Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 26 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

As your belly gets bigger and your baby's movements increase, you are probably beginning to think more and more of your upcoming birth. And you may find that birth plans you were comfortable with early in your pregnancy no longer work for you. Many women begin to seriously rethink their plans for birth around this time. Remember, hardly any decisions you have made are set in stone. Many women have changed care providers -- even during the final weeks of their pregnancy. It is important to make decisions that are best for you and your family.

To be honest, I really have no "set" birth plan. Since this is my first and I have no idea what to expect really, I'm pretty much open for whatever needs to be done. I just think that I can have all the plans in the world about how I want my labor and delivery to go but in the end it will have nothing to do with what I want and everything to do with what my body wants and how it reacts to what is happening. So yeah, like I said, I'm pretty much open to whatever, lol!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby may be very active between weeks 24 to 28, when small size and ample amniotic fluid allow for freedom of movement. You may feel your baby jump in response to loud sounds or "settle" at the sound of your voice. Studies indicate that your baby can respond to touch. Your baby is around 14 inches from head to toe, and weighs 1 pound, 12 ounces to 2 pounds 3 ounces.

This little one was doing somersaults the other day....quite a weird sensation! There are also times when the baby is really active and you can actually see my tummy push out where the baby is moving! This one is getting VERY active!

FACT OF THE WEEK

Once your baby arrives, it may be a while until you get away on a vacation. Air travel may also be out of the question in just a few short weeks. Many practitioners do not recommend air travel after the seventh month because there is a chance you could go into labor away from your home and a convenient neonatal intensive care unit. To be on the safe side, check with your practitioner before planning air travel in your last trimester.

Yeah, this summer is going to be very un-eventful! Not a whole lot one at 7 months pregnant can do at this point going forward......boooorrrrriiiinnnggggg.

Just a little update......

There's no mistaken when this little one moves around now, lol! The baby's movement is no longer a lite flutter....it's become a little soccer player (or a boxer) in there. I have been able to feel from the outside for a few weeks now off an on and a couple of days ago John was around to feel it too for the first time.

Last night while watching TV the baby started kicking really good, but by the time I got John to come over and feel it, it was over. The baby likes to do this to us. :) I'll start to feel movement and put my hand to my tummy and automatically the baby just stops moving. Our little one loves to play this game with us. :) So far this baby's favorite places to kick or punch me have been my bladder and right behind my belly button.....so uncomfortable! Behind the belly button is the worst I think, it's like someone poking their finger really hard into it....ouch!

What else is there to update on? We've planned on taking Memorial Day weekend to completely clean out the study so we can start on the nursery. We need to get the carpet cleaned and stretched in there and then we'll start looking at painting the walls and maybe finally decide on what crib bedding we like best. I'm starting to panic just a little because we basically have 3 months left in this pregnancy and still have nothing done. I really want to get going.....

Oh, I also wanted to update everyone who voted on our "Name Poll" a while back. Well...there's not much to update, lol! We are still no closer to picking a girl name now then we were before! Actually, we have another name that we really like as well as the other two. So, it looks like we should hope for a boy (since we already have that name), lol! If it does turn out to be a girl, we probably won't have a name until she's born....how bad is that!? Well, we still have a few months to get our act together, right?! There's still hope!

Congratulations!

You have a 31% chance of having a boy.
And you have a 68% chance of having a girl.

And Here's Why...
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.

The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your preganacy, so it's a girl.

Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy.

Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy.

You are having a girl.

Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.

The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.

You didn't have morning sickness early in pregnancy, so it will be a boy.

Your chest development has not been very dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a boy.

Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.

Your urine is a dull yellow color, so you will have a girl.

You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.

Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.

You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.

Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl.

You must have orange juice every day, so it's a girl.

You are not having headaches, so it's a girl.

Your belly looks like a watermelon, so it's a girl.

You show them the palm of your hand, so it's a girl.

You use the handle, so it's a boy.

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 25 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU
Itch, itch, and itch. Your abdominal skin, which is being drawn taut, may be driving you crazy. Try massaging your skin with olive oil or cocoa butter, if not allergic. If persistent itching continues, be sure to mention to your care provider. It could be "PUPP" (pruritic urticarial papules and placques of pregnancy); the most common of all pregnancy skin conditions, or rarely, associated with a serious liver condition.

Not really experiencing itchy skin. Maybe because I use lotion daily. Usually in the summer I don't use lotion so much but have kept up the "winter" routine even for the summer so hopefully this won't become a problem later on.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY
Your baby weighs one pound, nine ounces, and measures 22 centimeters crown-to-rump. Your baby's ears are fully functional now, and he or she may even blink in reaction to a loud noise. The brain is growing rapidly. If you could look inside your uterus, you'd see a well-proportioned head and body. Your baby's first meconium stool has been formed in the large intestine and will be excreted in the days following the birth. Some babies will pass some meconium in the amniotic fluid before the birth. This would require suctioning at the time of your baby's birth.

Our little one is definitely getting stronger, lol! I no longer feel little flutters in my tummy, but more like full blown kicks. I've also been starting to feel them from the outside over the last couple weeks. It's pretty sporadic but on occasion I'll be able to feel it. :)

FACT OF THE WEEK
If you are nursing, in the early days following your baby's birth, he or she will receive small, but potent, quantities of your colostrum, which is loaded with nutrients and antibodies. During the first six weeks of life, a baby won't produce many antibodies, making him or her more prone to infection. However, colostrum provides maternal antibodies, extending this special protection to the newest member of your family. Colostrum is the perfect food for your baby's first days of life.
Preceding more mature breast milk, colostrum also helps to clear meconium from your baby's intestines. This prevents it from being partially reabsorbed, which can lead to jaundice in your newborn.

I'm taking a breast feeding class in July. There's so much to learn that I figured it would be best to take the class the hospital offers. I hope I get a lot of good advice and info because this is one area that obviously is completely foreign to me and I really want to be successful at it.

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are 24 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

It is very normal to experience anxiety about your pregnancy weight gain. The prospect of putting on 25 to 30 pounds in less than a year is one that many women fear or dread. As your appetite increases, with your feeling of well-being, during the second trimester -- and due to changes in your metabolism -- you may find it extremely easy to gain weight. Your body is doing what it is supposed to! Just keep in mind that while you might be able to indulge in an occasional chocolate bar or piece of baklava when not pregnant, it might turn into fat now. Make every calorie count by eating a varied diet of healthy foods. Select snacks from foods such as cheese, plain yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, fruits and veggies.
Much of the weight gained during pregnancy goes to your baby and the products of conception:

Fetus: 7.5 to 8.5 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 1 to 2 pounds
Placenta: 1 to 2 pounds
Increase of blood and fluid volume: 4 to 8 pounds
Uterine muscles: 2 to 3 pounds
Breasts: 2 to 3 pounds
Fat deposits around internal organs: 2 to 10 pounds

So far at 24 weeks, I've gained 10 lbs. Not too bad I think. I'll be happy if in these last 16 weeks I only gain another 10 lbs...or hopefully less then that. :)

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Rapid eye movement has begun. Your baby, weighs in at one pound, six ounces, and measures 21 centimeters crown-to-rump.
Remember that if you drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy it is never too late to quit! Each day you go without a drink or cigarette improves your baby's chance of being healthy at birth and beyond. Drinking alcohol is the number one cause of mental retardation.

EATING FOR TWO

Dehydration may cause preterm labor or an increase in uterine irritability, so be sure to drink six to eight (eight ounce) glasses of fluids every day. It helps some women to fill two, one-quart containers with water each morning so they don't lose count as the day progresses. Fruit juices and milk can count toward the magic 64.

It's easier said then done to drink 64 oz of fluids when your pregnant! I guess if you don't mind being in the bathroom all day long it's not a big deal but.....I don't like too! I do try to drink water as much as possible, it's just not usually the 64 oz that recommended.

FACT OF THE WEEK

This is an excellent time to review some warning signs. Be sure to let your care provider know -- day or night -- if you have any of these signs or symptoms of preterm labor.
These would include uterine contractions or tightenings that increase in frequency or are occurring five times in one hour. Notify your provider or the hospital if you have any bleeding -- even if it is scant or brown in color. If you have any vaginal discharge -- especially if it is watery -- this could be a sign of a leak or rupture in your amniotic sac. Infection is a risk, so call your care provider immediately. If you notice a change in the pattern of your baby's movement, it would be good to notify them as well. Maternal symptoms, such as severe or persistent headache, abdominal pain, pain with urination or backache that might indicate a bladder or kidney infection should never be ignored.

· Are you really in labor?

· Are the contractions regular? In general, contractions coming at regular intervals are a sign of real labor, although some women never have regular contractions.

· Walk: If labor strengthens, call your practitioner. False labor contractions usually decrease with movement.

· In general, true labor contractions become more intense. With false labor, intensity may waver or decrease. Early contractions may feel like indigestion.

· Call your practitioner. Get his or her opinion about what is going on. It may be better to make an unnecessary trip to the office or hospital, rather than ignore a situation that could be serious.

· Drink a cup of hot tea while taking a warm, relaxing bath -- if you haven't had any leakage of fluids. This can slow or stop false contractions.

· Don't be afraid to pay a visit to your practitioner or go to the hospital. False labor and real labor can be difficult to differentiate.

Today I am 22 weeks & 2 days

Your Pregnancy: A Week-by-Week Guide

You are now in your 23rd Week of Pregnancy!

WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING WITH YOU THIS WEEK:
What exactly are Braxton Hicks contractions? Your uterus undergoes periods of contraction and relaxation from the moment of conception. Even in the non-pregnant state, the uterine muscle rhythmically contracts and relaxes. These cycles become more noticeable as your pregnancy advances. Commonly known as Braxton Hicks contractions, they may be felt as tightening in your lower abdomen. They are never (very) painful and are erratic in frequency. You might be more likely to experience them after a busy day, following exercise, after making love, or even when you are a bit dehydrated. Drinking fluids may help quiet the uterus. These contractions may last from 15 seconds to one minute. (Be sure to notify your care provider if you experience more than four in a one-hour period, if they change in intensity -- becoming painful -- and/or they are accompanied by vaginal secretions.
The good news? While annoying at times, Braxton Hicks contractions begin the process of ripening your cervix (softening and effacement), which just might mean an easier labor for you!

Haven't felt these Braxton Hicks yet. I do know that when I'm on my feet for too long the muscles in my lower abdomen will start to ache but that's about it. Not really looking forward to when it does start.

WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY THIS WEEK:

Your baby is now about 20 centimeters crown-to-rump and hovering around the one pound (500 grams) mark. Your baby's lungs have begun to develop surfactant, a substance that will help your baby's lungs to expand following birth. And his or her fingernails are now completely formed.

It is very obvious to me that this baby is getting bigger, lol! Sometimes I feel like I'm carrying around a bowling ball inside me! There's definitely a "heavy" feeling happening.

EATING FOR TWO

In the third trimester, your baby begins to collect and store iron. This is one good reason for continuing prenatal vitamins. A supplement with 30 milligrams of iron per day is highly recommended, since women often don't get enough iron through diet alone. Your body also demands iron because of the huge increase in blood volume that occurs during pregnancy. For breakfast, try one cup of Total cereal or Special K Plus or Product 19, which are fortified with iron, or Cream of Wheat, which has 10 milligrams of iron. To boost the absorption, drink a large glass of orange juice or eat another food rich in Vitamin C.

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to keep up with all these vitamins that I need to increase in my diet. I have a hard enough time just finding food that sounds good to me at all! Guess it's a good thing I take my pre-natals religiously.

FACT OF THE WEEK

Considering a homebirth? For women who have uncomplicated pregnancies with excellent prenatal care, a homebirth can be a safe option. Research your options carefully and talk with other parents as well as your care provider.

These conditions may rule out a homebirth:

· Placenta previa
· Preeclampsia or eclampsia
· Certain complications in previous pregnancies
· Hypertension
· Multiple pregnancies
· Premature labor (before 36 weeks)
· Abnormal presentation, such as breech positioning
· Active herpes simplex virus

Any woman that has the courage to have a home birth has all my respect. Lord knows I would NEVER even consider it! I'm all for hospitals and epiderals!!!!!