20 weeks

It's official. Gestationally we are halfway there! According to date of induction we are over halfway! In some ways that is still too far. But I do want baby to have enough time to really grow and thrive. In an earlier post I mentioned that if there are prayers anyone would like to post please do. We are both doing well as far as I know.

There are 139 days until my due date on January 06, 2008.
I am 141 days pregnant.
I am 4.6 months pregnant.
I am in my 5th month of pregnancy. (huh?)
My 1st trimester: April 01, 2007 to June 30, 2007. (0 - 12 weeks)
My 2nd trimester: July 01, 2007 to October 13, 2007. (13 - 27 weeks)
My 3rd trimester: October 14, 2007 to January 06, 2008. (28 - 40 weeks)
Congratulations! (Thank you) This weeks marks the half way point of my pregnancy. It has been 18 weeks since the date of conception (TMI) and my baby's crown-to-rump length is 5.6 to 6.4 inches. The fetus weighs about 9 ounces and my belly definitely has an obvious bulge. My wasitline has expanded and is no longer visible. My uterus has now moved up enough that it is pushing my abdomen outwards. The top of my uterus is even with or just below my navel.


Sex organs are showing clearly on this girl (Thanks for pointing that out! We don't know and don't want to)



For the remainder of my pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on my lungs, stomach and kidneys. This will make my feel short of breath, the need to urinate more frequently and can cause indigestion. The added pressure on my abdomen can also cause my bellybutton to protrude and cause an `outy` instead of an `inny`. Many pregnant women begin to notice stretch marks around this time as well (Already there). My abdominal muscles are being stretched and pushed apart as my baby grows inside of me.

My baby's skin begins to thicken this week and will develop four layers. My baby's sebaceous glands secrete a waxy substance called vernix caseosa. My baby will be born with this wax and it will look like paste. The vernix caseosa is crucial because it protects the fetus' fragile skin from the continuous immersion in amniotic fluid. Lanugo hairs secure the vernix caseosa in place and it is thick around the eyebrows. Scalp hair and toenails are beginning to form at this point. Hair can also be seen on the upper lip and eyebrows.

Around twenty weeks, most doctors will order a routine ultrasound to check the baby's development. Measurements will be taken and the sonogram technician will check to make sure there are no defects or abnormalities. My ultrasound technician can also see how long my cervix is and can tell you approximately how much my baby weighs a this time (Had one at 18 weeks and won't know the date of the next ultrasound until September.) Most expectant women also find out the sex of their baby during this time! (Not me!)