Amber and Tom - 12/6/08

Tuesday, November 24,2009

I am 26 Weeks Pregnant!

 

Well, so much for the hope that my morning sickness was no more…  that officially flew out the window this morning, when I woke up very nauseous.  Off to the bathroom I went and for the first time in nearly a month, I had real morning sickness.  It was not fun.

 

I did have a round of throwing up last week as I had been having some issues with what I thought was just heartburn and one night it was so bad, it actually caused me to throw up.  Well, what I have since found out is that it is not just heartburn but acid reflux.  And it has gotten really bad.  Every time I eat anything and it is always bad at bedtime.  Tiffany had some of the same issues and suggested that I try taking Zantac before I eat.  I have done that a couple of times and although I can still feel the reflux, it is definitely not as severe or nearly as painful.  Really makes me sympathize with what poor Miss Caylee was going through all those months!

 

 

At 26 weeks:

According to babycenter.com:

How your baby's growing:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

 

How your life's changing:

Are you rushing around trying to get to childbirth classes and prepare your baby's room while still taking care of all your other daily tasks? Make sure that you also continue to eat well and get plenty of rest. Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly, although it's probably still lower than it was before you got pregnant. (Typically, blood pressure falls toward the end of the first trimester, and it tends to reach a low at about 22 to 24 weeks.)

Preeclampsia — a serious disorder characterized by high blood pressure and protein in your urine — most often shows up after 37 weeks, but it can happen earlier so it's important to be aware of the warning signs of this condition. Call your caregiver if you have swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, more than slight swelling of your hands, excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, or rapid weight gain (more than 4 pounds in a week). With more severe preeclampsia, you may experience other symptoms. Let your caregiver know immediately if you have a severe or persistent headache, vision changes (including double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, sensitivity to light, or temporary loss of vision), intense pain or tenderness in your upper abdomen, or vomiting.

If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen.

 

According to Gerber.com:

Your baby’s growth: Eyelashes!

Between now and week 29 your baby will have a growth spurt and gain another pound. As your baby grows, space gets tighter inside the womb. Your baby now measures about 12.8 inches tall and probably weighs almost 2 pounds.

Most of this weight is bone and tissue because she still doesn't have much body fat. In fact the main development of body fat doesn't really occur until late in the third trimester.

Developments that occur this week:

·      Eyelashes. These begin to grow as your baby begins to blink and open her eyes.

·      More hair. Hair continues to grow on her head.

·      Spine. To support her growing body, your baby’s spine is getting stronger and more flexible.

·      Plumping up. Although she hasn't put on much fat, she is beginning to look a little plumper.

What’s happening with you

·      Weight gain. You've probably gained from 16 to 20 pounds by now, which includes your baby's weight, plus the weight of the placenta, enlarged uterus, amniotic fluid, and excess blood volume. There is also fat storage in the maternal body (largely during the second trimester) that averages 4 to 7 pounds.

·      Additional isolated pain. As the uterus enlarges and your baby gets bigger, you may notice more back pain, pelvic pressure, leg cramps, and headaches. Be sure to report any pains that even remotely feel like contractions to your doctor. Preterm labor (beginning before the baby is fully developed) is much easier to stop in the early stages.

·      Your baby’s moving around. By now you can probably feel your baby moving every day, although not all babies are equally active. If you become concerned during those moments when you can't feel your baby move, try lying on your left side and being still. It's usually easier to feel fetal movement in that position.

According to fitpregnancy.com:

Your Growing Baby

Your baby weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and has undergone a growth spurt in the past few weeks. From weeks twenty to twenty-eight, she almost doubles in height and now would be about a foot tall if she could stand. This week marks a major milestone in your baby's hearing and sight. Your baby's hearing system (cochlea and peripheral sensory end organs), which began fine development during week eighteen, is now completely formed, and over the next few weeks, she'll become increasingly sensitive to sound. In about a month, you'll feel her jump if she hears a sudden loud noise. Sound passes easily into your uterus, which helps her ears develop. Her eyes are almost fully formed. Did you know that all babies have blue eyes in the womb, no matter what their genetic inheritance is? A baby's eyes don't get their final color until a few months after they are born. The air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, will be developed by the end of this week and will begin to secrete a substance called surfactant that keeps the lung tissue from sticking together.

Your Changing Body

Sleeping is definitely getting uncomfortable. Try sleeping on your left side. Your baby has to battle with your backbone when you're lying on your back, and sleeping on your back will also position your uterus over a major artery, cutting off blood flow. Between now and the next three weeks, you may be tested for gestational diabetes with a glucose tolerance test. This test requires you to fast for twelve hours and then drink a glucose-rich liquid usually in the form of a syrupy orange-flavored drink. After an hour, a blood sample is taken. If you do have gestational diabetes, you'll be advised to adopt a low-carbohydrate diet. Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition, which goes away after the baby is born.

 

 

The Nursery

Well, we are still undecided.

 

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Kimberly House

 

Tiffany and Caylee arrived in Toledo this past Sunday, November 21 and they will be here until this upcoming Sunday.  I am super excited to have them here, and I was right - Caylee shot up like a weed since I saw her last.