25 weeks

Dates and numbers:
There are 103 days until my due date on January 06, 2008.
I am 177 days pregnant.
I am 5.8 months pregnant.
I am in my 6th 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)

My baby's crown-to-rump length is about 8.8 inches. Weight has increased to around 1.5 pounds and fat is still being deposited at a high rate. Babies come in all shapes and sizes, so my baby could vary slightly from these `average` measurements. My uterus has grown quite a bit bigger this week. The top of my uterus is between my bellybutton and my sternum. My uterus is about the size of a soccer ball now!

If my baby were delivered at this time, he or she would have a good chance of surviving. It is best for my baby to remain inside of me for the remainder of the pregnancy, but great advances have been made in the care of a premature baby. Ventilators, monitors and medications all help premature babies develop and grow outside of the womb. If my baby were born this early, s/he would probably have to spend several months in the hospital and would be more susceptible to infections and other complications.

I can hear my baby's heartbeat with both a doppler and a stethoscope at this time, and John may even be able to hear the heartbeat unaided if he puts his ear in the right position. Sex differentiation is being completed now. If I am expecting a baby boy, the testes start to descend into the scrotum. In baby girls, the vagina is hollowing out. My baby is able to do more with fingers now and can move fingers to make a complete fist. As my baby becomes more dextrous, s/he will be able to touch and hold her/his feet. Babies also begin to prefer their left hand or right hand at this time. Because babies settle into routines of sleep and activity, I might begin to notice these patterns as well. Some women experience the most fetal movements while trying to rest. (Yep!)