Week 28

Your Baby
Last week, your baby opened his eyes for the first time in four months, and he began to see light and shadows. This week, if you shine a bright light against your abdomen, he may open his eyes and turn away from the light, as if to say, "Hey Mum, shut that off-I'm trying to sleep in here."
Loud and clear. Your little one's sight isn't the only sense that's working. His brain wave patterns indicate that he's responding to sounds in the environment. What's he able to pick up? The sound of your voice, the growl of your stomach when you're hungry, even noises outside your body. His brain waves are also starting to show differences during sleep. These sleep cycles will become clearer and more distinct as he gets closer to his due date.
Breathe easy. This is a vital stage in your baby's lung development. Blood vessels are forming throughout both lungs. When he takes his first breath of air, his lungs will absorb the oxygen, and then send it into these vessels, which will circulate the oxygenated blood throughout his body. Your little one is also just starting to manufacture a substance, called a surfactant, which keeps the air sacs in his lungs from sticking together. The surfactant will allow him to breathe properly after birth. The bronchial tubes are also maturing, dividing into smaller and smaller branches.
Measuring up. Your baby is gaining weight rapidly now-he may weigh nearly 1 kg (2.2 pounds) now. Crown to rump, he measures 25 cm (about 10 inches) , but if you were to stretch him out he might be nearly 40 cm (about 16 inches) long.

Topsy Turvy
This sonogram's crosswise view of the baby's body shows everything intact and in working order. The heart (1) is beating regularly. The stomach (2) is processing amniotic fluid. The abdominal wall (4), the white area at the top of the picture, has come together and the backbone (3) has developed correctly. The baby is bottom down (breech) at this time, so she has some rolling and turning to do before her birth day.


Your Pregnancy
Rh follow-up. If preliminary blood tests showed that you're Rh negative, you may be given an injection of "anti-D" this week, just in case your baby is Rh positive. This will keep your body from producing antibodies to any of your baby's blood cells that may have crept into your circulation. Your baby will be tested right after birth; if she is indeed positive, you'll be given another injection of "anti-D" at that time to protect future pregnancies.

The mark of pregnancy. As your pregnancy progresses, stretch marks may appear on your skin, especially on your abdomen. You may also see these pink, red, or white streaks on your hips, breasts, buttocks, or thighs. Many creams and lotions on the market claim to prevent stretch marks or to keep them from spreading. Whether they work is open to question. Most experts agree that there's not much you can do to avoid getting stretch marks. Chalk it up to genetics-if your mother got them, you probably will too. Still, applying creams to your belly certainly won't hurt, and it may keep your skin from getting dry and itchy. The good news is that stretch marks usually fade after birth.

Double up the checkups. When you reach 28 weeks, most midwives will want to start seeing you every two weeks instead of just once a month. Among other things, they will be on the lookout for signs of infection, preterm labour, or pre-eclampsia, a complication of pregnancy.

From the experts. You've probably been nausea-free for some time, but now you may face two different tummy-related annoyances, heartburn and indigestion. Why now? "During pregnancy, the entire gastrointestinal system slows down," explains Dr. Margaret Comerford Freda, "As a result, the muscles of the stomach and gullet relax, allowing digestive acids to enter your gullet and mouth." To find out how to cope with heartburn and indigestion, read more from Dr. Freda and Dr. Thornton


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Week 27

Third trimester.....


Pampers Website

Your Baby

Just looking. "What are all those lights and shadows?" After being fused shut for more than four months, your baby's eyelids can open again. This, combined with the facts that the visual part of her brain is active and most eye structures are complete, means your little one can see the world around her, limited though it may be. She can't make out objects yet, but she sees light and shadows.

Rock-a-bye baby. By paying attention to her movements inside you, you can get a good idea of how your baby spends her days...and nights. Just like babies in their mothers' arms, your little one gets lulled to sleep by rocking. Your daily activities may not feel like rocking to you, but the amniotic fluid provides such a cushion that all your baby feels is gentle swaying. So she's likely to sleep more during the day. It may be a different story at night, once you lie down to get some rest. Suddenly, she's awake and ready to party!

Measuring up. Your little one will gain about 1 pound over the next month. This week, she's up to 9.6 inches, crown to rump, and weighs about 2 pounds. Though she's growing quickly, her brain and lungs are still immature. Luckily, she's got 13 more weeks to get ready for the outside world.


Your Pregnancy

Right on target. Your breasts will keep changing throughout your pregnancy (and beyond). They've probably continued to grow somewhat since they started swelling in your first trimester. Many women find that the areola, the dark part of the breast that surrounds the nipple, continues to change as well. In the first trimester, your areola probably got darker. Now, the dark pigmented skin may extend beyond the areola. This is called a secondary areola, and it can cover half the breast. No one is sure why this happens, but many experts think that the darkened skin is a target of sorts, making it easier for your newborn to find your nipple during breastfeeding. It's a temporary change, lasting up to 12 months after you deliver your baby.

Dream weaver. If you're like most pregnant women, you've got an extremely vivid, even bizarre, nightlife once you nod off: You give birth to a full-grown son. You go through labor only to find...a litter of kittens. The newborn baby in your arms suddenly opens his mouth and says, "I love you, Mama." You may dream not just about your pregnancy and baby, either; many women report that their dreams during pregnancy are filled with wild adventures, heady love affairs, and strange occurrences, all rendered in Technicolor. What the heck is going on? The dramatic dreams of pregnancy may be due to the extra hormones coursing through your body. Or they may simply be your mind's way of dealing with the range of thoughts and emotions you're experiencing right now. Whatever the reason, enjoy your vibrant nighttime getaways, and don't take them too seriously.

From the experts. "To help fulfill your and your baby's protein requirements during pregnancy, you should be eating 'quality' protein," says Margaret Comerford Freda, Ed.D., R.N. "Most animal protein is quality protein, while most plant protein is not." Find out which foods are best (even for vegetarians) and how much you need by clicking here.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Week 26 - the last of trimester 2

It would appear that we a growing a healthy young lad. As we watch Ashtyn climb all over me Joni said how are you going to handle two doing that. Well I guess I need to be as fit as possible because Ashtyn is already a ball of energy that never slows. Sleep or play there does not seem to be any other speed. Heck yeah I love it!



26 Weeks Pregnant: Fetal development during the third trimester

Your Baby Check out what happened with your baby's development last week.

Practice breaths. This week, your baby's nostrils are starting to open up, which gives him the chance to practice breathing using his muscles and lungs. There's no air to take in, of course, so instead he "inhales" and "exhales" amniotic fluid. By the time he's born, he'll be a pro.

What a sucker! Your baby is also flexing some of his feeding muscles— his lips and mouth. His sucking reflex is so strong that if his hand floats by his face, he'll suck on his thumb or fingers. Ultrasounds often show babies in utero sucking their thumbs. In fact, some babies are born with sucking blisters on their fingers, thumbs, lips, or hands. Sucking is just one of the 70-plus reflexes your baby will have when he's born.

Up for grabs. "Grasping something—like my umbilical cord—is my newest trick." Grasping is another of those many reflexes. If you hold out your finger to a newborn, you'll be amazed by the strength of his clutch. Your baby is practicing his killer grip right now. His favorite pull toy is his umbilical cord, which he likes to yank and tug. Don't worry; the cord is up to the challenge.

Measuring up. Your baby is about 13 inches long and weighs around 1.75 pounds.


Your Pregnancy

Snack attack. Remember, your baby is eating off your plate, so you need to continue to pay attention to what you eat and how often you eat. You also need to eat right for your own well being; low blood sugar can make you dizzy, shaky, and tired. Small, frequent meals will help keep your blood sugar even. When you're out and about, carry small, portable snacks like fruit or yogurt so you don't get stuck somewhere without something nutritious to munch on.

Some like it hot. Many women wonder if they should stay away from spicy food when they're pregnant. There is no simple answer to this question. If you like spicy food and tolerate it well, by all means continue to eat it. However, trying food you're not accustomed to can cause an upset stomach, whether you're pregnant or not, so proceed with caution when it comes to adventurous cuisine.

From the experts. "If your pregnancy is not high-risk, you can probably work up until your due date," says Margaret Comerford Freda, Ed.D., R.N. Even so, there are measures you should take each day to stay comfortable, like propping up your feet frequently to aid circulation and minimize swelling. Get more on-the-job comfort tips from Dr. Freda. Back to top





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

OB appointment 1-11-11

All is well and growing well. The pictures are from week 23, we just got them today though.















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Week 25

We have an appointment on Tuesday and will have some new pictures and see how things are progressing.



From http://www.pampers.com/en_US/pregnancy-calendar/week/25

Check out what happened with your baby's development last week.

In the round. "My body fills out a little every day." Your baby measures 12 to 13 inches and weighs about 1.5 pounds. Her skin is still thin, wrinkled, and pale, but she gets a bit plumper every day, thanks to the fat and muscle she's continually adding. Right now tiny blood vessels called capillaries are starting to develop below your little one's skin, and these will give it a pink hue. And she's still swallowing amniotic fluid. Too bad it doesn't come in different flavors!

Brain gain. The brain's cortex is developing into layers. Most of the action is still controlled by other brain areas that developed much earlier. The human cerebral cortex is the most elaborate brain structure in all the animal kingdom, giving us the ability to think, plan, and feel in complex ways.


Your Pregnancy

Soccer mom. Does it seem as if your organs are starting to get squished? No wonder—your uterus is now about the size of a soccer ball. It measures from your pubic bone upward to a point that's halfway between your belly button and your sternum (the bone where your ribs come together), about 25 centimeters in diameter.

Diabetes check. It's time for your glucose screening test, a procedure that's performed between 24 and 28 weeks. This test looks for signs of gestational diabetes, a high-blood-sugar condition that usually goes away after birth. It affects 2 to 5 percent of pregnant women. If earlier tests detected sugar in your urine, or if you have a history of this problem, you may have been checked for gestational diabetes already. The glucose screen is a simple test. First, you drink a sugary solution. A short time later, your provider or a lab technician draws your blood and tests its sugar level. If your blood sugar is too high, a more lengthy blood glucose test is performed to determine whether you have gestational diabetes. Treatment involves a special diet and, in a few cases, medication.

You go, girl. The need to urinate constantly may be one of pregnancy's most annoying challenges. As soon as you come back from the bathroom and get settled, you have to go again! As inconvenient as it may be sometimes, be sure that you empty your bladder as soon as you feel the need. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common during pregnancy, and they may be caused or aggravated by not urinating promptly or completely.

Telling symptoms. One sign of a UTI is a need to urinate frequently. Another is a feeling of urgency—like you really need to go—but nothing happens. You may feel burning or pain when you urinate, or your urine may have an unpleasant odor. If you have these symptoms, call your doctor right away. UTIs are easily cured but can cause very serious complications if left untreated during pregnancy.

From the experts. Is your snoring keeping your partner awake at night? "It's a common complaint during pregnancy," says Elaine Zwelling, R.N., Ph.D. "The increased estrogen in your body causes congestion, which in turn can cause snoring." Learn how to sleep more quietly with these tips from Dr. Zwelling.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A new year = week 24

All was well at the last dr appointment on Wednesday. I was not able to make it due to work. It was the first major appointment I have missed.




From http://www.pampers.com/en_US/pregnancy-calendar/week/24

Baby
Energizer baby. Jumping and diving, rolling and kicking—your little one is having a great time training for the Baby Olympics. Just as you settle in for a good night's sleep, he starts his workout. Does it seem as if he's moving more than ever? He is: Babies are most active between 24 and 28 weeks. After that, there won't be enough room for him to perform the acrobatics he's so adept at now.

Thin skinned. If your baby could look down at his chest, he'd get his first anatomy lesson. Because his skin is still thin and transparent, it's possible to see the blood vessels, bones, and organs beneath it. His skin will continue to thicken as the months pass, until it's opaque like yours.

Eye spy. Even though your baby's eyes are still fused shut, all the parts of his eyes are present, including the retina, which completes its development over the next month. The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have any pigmentation. Your little one's eye color will fill in over the next few months, though their final shade won't be settled until after he's born.

Measuring up. Your little gymnast weighs up to 1.3 pounds this week and measures 10 to 11 inches.


Your Pregnancy

Preterm labor alert. From here on out, you need to be alert to the signs of preterm labor. The most common symptoms are menstrual-like cramps, a change in vaginal discharge, a dull ache in your lower back, uterine contractions, pressure on your pelvis (as if the baby is pushing down on it), or fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina. Of course, many of these complaints, like a backache or mild contractions, may just be the usual discomforts of pregnancy. Pay attention to your body; if the symptoms occur frequently or don't disappear after you drink some water or juice and lie down for an hour, call your health care provider right away. And be aware that fluid that rushes or leaks from the vagina needs immediate medical attention. For more information, read our article on preterm labor.

Father in the making. Dad goes through tremendous changes during the pregnancy, even though they may be less physically obvious than yours. Your partner may be trying out a different look—growing a beard or mustache or changing his hairstyle—or beginning new activities in his effort to prepare for this wonderful but often frightening adult passage. Now is the time to talk about these changes and how your new roles as parents will affect your relationship with each other. For more about dads-to-be, click here.

From the experts. With your belly getting larger, you'll probably have to make some adjustments when you're behind the wheel. "Be sure that the lap portion of the seat belt goes under your abdomen, snug against your hip bones," says Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H. "The shoulder strap should come from the shoulder to the hip above your abdomen, not across it." For more tips on safe riding from Dr. Dixon, click here. Back to top



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone