Week 29

I felt much better this week compared to last.  The weird contractions have stopped.  Back to my normal Braxton Hicks contractions and being super tired.  The weight of the baby is really starting to wear on me now.  By the end of the day, I'm ready to just lay on the couch and do nothing.

This week Riet went with me to my doctor's appointment with Dr. Anderson.  It was the first time she'd ever hear a baby's heartbeat on a doppler.  The doctors didn't do that when she was pregnant with Emile and she hasn't been in town for my other appointments with the girls or with our son.  She was very excited to hear his heartbeat and to see him kick me which then sounded different on the doppler.  Dr. Anderson said everything looks good.  I'm measuring about one week ahead but that is normal given babies go through growth spurts at different times.  His heart rate was around 150 bpm again.  I also got my Rhogam shot while there which I'll have to get again after he's born.

Our son's head should now be in proportion to the rest of the body. Fat continues to accumulate under his skin. The brain can control primitive breathing and body temperature control, and the eyes can move in the sockets. Our baby is becoming sensitive to light, sound, taste and smell.  By this time, our little guy weighs about 2 3/4 pounds.  His crown-to-rump length is almost 10.5 inches. 

Week 28

This week has been harder.  I got a stomach bug on Monday that ended up causing a lot of contractions to start.  By Tuesday, they were fairly frequently for this stage, about every 30 minutes which had me concerned.  I went into see Dr. Placide to check for pre-term labor.  He did an internal exam and did confirm that my cervix is still closed and is high as it should be.  He also took a swab sample to do a pre-term screening test.  Thankfully on Wednesday, my results indicated that I'm not at risk for pre-term labor right now.  More than likely the contracts, which felt worse than Braxton Hicks and were uncomfortable, were probably due to dehydration.  So I've been drinking a lot of Gatorade and water.  Since I've still been having good and bad days with an upset stomach and digestive issues.  I haven't been able to eat that well and have been focusing mostly only apple sauce, bananas, and toast.  Hopefully it will be cleared up by tomorrow since it's Christmas Eve tomorrow!  But our little guy is kicking away to let me know he's still doing fine.  Dr. Placide confirmed his heartrate is about 150 bpm.  Although he could still shift positions, he is already head down.

While at the doctor's this week, Dr. Placide also confirmed that my 1-hour glucose test was normal which is wonderful.  I don't need to worry about gestational diabetes thankfully.  My weight is also pretty good compared to with the girls.  I'm pretty sure I've gained less weight at this point than I did with the girls.  I'm hoping to at least gain 5 pounds less if not more so it's easier to lose afterwards.  Either way though I'm confident I'll lose my pregnancy weight again.

Our son is growing and developing at an astonishing rate! Eyebrows and eyelashes are now present, and the hair on the head is growing. The eyelids open, and the eyes are completely formed. The body is getting plumper and rounder (weighs about 2.5 pounds) and is composed of around 2 to 3% body fat. Muscle tone is gradually improving. The lungs are capable of breathing air.  His crown-to-rump length is close to 10 inches with a total length of about 15 3/4 inches.

Week 27 - Third Trimester

Third Trimester!  It's hard to believe I started my third trimester this week.  It went really fast.  I think my body knows it's the third trimester and has decided to now be super tired again.  I've been exhausted this week!  I have started working out again; I've done prenatal pilates three times this week.  And I have to pee constantly.  I feel like I have to pee the minute I take a sip of water.  I've also noticed that although my belly is getting big, I don't really have any stretch marks yet.  I had a few from Claire show a little bit a few months ago near my belly button but nothing other than that thankfully. 

Natalie felt the baby move this week.  She was very excited.  She talks about the baby all the time and every time she gives me a kiss goodnight or when I/she leaves, she also kisses my belly.  She asks if the baby likes that she gives him kisses. :)  It's really cute.

Our baby boy now weighs little more than 2 pounds and ha a crown-to-rump lenght of about 9.5 inches.  Around this time, our baby's eyelids open.  He is beginning to open and close his eyes while still inside my uterus; the retinas are also beginning to grow.  During this week, the brain continues its rapid growth, and the lungs continue to grow. 

Week 26 - 6 months

I've reached the point where I'm starting to feel a lot of aches and pains.  I've been having a lot of a tailbone pain the last few days.  Given that I sit at a desk all day, it's hard to avoid it but I've found somewhat of a solution - I'm sitting on my boppy during the day.  I started using it today and it did help some so far.

I'm feeling the weight of carrying a baby more now.  I can't do as much in one day without feeling overwhelming exhaustion and even start to feel sick if I don't rest.  I get Braxton Hicks contractions multiple times a day and have to get up frequently when sleeping to go to the bathroom or readjust.

I'll be starting the third trimester later this week which is crazy to think I'm already that far along in my pregnancy.  I'm now 6 months pregnant and I actually have less than 100 days left till my due date (98 days).  We have a lot to do in the next three months.  After Christmas, we're going to move Claire to Natalie's room.  Then we have to paint the nursery, get the crib set up, get his bedding ordered, and the room decorated.  I'm hoping to get this all done by the end of January which leaves about 4-5 weeks until he arrives.  Time is going to start going by very quickly!

I had my 26 month appointment with Dr. Gunter on Wednesday.   I was tested for gestational diabetes at that time in which I had to drink this very sweet orange drink fairly quickly and then get my blood drawn an hour later.  I haven't heard the results yet.  If I don't hear by Tuesday, I plan to call to find out.  Dr. Gunter also listened to his heartbeat with the Doppler.  It was beating at around 153 bpm -- very strong!  And my uterus is measuring on track for where I'm at in the pregnancy.

Our baby measures about 9.2 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost 2 pounds now. His hearing is fully developed. As he reacts to sounds, his pulse increases. Our son will even move in rhythm to music. Patterns of our baby's brain waves appear like a full-term newborn. It also has patterns of sleeping and waking.  As the blood vessels in the lungs began last week, the air sacs in the lungs begin this week. The lungs begin to secrete surfactant which covers the inner lining of the air sacs which then allows the lungs to expand normally during breathing.

Week 25

Emile took this photo yesterday when I was 25 weeks pregnant.  We were preparing for Claire's 2nd birthday and her party today so I didn't get a chance to upload this until now.  Not much has changed in the last week.  A lot of the same aches and pains, and a lot of kicking.

Our son weighs about 1 1/2 pounds, and has a crown to rump length of about 8 3/4 inches.  The structures of the spine - 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments are beginning to form. The blood vessels of the lungs are developing and the nostrils begin to open.