21 Week Scan

We had a 21 week scan on the 19th of April with Dr.Nel & all seems to be going really well with our little girl! She's really started kicking so that I feel her regularly! It is very exciting to know that she's in there & turning kung-fu style somersaults in her amniotic fluid! Dr.Nel also said that she's a few days ahead of her revised due date of 27 August, so who knows when she'll arrive!?

We've been offered a lot of baby stuff from people which is really great as we don't have to go out and buy tons of stuff. I'm feeling quite 'nesty' but finding it frustrating that I've not got a room to prepare for her - just a space (which we're using right now so it will have to wait).

I've been feeling really emotionally sensitive. I read on BabyCenter's site that the heightened emotional state lasts for 18 to 24 months. Great.

I've also had a lot of back pain & acid, and when I exercise my uterus has started going rock hard so I have to stop...but otherwise feeling well :)

Pic 1: 
Dr.Nel says she has really long legs, arms and fingers! You can see her fingers in this scan quite clearly

Pic 2: 

Its a bit like a weather report, but this is adorable when you know what's going on:
She's got her face turned almost directly towards the 'camera' on the left of the picture & she's rubbing her left elbow (left arm bent & tucked behind her left ear so left elbow visible from behind her head) with her right fingers.


Baby Centre says:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Half Way!

We hit the 'half-way' mark yesterday! 20 weeks! We have a scan in one week (next Tuesday) where we will get to see her again! I'm so looking forward to seeing how she's grown & developed.

I've been feeling lots of squirming & squiggling & a few bumps & pulls...I can especially feel them when I lie on my back & she is awake -- Its so great to know when she's awake! :)

We've booked into a weekend antenatal course on the 7th & 8th of May with Aline & Sean.


Baby Centre says:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

How your life's changing:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so 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 to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

If you haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one, especially if you're a first-timer. A structured class will help prepare you and your partner for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, one-day session. Many communities have independent instructors as well. Ask your friends, family members, or caregiver for recommendations.

Almost 20 weeks!

We've just went 19 weeks on Monday (its Friday today) and my belly is really starting to protrude in a big way!   My belly button is getting shallower and shallower.

I think I've felt the first movements - sort of like going through a dip too fast..and a 'tugging' from the inside sort of feeling: really hard to explain!

We have been referring to our baby as 'Stella' so I think its most likely the name that will stick.. We spoke with somebody in Argentina who suggested 'Stella Maris' as it means star of the sea or virgin or the sea & it is a real 'latin' name. We like that :)

Baby Centre says:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.