25 Weeks Today :)

Inside the Womb at 25 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy Companion

Photo courtesy of Babycenter

Child length: approximately 13 inches  (about the size of a zucchini)

Child weight: 1.7 - 2 lbs

At this stage: The child learns grasping reflex on the umbilical cord. It very often sucks his fingers.

Wrinkled skin will smooth out and your baby will start to look more and more like a newborn. Your baby is also growing more hair - and  if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture!

Your baby also has fully formed fingerprints, its bones continue to harden and its nostrils are starting to open.

Your baby is now able to hear your voice when you speak. Surfactant is starting to be made in significant quantities and is a very important substance needed for the lungs to function.

Now roughly the size of a soccer ball, your uterus is halfway between your sternum and your belly button. All this growing might cause your stretched out skin to feel itchy in places. Try to relieve the itching with lotions and moisturizers.

Days left to birth: 105

Due date: 11 November 2013

Data Sources: Babybump, Babycenter, I'm Expecting, Pregnancy Assistant & Pregnancy Companion

"While you were sleeping..."

23 Weeks!

Inside the Womb at 23 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy Companion

Photo courtesy of Babycenter

Child length: 9.8 - 11 inches  (about the size of a large mango)

Child weight: 1.1 - 1.3 lbs

At this stage: In this week of pregnancy, your baby is filling out. His face has formed, ears are in place, and eyes are complete (although his lids are still closed). He has eyelashes, fingernails, and may be growing hair. Babies born this early can survive but they need a lot of intensive care.

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With a sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel your dance. And now that he or she's more than 11 inches long and weighs over a pound,  you may be able to see him or her squirm underneath your clothes.

His or her hearing is becoming more keen. In fact, your baby's cochlea - the inner ear mechanism is fully formed. He or she can hear what you hear, but not at the same level. (Sounds and voices are muffled by the muscles and tissues around your belly, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid).

Hiccupping is getting more common and you will often feel your baby stretching.

Days left to birth: 119

Due date: 11 November 2013

Data Sources: Babycenter, I'm Pregnant, Pregnancy Assistant & Pregnancy Companion

"While you were sleeping..."

The Cookie of Love

Captured photos last night while Ate Amber was sharing her favorite cookie with her baby sibling.

The Cookie of Love

Amber: "Baby, here's a cookie for you."

Last time, she gave her baby sibling half-drunk bottle of her yakult, this time she shares her cookie.

 So proud of my daughter, and I can't wait to see her and her baby sibling to meet in person.

I know that she will be a sweet and loving big sister.

Thanks be to God for blessing me such a daughter like her!

"Precious memories in the making..."

Leg Cramps :(

Last Tuesday, it was the very first time I've experienced leg cramps for this pregnancy. It was around 5 o' clock in the morning while I was stretching my left leg while in bed, I felt it. 

Such a painful one but oh, another joy of pregnancy!

To share about it, here's what I've read from Babycenter:


Why am I having leg cramps during pregnancy?

No one really knows why pregnant women get more leg cramps. It's possible that your leg muscles are tired from carrying around all of your extra weight. Or they may be aggravated by the pressure your expanding uterus puts on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and the nerves that lead from your trunk to your legs.

Leg cramps may start to plague you during your second trimester and may get worse as your pregnancy progresses and your belly gets bigger. While these cramps can occur during the day, you'll probably notice them most at night, when they can interfere with your ability to get a good night's sleep.
How can I prevent leg cramps?

Try these tips for keeping leg cramps at bay:
* Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
* Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
* Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.
* Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.
* Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.
* Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.
* Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.

Some research suggests that taking a magnesium supplement in addition to a prenatal vitamin may help some women avoid leg cramps. However, other research showed that magnesium supplements had no significant effect on the frequency or intensity of leg cramps during pregnancy. Check with your provider before taking any kind of supplement during pregnancy.

You may have heard that having leg cramps is a sign that you need more calcium, and that calcium supplements will relieve the problem. Though it's certainly important to get enough calcium, there's no good evidence that taking extra calcium will help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. In fact, in one well-designed study, pregnant women taking calcium got no more relief from leg cramps than those taking a placebo.

What's the best way to relieve a cramp when I get one?
If you do get a cramp, immediately stretch your calf muscles: Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your toes back toward your shins. It might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away. You can try to relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot water bottle. Walking around for a few minutes may help too.

What if the pain persists?
Call your practitioner if your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp or if you notice swelling, redness, or tenderness in your leg, or the area feels warm to your touch. These may be signs of a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention. Blood clots are relatively rare, but they're more common during pregnancy.

"Joys of Pregnancy"

22 Weeks Fetal Development

Inside the Womb at 22 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy Companion

Photo courtesy of Babycenter

Child length: 8.7 - 10.6 inches  (about the size of a carrot)

Child weight: approximately 1.1 lbs

At this stage: Your baby is probably quite active by now and you should be able to feel movement or kicks in your belly. It might even be possible to see the movements on the surface of your skin. Half a litre of amniotic fluid in the sac is exchanged every 3-4 hours.

Rapid eye movement and dreaming begins.

At this stage, the baby is practicing inhaling and exhaling (amniotic fluid, rather that air, of course). Aside from the lungs, your baby's pancreas is also developing this week.

Overall, your baby is now more proportioned from head size to the rest of the body and is looking more and more like a newborn.

Days left to birth: 126

Due date: 11 November 2013

Data Sources: Baby Bump, Pregnancy Assistant, Pregnancy Companion

"We can't wait to hold you in our arms..."

5 Months Today (4-July-2013)

Thanks be to God that I am now on my 5th month of pregnancy.

Love my belly, in love with my baby!

"Weighting for you..."

A Sneak Peek At Baby (My Anatomy Ultrasound)

At last, the must awaited moment which is knowing the development of our baby, my Anatomy Ultrasound, is scheduled today. :) Woke up earlier, I brought Amber with me, I decided she will just be absent in school, so she could see the baby again together with me and her Dad, as the last time during my Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound, she was there too and she really had enjoyed it. 

The Sonographer was very accommodating and friendly. She had showed to us every little detail of the baby parts. We saw the head, the spine, arms, fingerprints as well, the legs and cutie toes. :) She also showed to us my placenta. Afterwards, she also showed us the fetal heart beat wherein my daughter Amber, mistakenly thought of it as the baby's mouth. She was pointing to the screen and was saying "The baby is talking Mom, it's talking! I love it how my daughter puts a smile in my face. Her Dad and I really had a good laugh.

The Sonographer told us that the development of the baby was fine and everything was normal. Thanks be to God!

Now, for the second most awaited part, wondering what's the gender? To share, we were told that the baby looks like a boy. Though we were not able to see that part on the screen as the Sonographer focused much on the baby's development. We just asked afterwards, and her answer was simply "It looks like a boy, that's all I can say."

Well, let's just wait and see this November. After all, I love surprises! :)

"What wondrous things God has made..."

133 Days To Go! (At 21 Weeks)

I am scheduled to have my Anatomy Ultrasound this Wednesday morning at 9:45, 3rd of July 2013. Can't wait, I am so excited! :)

Inside the Womb at 21 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy Companion

Photo courtesy of Babycenter

Child length: approximately 10 1/2 inches  (about the size of a carrot)

Child weight: 13.7 oz

At this stage: Did you know that your baby has sleep-wake cycles just like you do? If you can now feel your baby moving around, you may have noticed them: She wakes up and wiggles around, then settles in for a nap before repeating the whole process over and over again.

Babies particularly tend to be active in the late evening, just when mom is trying to get sleep.

This week, your baby's bone marrow is beginning to produce blood cells - her liver and spleen have been handling this job so far. She's starting to swallow the amniotic fluid she's floating in and absorbing sugar and water from it. However, most of your baby's nutrients are still delivered from the placenta.

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.

For women, this period marks the most comfortable stage of their pregnancy. Your first trimester discomforts have subsided and you've grown more accustomed to many of the changes in y our body and you're finally beginning to enjoy the pregnancy "glow" you've been hearing about.

Days left to birth: 133

Due date: 11 November 2013

Data Sources: Babycenter, Baby Bump, Pregnancy Assistant & Pregnancy Guide

"Just a peek to see how you're doing..."