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.

Week 24

My lower back has started hurting a lot.  I'm already feeling uncomfortable.  The last few nights I've had to get up numerous times to go to the bathroom or readjust.  I wasn't expecting this at this point.  Bending over is becoming more challenging.  He keeps me alert with all his kicking plus all the Braxton Hicks contractions.  Natalie likes to give my belly a kiss at night or when she leaves; it's very cute!

This week, our baby weighs about 1 1/4 pounds with a crown-to-rump length of about 8.5 inches.  He's starting to fill out as he gains more muscle, bone mass, and growing organs and tissue.  His face and body look more like that of an infant at this time.

Week 23

Although I'm posting this photo on Sunday, my mom took it on Friday when I was 23 weeks pregnant.  My girls and I were in Wisconsin visiting my family (they had a great time) so my mom was able to take my photo for me. 

I have been getting a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this last week.  My stomach gets so hard when that happens.  He's still moving around a lot and he sure is a kicker!  Maybe he'll be a soccer player :).  My pregnancy has been going pretty well. No major complaints now that morning sickness is past. 

By this week, our baby weighs almost one pound and his crown-to-rump length is about 8 inches.  He's about the size of a small doll.  Our baby's body is getting plumper but his skin is till wrinkled.  Lanugo hair on the body occasionally turn darker at this time.  Our baby's face and body begin to assume more of the appearance of an infant at birth.  His pancreas is also developing now. 

Week 22

Emile felt our little guy kick this week (21 weeks 4 days).  He's definitely a mover.  He kicks, rolls and punches constantly.  Drinking water or juice makes him even more active.  I can see him kicking and definitely feel his body parts pushing out. 

My belly is very hard and feels stretched a lot, especially as the day goes on.  It's hard to picture that I'll have room as he gets even bigger, even though I've done this two times already.  I'm starting to have a hard time sleeping - have to move around a lot and now that I'm getting bigger I have to get up to use the bathroom more often.  I also struggle to bend over now.

I bought our first set of newborn boy clothes last weekend.  I think the little jogging sets and pants and button up shirts are so cute.

Our baby is probably close to a pound, has a crown-to-rump length of about 7 2/3 inches, and is very thin but very developed. His eyelids and eyebrows are now formed, and the brain begins rapid growth. His testes have begun their descent from the pelvis to the scrotum.

Wee 21 - 5 months!

I can finally say I'm 5 months pregnant which is nice given I feel at least 5 months if not 6 months with how big my belly is.  My belly has gotten very hard and firm lately.  And I'm pretty sure I'm starting to waddle.  But the best part is that I can feel our son moving around a lot now.  Daily he does flips, kicks and punches.  Hopefully soon Emile and the girls will catch him at a time that they can feel him kick. 

I'm getting up more now in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and have more aches when I move around in an odd position but over all, everything continues to be low key which is great.  I haven't weighed myself this week (probably shouldn't after all the Halloween candy) but earlier this week I was on par with where I should be weight-wise which is great given I haven't had much chance to work out given how hectic work has been (hopefully that changes soon).  I did stop wearing my rings but mostly because it bothered my knuckles and not because of swelling.

I've been looking into bedding for his room.  We'll be moving Claire to Natalie's room (which they're very excited about) and convert Claire's room back to a nursery.  We'll probably make the transition in January so that we can paint the room (lavender may not be the ideal color for his room) and get the crib and everything else set up.  I think I'm going to get the following bedding.  Emile likes the idea of having a car theme given how much into cars he is.  We have chair-rail in the room so we'll probably paint the top a blue or green color and keep the bottom the cream that it is now.  I think I'll also use the green curtains we have in there now that are green.

The rapid growth phase begins to slow down this week. The heart grows stronger this week, and the legs are reaching their relative proportions.  He is probably swallowing amniotic fluid now which contributes a small amount to his caloric needs.  He now weighs about 10.5 ounces and has a crown-to-rump length of 7.25 inches.  He's about the size of a banana.