Week 26 & OB appt

Week 26

Baby
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Updates
This morning I had my monthly OB appt and everything went really well. I have officially hit the 20 lb mark, yikes!!! This is my total weight gain, 20 extra lbs. I put on 4 lbs in one month so I'm doing the average of 1 lb per week. The hb was great, although I'm getting so spoiled. I'm so use to hearing the hb for a good 30 minutes a week, that those 10 seconds at the OB is like nothing. He checked my uterus and it's getting pretty big. It's almost up to my boobs all ready. This was my last monthly appt. From here on, I start seeing him every 2 weeks, although my next appt is in 3 weeks because he'll be on vacation. I feel like I'm getting to the final stretch of this pregnancy. On Tuesday, I'm having my glucose test done. I all ready have my lemon-lime drink. Than in 2 weeks I have to go to the hospital to have my Rhogam shot. It just feels like time is just flying right by. I can't believe this is my last week in my 2nd trimester!!!

I've been feeling great as always but I've noticed some new changes. I've noticed that I can no longer bend down as easily as I use to. If I'm sitting on the couch, I need to get to the edge of it in order to stand up. I can no longer see my feet if I look straight down. Thank God the warm weather will be here soon because tying my shoes is starting to become a problem too. And the funny part is that my belly is just going to get bigger and bigger.

So I had an appt to meet pediatrician #2 today, but when I got there she was running an hour behind because one dr called in sick. So I decided to reschedule my appt for June 9. So hopefully I'll be able to meet her than.

Weekly Survey

How far along? 26 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 20 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 2 lbs (I'll know for sure on Wednesday at my growth u/s)

Maternity clothes? Yes. My pre-pregnancy shirts are starting to become a little short now. I can definitely see that the belly is pulling them up. I'll be in maternity shirts very soon. I just noticed that in the belly pic this week, you can definitely see how stretchy that poor shirt is. I think it's definitely time to switch, although I have no long sleeve maternity shirts. Come on warm weather!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm so thankful that I'm still sleeping all night without a bathroom break

Best moment this week: Seeing the delivery room

Movement: Yes. There are days that he is more active than others.

Food cravings: Burger King - Tender Crisp Chicken Sandwich and I did have one this week

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I have to say the warm weather again. This weather has been so crazy. We have a few couple of warm days and than it's back to high 50s low 60s. I wish it would stay warm and sunny

What I am looking forward to: My growth u/s on Wednesday!!!

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: Getting a good nst.

Here is my belly shot....

Double Digits!!!

That's right we are in double digits all ready, 99 days left to go!!! Woohoo!!! Technically I only have about 85-92 days left at most if my OB still plans to induce me like he does, but seeing 99 days left on my countdown looks awesome.

On Monday, John came with me to my NST. The hospital has this special room where all the NSTs are performed. So when we got their there was a note posted on the door saying that all NSTs were being performed in L&D. I immediately got excited because I just love going into L&D to see how it is inside. I have been there twice to get my Rhogam shot, but I've only been in a small little room. The maternity and L&D at the hospital are locked for security reasons, so I had to tell the nurse that I was there for a NST. She opened the doors and the nurse who always performs them recognizes me all ready. So she took us down the corridor and into a new wing of L&D which I had never seen. So we walked into this big room and she asked me if I wanted to sit on the bed or sit on the reclining chair. I told her I would sit on the chair. So I started looking around at the room and noticed that this must be one of the delivery room. I asked her if it was, and she said yes. So she was showing us all the equipment inside. It's a really nice room both John and I were really impressed with how nice the delivery rooms are there. There is a nice size bed, a reclining chair, a normal chair, a flat screen tv on the wall, a radio, a nice bathroom, it has large windows on one side. In general it's a very spacious room, like a big hotel room. Of course there is also the scale to weigh the baby as soon as he is born, the warmer, the NST machine, and other equipments as well. I just got so excited to think that in just 3 months I'll be in there, in one of those nice rooms delivering my little boy.

John was very happy to hear the little one's hb. It was the first time he had ever heard it. It was beating away in the 150 range. This time everything looked great with the little guy. His heart still had a little drop, but the nurse was not concerned at all with it. I really think it's because he's getting older now. Normally you start having NSTs at 28 weeks not at 22 weeks like me. So we got a good result. Let's just hope that from now on everything is going well with him.

Tomorrow is my last monthly appt with my OB. Starting tomorrow I see him every 2 weeks again. Tomorrow afternoon I'm also interviewing pediatrician #2. I have interviewed one pediatrician that I really liked, so let's see how this one is tomorrow. I have a feeling I will like both and than I won't know which one to choose. I'll keep you all posted!!!

Week 25

Week 25 and my little Baby D is the size of an eggplant. The eggplant is weeks 25-28.



Baby
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight a pound and a half isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Nothing new to report. This week I ordered my baby shower invitations which I'm super excited. I saw the proof and I couldn't be happier. They came out so good. I should get them in 2 weeks and than I'm going to be mailing them out. I still need to organize my registeries and make sure there isn't anything else I need to add.

On Wednesday John and I celebrate 9 years that we have been together. It's amazing to think that it's been 9 years. Time sure flies. We went out for a nice dinner.

Sleeping is still good. I did notice that my appetite has increased a little bit. I'm still trying hard to eat healthy but sometimes you just crave those bad things, and you go for them. I've been craving a good ice cream sundae lately. I think it's the nice warm weather that we have gotten that makes me want a nice cold ice cream.

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend and we have nothing planned which is nice. Monday I'm going for my NST and this time John is coming with me since we are both off from work. He's never heard the baby's hb so I think he will enjoy hearing it for a good 30 minutes. Those are going okay. I've had 2 of them done and both times his heart rate drops a little when he moves. This week I had an unexpected u/s to have my AF check. Thank God everything was okay. They think I'm a little too early to have NST done so that's why the heart rate drops, I'm not too worried about it. My OB wants me to have them done every week, so that is the plan. Every Monday I go for my NST. Let's see how his heart rate is on Monday. I hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day weekend!!!

As I said in the last post that we finally ordered the furniture. Well here is a picture of the crib. This crib will convert to a twin size bed which is what I had wanted all along. The rail is a drop down rail which is good to put him down and get him up.



And this shows a few pieces from the furniture set. We didn't get the armoire shown in the picture. We also got the 6 draw dresser which I'll use for the changing table and the hutch to be mounted on. The colors are exactly the same ones in the picture, espresso with a natural wood color. They say it's going to take about 10 weeks for it to come in, so that will be in August. Hopefully it comes in a little sooner.



Well it's time for the weekly survey.....

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 1 1/2 lb

Maternity clothes? Only bottoms still. I did use for the first time ever a maternity shirt this week. But all my shirts are still my pre-pregnancy ones

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: All night without a bathroom break.

Best moment this week: Warm weather!!!!

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: Ice cream sundae

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss:Drinking a Manhattan

What I am looking forward to: 3 day weekend

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: Getting to 25 weeks.


Here are my belly pics at 25 weeks...

Week 24, V-Day, & Updates

24 weeks and V-day!!! What a Milestone getting to this point!!!

Baby
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Updates
So on Wednesday I met one of the pediatricians that my OB recommended. I sat down with her for about 20 minutes or so and asked her a few questions. I really liked her a lot. The conversation went really well and a lot of my questions just flowed as we were talking. I liked that when he gets sick I can bring him in that same day to be seen by her. They always have nurses on call to answer any type of question you have. You could always ask to speak to her if you don't want to speak with the nurses. Overall I really liked her. I'm meeting the other pediatrician in 2 weeks and let's see how that goes. I think I might have a tough decision at the end.

We finally ordered the furniture!!! I'm SO excited because I kept going back and forth with a few different sets, but that's done. One less thing to worry about. I still have to order the bedding. My baby shower is booked for July 26 and I all ready ordered the invitations for that. Since my mom is in Europe I'm basically planning my baby shower with my Dad. I need to organize my registries and make sure I have everything I want and that I'm not missing anything. I want to send out invitations by early June, especially for John's family who have to travel from NY to MA. I want to give them time to plan for this. So this week was a pretty productive week.

I have another NST on Monday morning. Those are fun because I get to hear the hb for a good 20 minutes which is awesome. So I'm excited just for that.

Weekly Survey
How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: A little over 1 lb 4 oz now, I'm hoping.

Maternity clothes? Only pants, I'm still getting way with my pre-pregnancy shirts

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: This week it's been tough. John has had a cold and he's keeping me up at night. Hopefully he will get better soon so I can sleep.

Best moment this week: Picking up the baby shower menu and ordering the furniture

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: This week nothing in particular

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I have to say the warm weather again. It's been a rainy April and May and I'm getting sick of this. I want nice warm sunny weather.

What I am looking forward to: NST on Monday to hear his h/b.

Weekly Wisdom: I don't have one this week.

Milestones: Meeting one pediatrician and V-day!!!


Here are my belly pictures...

Week 23

Baby
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Symptoms
I've been feeling him move a lot lately. No strong kicks yet, but definitely moving around. I notice that the moves are becoming stronger than before. I can't wait to feel those little kicks from him. I have to say I love being pregnant. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it before, but I can say I love it. I love the way I feel, I love to feel him all the time, it's been an amazing experience so far. We will see how the rest goes. My legs are so much better. No more aches at night thanks to that calcium. I'm still going to the gym at least 3 times a week and I think that has been helping me a lot. Lately I have been staying up until 10 at least and waking up at 6:30 am completely rested. I'm sleeping all night like a baby. Very rarely do I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I try not to drink to much at night.

John has been away in Cleveland, Ohio on a business trip for the past few days so I'm SO excited to see him today. I surely missed him. The house is not the same without him. We are going out to dinner today and take it easy. This weekend is Mother's Day and it will be the first time that none of our mother's are around to celebrate. Both of our mother's are in Europe so we have no plans. My sister and MIL seem to think that I should celebrate Mother's Day this year, but I honestly don't think I'm a mom just yet. I feel that the day I become a mother is the day he is born. (As I'm typing this post, Baby D is just moving around). I guess everyone has different views on when your a mother.

So I called two pediatricians this week (two that my OB recommended) and I have an appointment with each to interview them. I'm excited to meet them and see what they are like. I have to start thinking of questions that I would like to ask. I have my first appointment on Wednesday and the other one is in 2 weeks. If anyone has any good questions I can ask please let me know.

I hope everyone has a great Mother's Day weekend!!!

Here is the weekly survey...

Weekly Survey
How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: From the u/s on Wednesday, 1 lb 4 oz.

Maternity clothes? Only pants, I'm still getting way with my pre-pregnancy shirts

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Awesome, I sleep all night.

Best moment this week: Hearing my son's hb for a full 30 minutes at the NST and seeing him at the u/s moving around.

Movement: Yes and the moves are getting stronger, but no kicks

Food cravings: Ice cream

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Having a glass of wine with my meal

What I am looking forward to: John coming home tonight after 2 days

Weekly Wisdom: Don't drink to much before bed

Milestones: My 1st NST


Here are my belly pictures...

Fetal Non-Stress Test & U/S

On Monday morning I went to the hospital to have my first of many fetal non-stress test done. When I walked into the room, the nurse asked me how far along I was. When I told her I was 22 weeks, she looked at me with a strange face. She said, she typically does this test beginning at 28 weeks. I told her that my OB wanted me to have this done and she still looked a bit confused. I sat on the chair and she hooked me up to the machine and the test proceeded. Your typically hooked up to this machine for 20 minutes, and they check the baby's hb and fetal movement. She called my OB and he said he wanted me to have this test done but I would start going every week beginning at 24 weeks. It was so cool to sit there for a good 30 minutes and listen to my son's hb. I could of heard that sound forever. His heart was beating at 155 bpm. He likes to play hide and go seek. Once in awhile we would stop hearing his hb because he had move to another position. The test went great and I have next week off. My next test is on May 18 and than I start going every week until he's born.

I went for my growth u/s this morning and it was so cool seeing him on the screen. He weighs 1 lb 4 oz and is measuring right on track. We confirmed again that he is definitely a boy. I got a few pictures of him making bubbles. He all ready melts my heart and I haven't met him. Here is a picture of him and his bubbles.

Week 22 and OB appointment!!!

22 weeks and good-bye 5th month, hello 6th month. I can't believe I'm beginning my 6th month. The bump from now on doesn't have weekly fruit pictures, so this is the 5th month fruit.


BABY
At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas essential for the production of some important hormones is developing steadily.

So for about a week now I've been tossing and turning a lot in bed because my legs get very achy at night. The aches actually wakes me up in the middle of the night. When I toss to the other side it helps but within an hour or so the aches are back. On Saturday morning I woke up with a charlie horse on my right calf. It was really painful. I went through my pregnancy books and read that leg cramps are pretty common but what I was feeling was not really cramps. At my OB's appointment on Wednesday morning I talked to him about this and he told me for me to start taking a calcium supplement everyday with my PNV. So ever since I have been taking the calcium and I all ready see a big improvement. I'm not waking up as much with aches anymore. I think this all has to do with me not eating enough diary products. I knew from the beginning pregnant women have to intake a lot more calcium and I knew that was my challenge. It's so hard for me to eat anything with calcium because I really don't like any diary products. Thank God for calcium supplements.

My appointment went extremely well on Wednesday. I put on a total of 16 lbs in 22 weeks. I couldn't believe that in one month I put on 7 lbs. Crazy!!! I guess your body is going to do what it wants to do. He gave me the names of two pediatricians that he recommends. I need to call them up and interview them. We also talked about childbirth classes and I'm all booked for that too. They start on July 22 and go for 5 weeks. I also signed up for a special breastfeeding class which is on July 8. I can't believe I'm all ready booked for my classes. I see my OB in 4 weeks and than after that I start seeing him every 2 weeks again. Next time I go I'll be doing my wonderful glucose test. From now until I deliver, I have an ultrasound done every month to see how the little guy is doing. I'm also starting my once a week trip to Labor & Delivery at the hospital. My first trip is on Monday. There, they will hook me up to fetal monitors to see how my little boy is doing. So that will be every week until he arrives. Other than that, it was another great appointment with my OB.

This weekend we are making our final selection on the furniture so we can order it. I know I say this often, but I really can't believe how fast time is flying. I feel like I still have so much to do, including the whole nursery.

So here is my weekly survey...

Weekly Survey
How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 1 lb now

Maternity clothes? I'm still only wearing maternity pants. All of my pre-pregnancy shirts still fit me. I think sooner or later I will have to by maternity shirts, but for now I still enjoy wearing my pre-pregnancy ones.

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Lately the leg aches have kept me up but the calcium supplement seems to be working. The past two nights I've slept okay and not waking up with the aches in my legs

Best moment this week: Having a great OB appointment and booking my child birth classes

Movement:Yes I feel those butterfly flutters everyday now. No kicks yet though!!!

Food cravings: Cheetos.

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No and hopefully not for a very long time

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I'm definitely missing the 80 degree weather we had last weekend. What a tease!!!

What I am looking forward to: Monday for my L&D trip and Wednesday another u/s

Weekly Wisdom: Eat as much calcium as you can to hopefully prevent the leg aches and the charlie horse.

Milestones: Booking my monthly u/s, weekly L&D trips, and child birth classes. It really makes it seem like the little boy will be here before I know it.

And here are my Week 22 belly shots. Not much of a difference from last week.