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.

14 Weeks...

SO HAPPY! :)

I'm so pleased to have entered the 2nd Trimester!! It feels as if a thick mental and physical fog has lifted & I finally have some energy back! ...I have the odd moment of feeling quite nauseous, but otherwise feel much better!!

We have a midwife appointment with Sandy on Monday & we've found a good antenatal class to attend (with Mama Bamba - we'll be attending in May with Sean & Aline) :)
2 weeks until we leave for Argentina...so exciting!!

Baby Center Says:

How your baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

How your life's changing:

Welcome to your second trimester! Your energy is likely returning, your breasts may be feeling less tender, and your queasiness may have completely abated by now. If not, hang on — chances are good it will soon be behind you (although an unlucky few will still feel nauseated months from now).

The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

13 Weeks...& its a GIRL!

We had our very important Fetal Assessment Clinic scan yesterday & everything looks PERFECT....we also learned that we're going to have a little daughter! :)

I'm feeling quite a lot better sickness wise this week....but I'm still feeling really tired (and quite irritable a lot of the time)...

I've had a few cravings so far:
Rice -- with Cape Malay Rice Spice
Rice Cakes
Thai Green Veg curry
Veg Sushi (sushi rice!)
Naan bread & Indian foods
(Spicy stuff in general actually)
Bobotie (I made some for lunch today)
Orange Juice
Plain Croissants
Milk

I've pretty much gone off sweet stuff (never thought I'd see they day!)

We like the name 'Stella Maria Ross' but both our moms have a problem with it! Geoff's mom says it reminds her too much of her nightmare mother in law who was called Stella. My mom thinks its too 'hard'. Oh well...they must come up with better alternatives for our consideration if they don't like our name!!

How your baby's growing:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.
See what your baby looks like this week.
Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

This is the last week of your first trimester, and your risk of miscarriage is now much lower than earlier in pregnancy. Next week marks the beginning of your second trimester, a time of relative comfort for many women who see early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue subside. More good news: Many couples also notice a distinct libido lift around this time. Birth is still months away, but your breasts may have already started making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow

11 Weeks

It is week 11 for baby Ross & I am feeling a bit more like a sloth than someone who is about to enter into the seriously responsible roll of being a mother. At least I have 6 more months to get used to the idea.

T'Neal sent me this:

"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."

— G.K. Chesterton

..and I really do feel at times like there is a ginormous task ahead of me. The lack of knowing how things are going is driving me a little crazy & I really want to know now whether we are having a little boy or a little girl... I thought of a really pretty girl's name in the last week: Stella. Geoff likes it too :) We still like Fynn best for a boy. The names Lily and Noah are too popular :(

We have our 12 week scan on Monday the 14th Feb -- on Valentines day :)

I'm so excited that Aline & Eloise are experiencing these things at the same time as me. It is also nice that Aline has experienced the process before...she's so encouraging.

Here is the news for this week's development

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden. She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

9 Weeks....

I'm feeling so tearful... I went to http://www.babycentre.co.uk though and watched this vid & I must say, it made me feel a bit more excited about what I'm going through. I just don't have energy & I'm really struggling to get my work done. There seems to just be way too much to do (even though I know that there really actually isn't).

I've just messed a whole glass of water on my desk for the second time in the last week. Grr.

I had no idea what to have for lunch yesterday so I made the most delicious Banana Crêpes with Bluegum Honey. They were so unbelievably yum that I'm not sure I'm going to resist making them on a regular basis.

I really need to focus. Get some work done so I can really relax. Tuesday. 9w1d. We leave for Argentina on the 16th of March. I am looking forward to feeling better for that!

Our next appointment is on the 14th of Feb with Dr.Caro Nel at Constantiaberg. She's going to be the Gynecologist who will C-section me if necessary on Squid's birth day. We should be finding out if we have a boy or a girl squid > I'm looking forward to finding out because I am looking forward to thinking about having a boy or a girl baby instead of just thinking 'baby'. I really don't mind which: I just want to know soon.

Nina found me a pregnancy exercise class in Kommetjie. I start tomorrow at 9am & will attend the class weekly. I really hope that it will help me relax & connect with my feelings better. I am also missing getting some exercise done so that will be great.

So this is what's going on:
By the end of this week, your baby measures about 2.3cm in length and weighs less than 2g. His eyelids, now completely covering his eyes, are fused and won't open until week 26. Tiny earlobes are now visible.

Your baby's essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Already he looks more like a tiny human being. His wrists are more developed, his ankles have formed, and his fingers and toes are clear to see. His arms are growing longer and bend at the elbows. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, he's poised for rapid weight gain.

Though it's not yet possible to tell the sex of your baby by ultrasound, his genitals have begun to form. By now the placenta has developed enough to support most of the important job of producing hormones. The placenta is also making nutrients for your baby and getting rid of his waste products.