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November 16, 2003
Weeks 28 & 29
I hope you don't mind, but I've started combining weeks. I'll start getting more specific again around the first of the year. In any event, the third trimester has begun! The baby now weighs between 2 1/2 and 3 pounds, and s/he is about 14 1/2 inches long from head to toe.
The baby is continuing to become a plump, little baby. As it develops, more fat layers are developing under the skin. The baby can open her/his eyes now, and instead of moving away from the light, will actually turn and look toward it. Additionally, the baby's fingernails are starting to make their appearance.
Most importantly, the baby's bones are starting to get stronger, as his/her head gets bigger and the brain forms more neural connections. As for bones, the baby is demanding more calcium, iron, vitamin C and other nutrients in order to form a strong bones. Her/his head is also getting bigger (for the past few weeks, the body has been busily catching up to the development of the head), and the brain is starting an accelerated growth pattern that should continue after birth. In other words, the baby's brain is forming neural connections at a rate similar to what we'll see when we finally meet little Rhody. Hopefully, s/he is learning important things like chocolate tastes good, and lima beans are icky.
Finally, we had one bit of excitement over the weekend. Nothing significant, but the baby slowed down its movements a little bit. His/her panicky mother, of course, called the doctor, and on Saturday afternoon, we three took a brief trip down to Georgetown University Hospital to make sure everything was ok. The doctors hooked us up to fetal monitors for an hour or so and then performed an ultrasound. There are no pictures from the ultrasound, but the doctor verified again for us that everything is fine. The baby is breathing like a champ and moving just fine. S/he is just tuckered out lately like her/his mommy. So, we're resigned to resting a little more frequently. But the baby was happily making breathing and hiccupping movements. S/he was merrily sucking on her/his thumb and occasionally stretched one foot or the other out. S/he was just being courteous enough not to hit mommy hard enough for her to feel it.
So, that's all the new news on the baby front!
Posted by Lisa at 9:31 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 5, 2003
Weeks 26 and 27
During the last 2 weeks of the second trimester, little Rhody is starting to get ready for delivery day. Between the beginning of the 26th week and the end of the 27th, the baby has gone from 1 2/3 pounds to 2 pounds or so. S/he has also grown from about 13 inches to about 14 inches long.
At the 26th week, if we could look inside, we would be able to see the baby’s eye color. It is also growing more and more sensitive to touch. As of the 27th week, though, the growing baby is acting a bit more like a newborn. His/her eyes open and close at regular intervals and s/he may be sucking on his or her thumb. Hiccups are also said to increase during the 27th week.
If you think it’s weird watching your dog dream, consider what a baby in the womb dreams about! Experts believe that by the end of the 27th week, a fetus can dream. I have not heard any speculation as to what kind of dreams unborn babies might have, but it’s interesting to think about. Additionally, the brain continues to develop and become more and more unique as the grooves on the brain’s surface begin to appear and more and more brain tissue develops.
On a more personal note, little Rhody had a chance to meet up with his/her neighbors the Claycomb twins during the week. A bit jealous either of the fact that his/her mommy was holding another baby, or that the other baby was out already and s/he wasn't, little Rhody made his/her presence known by kicking Lilah Paige repeatedly while I (Lisa) was holding Lilah. Lilah didn't seem phased by it at all. In fact, she fell right to sleep... probably all that poking and prodding from her brother in utero prepared her for sleeping while being kicked by another baby.
Posted by Lisa at 4:57 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack