The Gift of Life

Your baby now weighs a little over one pound/ 500 grams and measures about 11.4 inches/ 29 centimetres from crown to heel. Her hearing is well established and she can make out a distorted version of your voice, the beating of your heart and your stomach rumblings. Loud noises often heard in utero, such as the barking of a dog next door or the roar of a vacuum cleaner, probably won’t bother your child when she hears them outside the womb.

Numerous studies seem to indicate that the unborn prefer classical music, especially Vivaldi. Play The Four Seasons for your child and pay attention to her movements. Does she quieten down during adagio sections and speed up for the allegro portions? You may have a budding conductor in your womb.

In addition to advances in your baby’s hearing, her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. She’s swallowing but usually won’t pass stool until after birth.

If your baby were to be born now, she would have a good chance of survival (about 85 per cent) with the right care. Advances in science and technology now mean that a 24-week-old baby can grow outside the womb if necessary.

If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.)

You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It’s called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

Source: BabyCenter

We thought it best to see our GP before we left for the holidays. And it was a good thing that we did! As I mentioned before, the midwife advised us to have my glucose load test after we came back from Manila. We informed our GP today about it and she said that that was too late to have it done. She said it is better to have it done before we left so that, if in case there is any problem with the result, she can advise us about it before the trip on Monday. And so, we went to the laboratory to have my blood drawn. Prior to this though, the person in charge there asked me to drink around 8oz of carbonated liquid. It wasn’t so bad because it just tasted like a regular soda to me. One hour after I took the drink, she asked me to come in and took 3 vials of my blood. I hope it’s all good since we do not have any diabetes in the family.

During my visit with the GP, she also checked on the usual vital signs such as my BP, fundal height and the baby’s heart rate. Everything is a-OK! It was funny though because when she took out her little doppler machine, I thought it was an old transistor radio. hehe! I was right to assume that it was old because it didn’t quite pick up Baby’s heart beat as loudly as the one that our midwife used. In fact, I was a bit worried because I could hardly hear anything at all when she placed the doppler head on my belly. The fact that Baby was moving about inside constantly didn’t help at all in establishing a good feedback on her machine. Finally, after minutes of searching, we heard the very faint but normal beating of our baby’s heart.

How your baby’s growing:
Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

How your life’s changing:
You may start to notice stretch marks on your skin as your abdomen expands to accommodate your growing baby. Some pregnant women never get stretch marks, but at least half do. These small streaks of differently textured skin can range from pink to dark brown (depending on your skin color), and they become more apparent as pregnancy progresses. They can appear not only on your tummy, but also on your buttocks, thighs, hips, and breasts. Lotions won’t prevent or eliminate them, but they help with any itching. Also, you may no longer be an “innie” — your navel is flat and may soon pop out. It will revert to its usual shape after birth.

Another interesting skin quirk you may notice during pregnancy is something called vascular spiders. These are little areas of raised, reddish skin, with tiny branches. Commonly found on the face, neck, upper chest, and arms, they’re caused by the higher levels of estrogen in pregnancy, and they usually disappear after delivery.

Source: BabyCenter

We just saw the midwife at the community health clinic in Isabella Plains and she said that our baby seems to be a happy one. This was the conclusion she came to after checking my blood pressure, measuring my tummy and hovering the doppler machine to check on Baby’s heart rate (quite consistent at 148 beats per minute).

It was good news really for us because of late, I’ve been having stitching pains just below my belly button. The midwife said that she used to have it when she was pregnant. We were relieved to hear that I wasn’t the only one feeling it. But just the same, we are seeing our GP next week to have it checked. I’m thinking it could just be due to overwork (with the household chores) or spending too much time sitting in front of the PC (guilty!). I’m hoping it’s really nothing so that we don’t have to worry about anything during the holidays.

I am to have another round of blood test to check on my glucose load and antibodies when we get back from our trip to Manila in January. After which, we will be seeing the midwife once again for another check up.

How your baby’s growing:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He’s oblivious to your schedule, though, so don’t be surprised if he starts working out just when you’re settling down for the night. If you’re having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth.

How your life’s changing:
You’re probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You’re not too big yet, and the usual aches and pains associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. Relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester will bring some mild discomfort from carrying a baby who is nearly full-term.

That’s not to say you don’t have some minor glitches to deal with now. Increased oil production may have given you a mild case of acne, for example. If that’s the case, be diligent about washing well with a gentle soap and water twice a day, but don’t take any oral acne medications — or even use any topical acne products — without checking with your practitioner first.

You’re also prone to varicose veins now (especially if your mom has them). That’s because pregnancy puts added pressure on the veins in your legs. (Your blood volume is increased and your uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava, the large vein that returns blood from the lower half of your body to your heart.) As if that’s not enough, an increase in the hormone progesterone causes the walls of your blood vessels to relax, so as your baby and uterus grow, the veins can become more and more prominent. Varicose veins tend to worsen with each pregnancy, and while they’re most likely to show up in your legs, they can also appear on your vulva.

If your legs ache, put maternity support hose on first thing in the morning. Increasing your circulation with a brisk walk each day can also help, as can elevating your legs and sleeping on your left side with your feet propped up with a pillow.

Source: BabyCenter

I finally felt our baby move!!! It was on the 9th of November and it felt like a bubble bursting within the hollows of my tummy. It was odd at first but I knew right then and there that it was our baby who was just trying to make his/her presence known. Ever since that day, I’ve noticed that Baby has been more active. He/she sure does have a workout every now and then!

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

How your baby’s growing at 20 weeks:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She’s also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby’s head to her bottom — known as the “crown to rump” measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby’s legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)

A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)

Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She’s also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that’s the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you’ll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).

How your life’s changing:
You’ve made it to the halfway mark — Congratulations! The top of your uterus is at the level of your belly button now, and you’ve likely gained about 10 pounds. Expect to gain an average of about another pound each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you’re getting enough iron, a mineral that’s used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron for your developing baby and the placenta, and to keep up with your expanding blood volume.

If you haven’t already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one. Whether you’re a first-timer or a pro, you can benefit from a structured class that helps prepare you for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, all-day session. Ask your doctor or midwife for a recommendation. At 37 weeks, you’ll be considered full-term, so plan to be done with classes by then.

Source: BabyCenter

Thank God all is well with Baby! Everything is normal as far as the ultrasound results are concerned.

Oh, and we already know the gender. My sister-in-law suggested to keep it a secret for a while… until after the baby shower of course, for a little guessing game.