Week 29

It’s week 29, and things are progressing quickly now.  The birth is only 2 months away, maybe as early as 7 or 8 weeks away.  So much to do!

The baby is extremely active this week.  She’s been kicking and moving so much.  It’s quite amazing to see how much she moves.  She should be around 38 cm long and about 1100 grams.  Her brain, muscles and lungs are developing rapidly, and her head is getting bigger.  Her skeleton is also absorbing a lot of calcium.

Mom has been going through a lot this week, too.  She’s been feeling pain once in a while that causes her to have to lie down.  The doctor said this would happen from time to time.  She’s also been dizzy sometimes.

Preparations are under way.  We’re getting ready to reserve a bed, baby carriage and other things for the baby.  Today, my wife had a flu shot, and I’m going to have to get one, too.  Next week, my mother-in-law will be visiting for our visit to the clinic.  There’ll be more ultrasound pictures next week!  I think the biggest thing is that my mother-in-law will be staying with us for a month after the baby’s born. Time to work on my Japanese, as she doesn’t speak any English!

Week 27

This is the final day of week 27, which also means it’s the final day of the second trimester.  The homestretch starts tomorrow with the final 10-12 weeks in the third trimester!

The baby’s been very active lately.  She’s been kicking up quite a bit, and I’m afraid it’ll just get more painful as she grows bigger.  She’s getting closer to 1 kg and around 37 cm long.  She’s sleeping and waking up regularly and can now open her eyes.  She may even be sucking her fingers.  She’s starting to gain body fat, filling out her loose, wrinkly skin.  Her lungs aren’t fully developed, but they are developed enough that she could survive if she was born now, of course with medical help.

Mom is doing fine, though continues to experience cramps and other pains in her lower abdomen.  It’s getting difficult for her to sit at her computer on the sofa, too.  And she’s getting sleepy a lot.  It’s getting more difficult to walk, especially uphill and up stairs.  She can’t sit up after laying on her back.  The baby is pushing up on her stomach, so she can’t eat much, but as a result, she gets hungry every 2 hours.  Another problem is when she’s drinking a lot, she gets gassy and burps.

I asked my wife how she’s feeling, and she said that the baby is training, possibly to be a boxer.  Punching a lot!

Well, this is the last post of the second trimester!

Week 26

Week 26 has been quite exciting, actually.  The visit to the clinic resulted in the best picture we have of our baby, as well as some very good news.

So, how is the baby doing?  She’s healthy, normal size, and not one problem at all.  We were able to see her mouth moving, like chewing.  At this point in her development, her ears are improving a lot, allowing her to possibly listen to our conversations.  Her lungs are also practicing breathing.  Amniotic fluid is going in and out of her lungs as they get ready for birth.  Best of all, her position inside the uterus is head down.  She’s in the correct position for birth.  She’s now 873 grams, quickly approaching 1 kg.  We got some pictures of her face, including an amazing 4D ultrasound picture.

These regular ultrasound pictures show her face. On the left is her full face, while on the right is her chin, lips and nose.

 

This is the clearest picture we have of her face so far. Incredibly clear!

Mom is going through some discomfort as the second trimester nears the end.  She can’t seem to eat as much, since the baby is pushing against her stomach.  She’s feeling a bit sick at times, too.  The baby is very active still, punching and kicking a lot.

The final 3 months are going to seem long, I think.  Discomfort is increasing, as well as boredom from being home all the time.  But that’ll all change after birth.  From this week, there will be clinic visits every 2 weeks, but ultrasound only once a month.

Week 24

We’re getting closer to the 3rd trimester.  They baby is extremely active these days.  She keeps kicking and punching.  Last night, I watched her move under my then fiancee’s skin (we just got married today).  Of course, that’s our other announcement.  We’re now married!

How’s the baby this week?  She’s nearly 30cm long from head to toe.  She’s still a bit thin, but should be filling out into her wrinkly skin quickly.  Her brain, taste buds and lungs are developing quickly.  Her skin is still translucent, as well.

Mom is doing well, but has to deal with the baby’s kicking and punching.  It’s rather painful.  Her sleeping schedule is closer to normal than it was a few weeks ago, but she sleeps often during the day, and still has problems sleeping for a full night.  Also, we got our first baby clothes last week.  My mother-in-law bought her baby socks.

Week 23

On Thursday last week, we went to the clinic to have the regular checkup on the baby.  The focus was a bit different this time.  While we got to see the regular ultrasound, there was something extra this time.  The doctor showed us the blood flow through her heart.  He was doing this to check that her blood is flowing in the correct direction through her heart.  Everything is normal!  Also, he was checking her lips to make sure they’ve formed correctly.

Through the ultrasound, the doctor determined that our baby is slightly smaller than average and her legs are slightly longer than average, but well within normal.  4 weeks before, we were told she was average weight and her legs were slightly shorter than average.  Things sure can change quickly in only 4 weeks!  She is now 565 grams.  The blood vessels in her lungs are developing, getting ready to be able to breathe.  She can hear quite a bit now, as well.

In the ultrasound pictures, we got just head images, but one of them is amazing.  Take a look for yourself:

This is the 4D picture. You can see her eye, nose and mouth, and her left arm is covering the left side of her face. This isn't the best picture I thought they could have given us, though.

On the left is the full face picture. You can clearly see the eye, though the nose and mouth are a bit difficult to make out. Her left arm at the bottom is clear. The right-hand picture is the amazing one. You can very clearly see her chin, lips and nose, including her nostrils!

How’s mom doing?  She’s been doing a lot of exercising lately to keep in shape, both for her health and to prepare for the birth.  The baby is kicking and punching hard, which is sometimes painful.  To prevent dryness, she’s using lotion on her belly.  This won’t prevent stretch marks, though.

The next clinic visit is after only 3 weeks.  That’s the start of the third trimester.  After that, it’s every 2 weeks.