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This week has been SUPER busy and I’m just now getting to posting about my dr. appt on Monday! It went really well! I’m up about 5-6 pounds, which the dr. is said is good. He found the heartbeat right away. We also scheduled our “real” sonogram for Monday, 4/11 at 3:30pm (I’ll be 16.5 weeks). We can bring a blank VHS tape and they will record it all for us! So be looking for video of the baby in a few weeks! For those that don’t know, we aren’t finding out the gender, so there won’t be that announcement for another 25 weeks!

I have great news regarding my work…I was promoted to a senior internal auditor this week!! It will be effective tomorrow, Friday, 4/1! My new responsibilities will include planning and leading audits (instead of performing fieldwork, I will be running the audits and supervising/evaluating the staff and reviewing their work before it goes to the manager for review), writing audit reports, consulting projects within the company and mentoring/coaching of the staff. In addition, there are leadership responsibilities within the department including scheduling of audits, performing risk assessments to determine which audits will be performed each year, and conducting training for staff. I’m really excited and it’s awsome to be given this opportunity with less than 10 months at the company! My managers, directors, and fellow seniors had wonderful things to say about me that are very nice to hear every now and then:).

I have my maternity leave pretty much figured out with my manager, as well. I will take my full 12 weeks off which puts me back to work around the middle of December. For the rest of the month, I will work a part-time schedule (3 or so days a week) with Billy probably taking off the days I work to stay with the baby. Then we will start full-time daycare on 1/2/06. We’ve spent the last few weeks touring different learning centers here, and it appears they are all quite similar. We went to an in-home lady today that a friend of mine used for a few years and absolutely loved. We really liked her a lot and are leaning towards having the baby there for the first few years and then sending her/him to full-time preschool. She’s very close to our house, has a lot of the same philosophies as we do such as discipline and schedules, and one of the best parts is that she is only watching 1 other little girl (2 years old) on a part-time basis, so our baby would receive a ton of 1×1 attention. It’s almost like having a nanny, just at someone else’s house! We’re going to keep thinking about it over the next few days and hopefully come to a decision soon.

Your Baby’s Development

Now about the size of a softball, baby is developing a complete skeletal system and muscles, too.

Also this week, you can expect the following:

• On Baby’s head, hair will start to take on color as it continues growing.

• Bone marrow is developing. Marrow is the source of stem cells, which are special blood-forming cells in the body.

• Ears are almost in their final position now, although they are still a bit low on the head.

• Baby may begin to suck her thumb, so during an ultrasound, watch closely for this!

• Baby’s eyes are still wide apart, but as her head continues to take shape, her eyes will continue to move closer together and into their final position.

Your Development

At this time, your hard-at-work heart is pumping about 20 percent more blood than it was before you were pregnant, in order to supply Baby with more oxygen. This will continue until your blood volume has increased by 30-35 percent.

Also this week, your doctor may begin to measure your “fundal height”—the distance from the top of the uterus to the pubic bone. By measuring your fundal height, your doctor can determine if Baby is growing as expected. In addition to Baby’s growth progress, you may be wondering about gender. If you have an ultrasound during the next few weeks, the technician may be able to pinpoint your baby’s gender.
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I had a really good week this week, no nausea at all! Hopefully what I’ve been hearing and reading about the second trimester being the “feel good” one is true! I’m having some pain in my left hip and down my leg if I walk for too long that started a month or so ago, which I’ve never had before pregnancy, so I’ll have to ask the doctor about it. Our next appointment is on Monday! I had yesterday off work, so I did some shopping as I have very few winter/spring things left to wear, so I bought a few long sleeve shirts and sweaters to get me through until I can wear all the summer clothes that mom and dad bought me!

We toured 3 daycare centers this week, 2 we really liked and got a good feel from. The other was a really nice facility, but we weren’t as impressed with the director and it’s much further from home. We have set-up an appointment for another center next Friday and for an in-home lady on Thursday, Vicky. My friend Jen used Vicky for 2 years with her first little boy and recommends her 110%. She’s about a 1/2 mile from our house, which we love. Hopefully we like her as much as Jen does. We’re just not sure if we’d rather go in-home or with a center (more structured learning, etc.). I guess we still have a few weeks to decide:).

Hello 2nd trimester!!

Your Baby’s Development

This week, Baby begins to develop hair. Soft, peachfuzz-like hair is beginning to appear on baby’s head, although by delivery day both its texture and color may change. Lanugo (very fine, downy hair) continues to grow over Baby’s body to protect her delicate skin. Fine, soft eyebrows are also appearing. Baby now weighs between one and two ounces and is about 3.6 inches long

Here’s what else you can expect this week:

• You won’t be able to feel it, but Baby is practicing “breathing” motions, moving the amniotic fluid in and out of her lungs.

• The prostate gland begins to develop in boys.

• In girls, the ovaries descend from the abdomen into the pelvis.

• As the thyroid matures, it produces more growth hormones.

• Ears and eyes continue to move into place.

• Baby’s neck is getting longer.

• Tiny hands are beginning to function, although their movements may be mostly reflexive.

Your Development

By now you’re probably familiar with some of the skin changes that can occur during pregnancy due to your hormonal changes. If you had skin spots or moles before getting pregnant, these may be getting bigger or darker — or you may see some new moles developing on your body. (Of course, if an existing mole changes dramatically, you should have your doctor check it. At this point in your pregnancy, you may experience bouts of constipation as your uterus presses on the bowel and your hormones relax the bowel muscles, making them less efficient. Eating lots of fiber, drinking plenty of liquids and exercising sensibly can help prevent constipation. Again, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor if constipation persists.

At this point, you should talk to your doctor about the need for a blood test, called the triple-screen. This involves measuring three substances in your blood and using the results to estimate your risk for having an infant with one of several birth defects, such as brain and spinal cord malformations, or Down syndrome. If the test suggests there may be a problem, your doctor will probably advise an amniocentesis to analyze the amniotic fluid. Some doctors today are combining the triple-screen results with a specialized ultrasound examination during the first trimester to screen for women who should have an amniocentesis. If you’re over age 35 or you have a family history of birth defects, some sort of prenatal diagnostic study is usually recommended. As always, you should discuss any risks involved with these or any other tests with your doctor.

I think some of my bloating from last week has gone down a bit, so the upper belly is back to normal, but the baby belly is still growing! I’m in 100% maternity pants now and shirts are getting extremely difficult…my normal ones are getting too small, but maternity is too big. Thank goodness it’s still cool enough to wear sweaters, as most of those work. Oh, and isn’t morning sickness supposed to be over by now? I haven’t had any real morning sickness, but if I don’t eat every few hours I don’t feel well. Tonight, I got sick (2nd time). It was about 8:30 and I hadn’t ate anything since about 2pm, so that’s probably why. As a result, nothing sounded good, so dinner was cereal, which is pretty typical right now, as nothing much sounds good. Poor Billy, I used to make dinner every night, now he’s lucky if I make something once a week! Anyway, here’s the belly picture from today!

According to some books, websites, and my mom, 13 weeks is the second trimester. However, according to other books and websites, the second trimester doesn’t begin until the end of the 13th week, or 14 weeks. Oh well, either way we’re really close!

As of now, I’ve only gained about 2.5 pounds which I think is pretty average (I’ve read 2-5 pounds in the first trimester is the guideline) but starting next week, I’m supposed to be gaining about 0.5 - 0.75 pounds per week! I’m feeling really good, my energy levels are back up and I’m usually able to stay awake until 10pm (much better than the 8:30 it was there for awhile!), but I still tire easily.

We are walking Brody for 30 minutes everynight (which by the way, he had his final check-up on Tuesday and he’s been given the full release, yeah!!) and I have prenatal yoga and pilates tapes that I keep meaning to use:).

Our next appt is 3/28 which will be the routine check-up (urine sample, weight, blood pressure and listen for the heartbeat). We use our doppler on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s and last night, the bpm was 162!

We can’t wait to start feeling movement, hopefully only another month or so!

Your Baby’s Development

It’s still fairly early in your pregnancy, but Baby is already capable of quite a lot! If you poke your stomach gently with your finger, she may begin to turn her head toward you; some experts think this may be the beginning of the rooting reflex (looking for a nipple). By now she can put a thumb in her mouth, although her sucking muscles aren’t completely developed yet. And female infants have already accumulated about two million eggs in their ovaries, although this number will naturally drop to one million at birth.

Your baby’s head growth has slowed down; this week, her head makes up about half her body length. By week 21, her head will be about a third the size of her body, and by birth it will only be about a fourth. The fetus, which is now about three inches long and a little more than an ounce in weight, would now fit into your cupped hands.

Here’s what else you can expect this week:

• Tiny ribs will be developing.

• Vocal cords will begin forming.

• Baby’s eyelids will fuse together to protect her delicate eyes.

• Tissues and organs will continue to mature.

• Bone marrow, liver and spleen will be able to produce blood cells now.

• Fingerprints are beginning to form.

Your Development

Welcome to the second trimester, when most women begin to feel much more comfortable than they did in their earlier stages of pregnancy. The side effects of early pregnancy (frequent urination, fatigue, nausea, dizziness) lessen during the second trimester. Your uterus is still small enough so that you can easily go about your daily activities.

At 13 weeks, the uterus starts growing upward into the abdomen, and you may feel some abdominal achiness as the ligaments supporting the uterus stretch. Up until now you may not have gained much weight, but as your baby starts growing rapidly, you’ll see your weight increase respectively.

Even though birth is still months away, your breasts may already have started to make colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that will feed Baby for the first few days after birth. As the breasts enlarge, you may notice veins appearing under the skin and the areola enlarging and turning brown. Experts think this darker color around the nipple may be a visual cue for the breastfeeding baby.

You may also start to see the first signs of stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts, hips, or buttocks. (Since stretch marks are partly genetic, you may be able to predict ahead of time whether you’ll experience them or not.) By applying moisturizing creams, you can make your skin more elastic and can help reduce the itchiness that accompanies the development of stretch marks. Creams may also help reduce the severity of the marks, although it’s difficult to prevent them from occurring entirely. The good news is that the marks will be less noticeable after pregnancy, when they’ll probably fade to a more normal skin color.

It definitely seems like I’ve grown in the last week!

Today we came home to find that our Doppler system had FINALLY been delivered. This allows us to listen to the babies heartbeat.. That is if you can find it!

We gave it a try, and I (Billy) was able to find it right away!! We listened to it several times and then recorded it. You can listen to it HERE

We have timed it to around: 168bpm

Your Baby’s Development

By week 12, your baby has a profile, complete with a little chin and a tiny nose. Inside the mouth, folded tissues join to form the palate, or roof of the mouth, which separates the oral and nasal cavities. Baby continues to grow and is now about three inches long.

Some other fascinating things will happen in the twelfth week:

• The circulatory system will begin functioning.

• Amniotic fluid will build up as the baby’s kidneys begin to produce and excrete urine into the fluid.

• Baby’s pancreas will begin to produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

• Baby’s liver will start to secrete bile, a thick greenish fluid stored in the gall bladder that helps the body digest fats.

• The muscles in the intestinal walls will begin to practice contractions. Basically, Baby is “practicing” the digestive processes that will begin once she is born.

• The brain’s basic structure is intact by the end of the week, and brain mass is growing all the time.

• The pituitary gland will begin to produce hormones.

• Soft, non-pigmented hair (believed to protect Baby’s skin before birth) will begin to appear on Baby’s body. Most of this hair, called lanugo, will disappear soon after Baby is born.

Your Development

Week 12 brings some mixed blessings for mom. Sometime during this week your uterus will probably move upward and forward as it continues to enlarge. This means it will temporarily ease the pressure on your bladder. Eventually, however, your uterus will get large enough so that it will again push against the bladder, increasing your need to urinate.

During this week, you may notice your skin becoming more radiant due to your increased blood volume and pregnancy hormones. As more blood flows through your blood vessels and hormones increase oil gland secretion, you may experience flushed, plumper, smoother skin. This hormone-related oil activity may have other effects on your skin as well, such as temporary acne, or brown patches called chloasma on the face or neck. Not to worry – most of these skin problems are only temporary, and many disappear after birth.

Many women now start to feel better than ever before in the pregnancy as fatigue and nausea fade away. Because of hormonal changes, and as your body prepares for childbirth, You may notice you’re gaining weight in your hips, legs and sides. As a result, you might feel more comfortable in loose-fitting, early-stage pregnancy clothes.

I definitely started “popping” more this week and have found that even though I’m not really showing, maternity pants are SO comfortable!

Your Baby’s Development

Your baby’s growth will really pick up speed over the next few weeks. By the end of this week, Baby will be about two inches from head to bottom, and still weighs about half an ounce — but she’ll double in size and weight in about three weeks. To handle this growth, the blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in size and number, providing Baby with more nutrients.

Other changes you can expect this week include:

• Baby’s ears will move toward their final position on the sides of her head.

• Your baby’s external genitalia are beginning to develop, and in a few weeks you may be able to tell whether you’re having a boy or girl.

• Baby will begin to swallow and kick.

• Bones will begin to slowly solidify, although most of the skeleton is still made of flexible material.

• Nerve cells in the brain are busy connecting with each other, building pathways for future communication.

• All major organs will be fully developed.

• Spinal nerves will begin to stretch out from the spinal cord.

• Fingernails will begin to appear.

• With a special hand-held device, your doctor will be able to hear the fetus’ rapid heartbeat.

Your Development

As you approach the end of the first trimester, your uterus continues to expand, almost filling your pelvis as it supports your growing baby. Although you probably won’t need to start wearing maternity clothes for a few more weeks, your waist is continuing to grow.

You’ll probably start to notice other changes in your body. For example, your changing hormones have triggered an increase in your skin’s production of melanin, which results in the development of a dark vertical line of pigmentation on your abdomen, called the linea nigra. This line is a common sign of pregnancy and will fade, although it may not completely disappear, after pregnancy. The fairer skinned you are, the less noticeable this line will be both during and after pregnancy.

Hormones also affect hair and nails; many women discover that during pregnancy, their nails grow faster and their hair stops shedding. As a result, your hair will seem thicker and fuller than ever before. (A word of caution: Although it has never been proven that hair dyes or perming chemicals harm a developing fetus, it’s a good idea to avoid these procedures until after your first trimester, or even better, until after baby is born.)

From our Baby:

I will start kindergarten in 2011,
be old enough to drive a car in 2021,
and will graduate High School with
the Class of 2024