I have to admit, I am not a fan of Gerber or any of their products…but as far as these weekly updates, they have been hitting the nail on the head.  Little Mr. N is not my favorite son right now, I probably only got 2 hours of sleep last night because he decided he didn’t want to   He kicked me all.night.long.  He must be excited about all the turkey, sweet potato, and pumpkin pie talk!

BBMan isn’t feeling very well right now, hopefully with the help of some meds and Vapor Rub, he will be feeling better by tomorrow!  Despite a little coughing, we have had a great week off so far!  We went to our favorite breakfast spot, First Watch, then hit the aquarium on Monday.  He spent the night with Mamaw Beth and Papa Sandy Monday night and went to school yesterday, and today we are cooking! 

Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester

Week 26: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Eyelashes!

Between now and week 29 your baby will have a growth spurt and gain another pound. As your baby grows, space gets tighter inside the womb. Your baby now measures about 12.8 inches tall and probably weighs almost 2 pounds.

Most of this weight is bone and tissue because she still doesn’t have much body fat. In fact the main development of body fat doesn’t really occur until late in the third trimester.

Developments that occur this week:

• Eyelashes. These begin to grow as your baby begins to blink and open her eyes.
• More hair. Hair continues to grow on her head.
• Spine. To support her growing body, your baby’s spine is getting stronger and more flexible.
• Plumping up. Although she hasn’t put on much fat, she is beginning to look a little plumper.

What’s happening with you

• Weight gain. You’ve probably gained from 16 to 20 pounds by now, which includes your baby’s weight, plus the weight of the placenta, enlarged uterus, amniotic fluid, and excess blood volume. There is also fat storage in the maternal body (largely during the second trimester) that averages 4 to 7 pounds.
• Additional isolated pain. As the uterus enlarges and your baby gets bigger, you may notice more back pain, pelvic pressure, leg cramps, and headaches. Be sure to report any pains that even remotely feel like contractions to your doctor. Preterm labor (beginning before the baby is fully developed) is much easier to stop in the early stages.
• Your baby’s moving around. By now you can probably feel your baby moving every day, although not all babies are equally active. If you become concerned during those moments when you can’t feel your baby move, try lying on your left side and being still. It’s usually easier to feel fetal movement in that position.

Once again, adding the “what’s happening to you section” so people feel sorry for me – totally relevant once again   Sympathize for me, I can’t even eat tomatoes!  Do you know how many of my favorite foods contain tomatoes?!?!?  AND, I had to throw out my contacts this morning because my eyes were itching so badly - I am 4-eyes at work today…

Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester

Week 25: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Your baby continues to grow

At 1 ½ pounds and a length of about 8 to 10 inches, your baby is growing at a steady pace.

The umbilical cord is thick and resilient now, covered in a firm, slippery substance that prevents kinking and knotting and may regulate the blood flow between placenta and your baby.

During this week your baby is spending more time preparing for life after birth. Nerves around the mouth and lip area are becoming more sensitive, preparing her for that all-important task of finding a nipple and getting nourishment.

This week you could expect:

• Fist-making. He will begin curling her fingers into a fist.
• Dexterity. This will continue to develop as your baby learns how to control his hands.
• Exploration. He’ll continue to explore his surroundings, including the umbilical cord.
• Spinal structure. Your baby’s spinal structure will begin to form.
• Open nostrils. Your baby’s nostrils begin to open.

What’s happening with you

• Light sensitivity. Your eyes may become sensitive to light, feeling gritty and dry. Caused by hormones, this is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom called dry-eye. To ease your discomfort try using an “artificial tears” solution for added moisture.
• Indigestion continues. You may also notice the onset of or continue to experience indigestion. This is caused by the hormone progesterone slowing down the emptying of the stomach to allow for increased absorption of nutrients for your baby. Eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding spicy and fatty foods may help ease this condition.

We have reached the 6 month mark!  No news to report…I am just hoping for the next few months to go by pretty quickly.  I can’t wait to meeting this little Mr. – but mostly can’t wait for him to stop kicking me in the gut

Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester

Week 24: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Lung development, balance & touch

Your baby still has a lot of growing to do. At 1.2 pounds and 8 to 9 inches, he should add at least another 5 pounds before birth for optimum health.

This week he prepares himself for a big cry upon arrival. His lungs begin to produce surfactant, a wetting agent that will help him breathe correctly and keep his tiny lungs from collapsing or sticking together. Blood vessels and air sacs are developing in the lungs and will eventually exchange oxygen and circulate it to all parts of your baby’s body.

This week the following developments may occur:

• Inner ear. This will become fully formed. Controlling balance, the inner ear means that your baby may be able to tell when she is upside down or right side up while floating in the amniotic fluid.
• Touch. He will continue to explore her internal environment, flexing his fingers and touching his surroundings.

Nolan is much more active than B was.  B kicked a little during the day, but always slept well at night.  I told Nate last night with as much as he kicks me, I am going to have a 6 pack stomach after his arrival (don’t I wish!).  Oh, and the 8-9 inches thing below???  They told us at our ultrasound (20 weeks) he was already 10 inches!

I talked to KT last night around 9pm and she was having regular contractions since about 1pm yesterday, so keep the Woolridge family in your thoughts, we may have an early arrival!

Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester

Week 23: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: He’s 8 to 9 inches long

Your baby continues to grow and by the end of the week will measure about 8 to 9 inches long. By week 23 your baby is taking on the shape of a full-term baby, but his bones and organs are still visible beneath a thin layer of translucent skin.

Although your baby continues to add fat to his body, he still looks wrinkly. This happens because his skin develops more quickly than fat accumulates.

Here are other developments this week:

• More movement. He’ll begin moving around more than ever, stretching and flexing the muscles in his arms and legs, fingers, and toes.
• Skin tone. Skin pigment is being deposited this week to create your baby’s skin tone.