evening when Ive stopped eating and I get a bad head. Lots of early nights for me. During the day it seems to be okay - I just try and eat as much a I can when I can.


We have started to think about changing Dan's car to a much more practical five door car. Yesterday we test drove a Toyota Yaris which was great - just couldnt stretch ourselves financially on that particular car though.


We have also started to think about the nursery too and what we would like to have it in it. We are thinking of buying the basic furniture from Ikea - a cot, a changing station and a feeding chair - and then decorate it with extras from John Lewis that we have vouchers for.


We are also undecided about whether to find out the sex of the baby when we go for our twenty week scan in the middle of Decemeber ( two and a half weeks until we see our baby again - and counting!!). I think perhaps because we have not decided dead against finding out I think we may just see!


Im having lots of tummy twinges that I am hoping are just growing pains. My tummy definitely looks rounder. Im finding it tricky to have a good nights sleep now (practice for when the baby comes eh?!), Im up every five mins to go to the loo or I just cant get comfy. It doesnt help that I used to have my deep sleep laying on my tummy but now I cant do that. I think I wake up Dan a lot by fidgeting!


Last night I dreamt that someone had this special equipment that they put on my tummy and could predict what our baby was going to look like. Of course, in my dream the face was a little girls. I will be shocked if this baby is a boy (but over the moon to give Dan a son).


Apart from the continued sick I am allowing myself to get really exciting about seeing and holding our baby. I cant wait! I feel like we have a good stretch ahead of us - what with the scan, then Christmas and then starting the nursery in January. I am loving having my bump and two people have said that I look like I am now blooming (perhaps too much blusher!!).

Growth Spurt Expected!

In the next three weeks, your baby will go through a tremendous growth spurt -- doubling his weight and increasing his length. In the meantime, he'll be playing with his umbilical cord and practising breathing. You're going through a bit of a growth spurt yourself. Your uterus has expanded so much that the ligaments in your abdomen are stretching to make room for it. If you feel any twinges of pain now, that's why.

What is Happening this week - Week 17

Me:
If this is your first baby, this is the time when you may feel the first prod which is definintely nothing to do with indegestion (not yet but am waiting!!) ! At last you know that there really is a baby in there! Trouble in sleeping at night will be helped by increasing the number of pillows supporting you (think I will give this a go).


Our Baby:Measuring about 14 cm long (wow - Im impressed!!), your baby is now testing out its reflexes. As well as kicking, it is grasping and sucking. Some babies find their thumbs and are confirmed thumbsuckers before they are born (BLESS).

Triple Test Results are back

and its very good news. Anything over 1 in 250 is seen to be good and our results were i in 2000 which we were really pleased about so that that is one less thing to worry about. The results came back in two days as well so very speedy.

17 Weeks tomorrow!

This afternoon I have been to the doctors as I had an appointment with the Midwife for my triple test. This was a simple blood test and I'll get the results in a couple of weeks. They will be testing the baby for downs and spina bifida - They give the results as a rate so anything over 1 in 250 is good and anything below 1 in 249 then you can have an amniocentisis which also carries risk of miscarriage as it is an invasive test. We shall see.


I also had my blood pressure taken and again it was low.


The M/w also felt my tummy AND then she let me listen to the heartbeat. The baby was lying really low down but you could hear it really well - a strng fast heartbeat belonging to our baby. It was SO lovely to hear. It made my day.


Today I have one of my new matrnity tops on - very comfy - I bought two tops and a pair of trousers at the weekend so that should last me a bit. I am definitely at the inbetween stage of being too big for my normal clothes and too small to fill maternity wear!

Last night Dan and I started thinking about what we wanted in the nursery! We had a look in the Ikea catalogue. EXCITING!!!!!!!!

Bump Photo at 16 1/2 Weeks

My little bumpette definitely changes from one day to the next. Some days it sticks out and the next it doesnt! I think it depends on how much I have eaten and what clothes I am wearing.

No Sick - TOUCH WOOD!!!!

I have not been sick for 8 days now - HOORAY. Definitely calls for a celebration. I love NOT being sick - it really is pure bliss. So the 16 week mark is the magic week - thank goodness for that!


I have done a full week of work this week too which has been great and I am feeling really normal again now....bump piccie coming up!

What is Happening this week- week 16

ME

You may find that you are sweating more than usual (due to the extra blood in your system) - no Im freezing!! and also that your nose feels congested - definitely sneezing and sniffing more. This is a common result of pregnancy and will end after delivery.

OUR BABY

The growing baby has pushed the top of the uterus to halfway between your pubic bone and your navel. From now on the baby weighs more than its placenta. It is probably aware of - and may be startled by - sounds outside your body. Awww - best get chatting to it.