24 Weeks ~ 6 Months

Our baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound (he was over a pound at 22 weeks, so I imagine him gaining more than the 4 ounces). Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Belly At 23 Weeks

23 Weeks

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.

22 Week Ultrasound

We had our 22 week ultrasound and Doctors appointment today. The ultrasound went great and we got to see some really great shots of the baby. Unfortunately the pictures they gave us weren't as good. The tech confirmed that it's a boy for sure and he weighed in at 1 pound 1 ounce. My official due date is Christmas day. I will be delivering about 7 days before that so we will have this sweet boy to celebrate Christmas with!! The doctors appointment went well, we were supposed to meet the doctor this time but he got called out because someone was in labor. Hopefully we will meet him next time. They measured my belly and I'm measuring at 24 weeks (2 weeks ahead) and the baby's heartbeat was strong.

Week 22

Baby's now the size of a papaya!
Baby's settling into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

21 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a banana!
Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

A Few Things

The other day I was at Kissui (a local baby boutique) and they had these cute little shoes on sale for 40% off. Of course I had to buy them because they were just to cute!! I bought them in size 18-24 months so he will actually be walking and can use them. Then they had this cute little truck from Melissa and Doug on sale for 50% off so I decided to buy it for one of his first Christmas presents.

20 Week Belly

A Cute Little Cantaloupe

Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!
Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.