Weight: 2 lbs
Length: 14.5-15 inches
This past week has been pretty similar to the previous few weeks. The sciatic pain (at least that's what everyone keeps telling me that it is) continues and although it is often pretty painful at times, it hasn't kept me from doing anything that I normally do.
This week, as I already posted, the nursery furniture has arrived! It is very exciting, surreal, and scary to have nursery furniture in our house. My parents have already stopped by to check it out, as has Laurie and Ryan! The rug we picked out is supposed to come tomorrow...we'll see if it matches. It's hard to tell online. Pictures to come...
Today, was my glucose test. For those of you who don't know, this is where you sit in a lab after having not eaten for the previous 8 hours, have 5 minutes to drink a 10 ounce drink that tastes similar to a watered down orange soda, wait an hour and have your blood drawn. I was really nervous about this, because I heard that a lot of people throw up from it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I was so thankful that J.D. was able to come with me to cheer me on. (THANK YOU AGAIN J.D.!!) I definitely needed someone to encourage me to drink this drink in 5 minutes (actually quite difficult). Pretty much as soon as I started drinking this sugary drink, the baby started doing cartwheels inside of me....maybe the sugar was getting to his head too! :)
While, the actual drinking wasn't too terrible, I felt pretty awful all day long. I tried to drink a lot of water and eat a lot of carbs to make the feeling in my stomach go away....no such luck.
On another note: As soon as I walked into the room to have my blood drawn, the nice woman immediately said "You are definitely having a boy." She said that I'm carrying straight out in front so it was easy for her to tell. Pretty funny! Check it out to see for yourself (again...after dinner!):
What's happening with the baby this week:
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.
Your baby's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds your baby hears are muffled (thanks to the creamy coating of vernix covering those ears), he or she may recognize both yours and your partner's voices.
If your baby were born now, he would have an excellent chance (85 percent) of surviving. He still isn't fully formed and would probably not be able to breath by himself. He would need to stay in an incubator to keep his body temperature regulated, and he would have a weak liver and immune system. (Fact: Babies have more taste buds at birth than they will have later in life. Newborns can sniff out and tell the difference between their mother's milk and someone else's.)
Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with your baby! - Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Your baby's hearing continues to develop, he or she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's.
- Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
- He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born.
- Eyelids are now open more. Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.
- Retinas have formed.
- Your baby will grow over an inch this week alone! You may suspect this phenomenal growth rate repeats in the preteen years!
- Average size is now 14.4 inches (36.6cm) and 1.9 pound (875gm).
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