Get ready for a groth spurt! In the next few weeks, your baby will double it's weight and add inches to its length. Right now, Baby is the size of an avocado, about 4.5 inches in length and 3.5 ounces. Legs are more developed, and the head is more erect than it has been, eyes have moved closer to the front of the head. The ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of Baby's scalp has begun, though locks aren't recognizable yet. Baby is even starting to grow toenails. And there is a lot happening inside as well- The heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount continues to increase as Baby continues to develop.
Soon we can look forward to one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy- feeling the baby move. Some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, but many don't feel the baby move until 18-20 weeks. The earliest movements may feel like flutters, gas bubbles, or even popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll feel them much more frequently.
Here is my tummy...
This picture isn't a great one, only because I don't think I look any bigger than last week, in fact I maybe look smaller.... I can assure you I am not! But I think I like to wear these shirts because they are more flattering for my belly than some, but apparently they don't help in showing the progress of my baby bump!
I don't know if I have truly experienced this "quickening" yet. There were a few times while at work I noticed a different feeling in my lower abdomen, but I think it could also easily be mistaken for gas. The times I think I may notice it more than others are early in the morning, when I am half awake, I think I feel movements... then I wake up fully and it seems like nothing is there. So maybe I am just hopeful, and dreaming of feeling our baby move. It is hard to imagine what is going on in there. With an appointment only every 4 weeks, and just a tiny heartbeat to hear while we are there, it can be worrysome waiting for the next appointment- I just want to know that everything is going ok all the time! So when I feel these movements, I think it will help ease some tension. Because as I'm sure any mother naturally does, I already am so in love with our little baby to be, I am just so anxious to know he/she is growing and healthy and happy....
Our next appointment is September 10th, and after that we will schedule our ultrasound for the first week in October- I am so excited!!
2 comments:
Don't worry too much :) Losing a baby this far into the pregnancy is pretty rare. Most likely your baby will be just fine. You look great by the way!
I actually used to feel Grace most often in the mornings or late at night too--whenever I was the most immobile. And it seems like I first started to feel her around 4 months too, so about this time for you. I completely understand about your worrying if your baby is ok. I would always feel SO relieved after accidentally sleeping on my back or whatever to feel Grace kicking and moving around again. But like your friend said, your baby should be just fine; you'll feel them more and more (and more and more strongly) as time goes on. I can't believe you'll get to find out what you're having in a little over a month--SO exciting (though I know that still feels so far away)!! I love hearing about your pregnancy, and am so glad that everything is going well! Love you! Jenny
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