Oops, I Did It Again...

...I lost track of time & my blog got away from me. :( Rather than trying to "catch up", I'm going to just start trying to do small posts daily. (P.S. Amazing how much LESS time you have to do things, like blog, when you have another child to look after!)

33 weeks pregnant
45 days to go

In the next 3 days, Adelyn's fingernails will reach the end of her fingertips.

Did You Know? At birth, the baby's umbilical cord is closed naturally by a special jellylike substance that surrounds the vessels of the cord throughout pregnancy. The jelly swells up with exposure to the air and compresses the embedded vessels like a tourniquet. Some naturally occurring hormones in the jelly also help to prevent bleeding. That's why when the cord is cut, it is practically bloodless.

Children are poor men's riches. ~English Proverb

102 Days to Go!

So, I'm not getting any award for keeping up w/this blog, am I? ;) My deepest apologizes. I am WAY behind! This will be a looooong post, as I try to play "catch up" from where I last left off...

20 weeks

Hair has become visible on Adelyn's head and lanugo hair now completely covers her body, although it's more concentrated around her head, neck & face. Her eyebrows have also begun to show. No matter how dark her hair will become, her hair is now completely unpigmented.

Her brain has begun to grow rapidly. This rapid growth will continue until she is 5 years old. At this point, the skull plates that cover the forehead, temples, and top and back of the skull are present and made of cartilage.

Right now, Addie looks like a miniature newborn. Her face looks peaceful w/closed eyes (but still making blinking movements), nostrils (which until now have been plugged, but are starting to open), and a nicely formed mouth. Every once in awhile, her thumb or finger will slip into her mouth & she practices sucking. Taste buds are formed in abundance on Adelyn's tongue and inside her cheeks. The buds for her permanent teeth are starting to come in high in the gums behind the buds for the baby teeth.

20 weeks

Now that her nostrils have begun to open, she will make periodic muscular breathing movements as her body prepares to draw air into the lungs at birth. These breathing movements stimulate lung development and can be detected by ultrasound.

The bones of the middle ear (the 3 smallest bones in the human body: the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup) are beginning to harden to make sound conduction possible. The sound info transmitted to Addie's brain won't trigger an interpretation (ex. someone speaking, a dog is barking) because she has had no experience w/the outside world. Only sound intensity seems to register since unexpectedly loud sounds trigger an automatic startle reflex. She can blink or "jump" when she hears a loud noise. Sounds heard daily by Addie include the beating of Mommy's heart, the sound of Mommy's voice, the sound of air filling Mommy's lungs & begin exhaled, and the growling noises made by Mommy's stomach and intestines.

Her spine, ribs, and long bones of the arms and legs have hardened into bone. Her spine will ultimately be made up of 33 rings, 150 joints and 1,000 ligaments, all of which are used to support her body weight. All of those structures have begun to form.

In addition, her lungs are secreting surfactant - a substance that permits them to inflate. However, her respiratory system is still quite immature. Much more development must take place before the lungs can trap and transfer oxygen to her bloodstream and can release carbon dioxide when she exhales. Her lungs have started to develop blood vessels, though. After birth, these vessels will allow blood to flow through the lungs to intercept oxygen and circulate it to Addie's tissues. Within the next day or so, air sacs (alveoli) will begin to develop in her lungs. Alveoli continue to form for about 9 more years.

Adelyn's uterus has completely formed and the vagina, hymen, and labia are developing.

20 weeks

Addie's legs have approached their final relative proportions. Between now & her expected date of delivery, her feet will almost double in size, from about 1.8" to 3.3". Gradually, her fingernails and toenails lengthen. They are growing from the nail beds and are beginning to cover the nail itself.

20 weeks

Her skin is not only wrinkled (it will smooth out as she starts to gain more fat), but is also transparent because it's so thin. Thus, at this time, if we could see Adelyn, her bones, organs, and blood vessels would be visible, as they lie just beneath the skin. The smallest blood vessels of the body - the capillaries - are beginning to develop under the baby's skin. As blood fills these new vessels, they give her skin a red or pinkish appearance, because the blood in the capillaries is visible.

She is now about the size of a Barbie doll and measures 7.5" in length. She weighs about a 1.5 lbs. At this point, baby Adelyn is very lean. Only about 3.5% of her body weight is due to fat. This proportion is constantly changing, as the fat accumulated becomes food & energy reserves to draw on after birth.

Amy's uterus has reached her belly button.

21 weeks

Even though Amy's been eating really well, she is still experiencing periodic heartburn & intestinal gas. These problems can be expected as her muscles relax under the influence of the pregnancy hormones.

22 weeks

Amy's started entering the phase of pregnancy where it's harder for her to sleep. Adelyn tends to rest during the day while Amy's up moving around, but as soon as she lays down to sleep, Addie thinks it's gymnastics time. :)

Adelyn's kicks are becoming stronger & Amy has been in the Dr's office a lot this week, complaining of pain. We're still trying to figure out exactly what is causing the pain, but pre-term labor has pretty much been ruled out (test indicating if labor will happen in the next 2 weeks came back negative, uterus is still closed on the outside). All of this pain & Braxton Hicks contractions have been making Mommy extra tired! Pain could be related to the growing/stretching uterus, Adelyn kicking w/o a barrier (the placenta is posterior), endometriosis scar tissue, etc.

Amy is still down 2 lbs from what she was when she first got pregnant. Dr's aren't concerned, since we just had an ultrasound & Addie is measuring exactly where she should be!

25 weeks (current)

25 weeks (current)

So far, Amy has been maintaining her Gestational Diabetes with just diet & exercise. We're hoping insulin will not be needed for many reasons, but one big reason is that we are considering a waterbirth. Should insulin be needed, Amy will be disqualified for such a birth.

She likes to Move It, Move It!

Adelyn's eyebrows have started to form. Over the next 2 days, fine scalp hair will start to form on Adelyn's head. (This is the "permanent hair", not lanugo). Even this "permanent hair" will begin to fall out in the 2nd week following birth, to be replaced gradually by coarser, thicker hair.

Adelyn sleeps and wakes as much now as she will as a newborn. When she sleeps, she characteristically settles into her favorite position. Some babies always sleep with their chins resting on the chest, while others tilt their heads back.

Heat-producing brown fat has begun to form at the base of Adelyn's neck, by the breastbone, and near the urethra-the tube that passes urine out of the body. Brown fat has a protective function: It helps keep baby Adelyn warm in cold environments. Brown fat exists in newborns, but it tends to diminish with age.

The vernix caseosa has begun to form and will become noticeable on Adelyn's skin in the next 3 days. This is a creamy-looking substance that covers Adelyn's skin in order to protect it and its developing glands and sensory cells. The vernix is composed of dead skin, oil from the oil-bearing glands of Adelyn's skin, and the lanugo.

Amy still hasn't gained any weight, but her belly sure is popping out!

Mommy & Daddy have both been able to feel Adelyn moving now! So exciting!

Growing Rapidly!

Many of Adelyn's bones have begun to harden, which will make them visible on our next ultrasound.

Sometime during this week the process of myelinization begins. Myelinization involves coating the nerves with a fatty substance called myelin to speed nerve cell transmission and to insulate the nerves so messages are uninterrupted.

Adelyn's external ears now stand out from her head.

Lanugo (temporary downy hair) has begun to appear on Adelyn's head and body. The lanugo helps hold the protective vernix on the skin, and by the time the baby is born, most of the lanugo will have disappeared.

Since Adelyn is a girl, miniature egg cells now exist in her ovaries. Baby girls are born with all the eggs they will ever have in their ovaries - about 2 million! By the time she is ready to have a family of her own, Addy's eggs will be as old as she is.

Adelyn has been growing so rapidly and now measures 5.5" in length, big enough for you to cradle in the palm of your hand. Over the next month, Adelyn will gain about 2" in height and nearly 26 oz in weight.

Mommy has been feeling little miss Adelyn move for a few weeks now!

Mommy still has not gained any weight!

Adelyn Anna Brand

I apologize for it being almost a month since my last post! We hit some rocky times w/Amy's health in the last few weeks to include passing a kidney stone, having low iron & potassium, diagnosis of gestational diabetes, spotting off & on, etc. BUT... Amy & Baby are both doing great now!

Can you believe we'll already be 5 months pregnant tomorrow!!!

Our baby girl has a name now! She will be known from here on out at Adelyn Anna Brand! The name Adelyn was inspired by Ben's Grandma who recently passed away, Edel. And Amy's Mom's middle name is Anna. :) We'll most likely be calling her "Addy" for short.

Adelyn's scalp hair pattern is now determined.

Slow eye movements have begun under closed lids. Her eyes now face forward.

She is adding to her list of reflex behaviors. Reflexes are the automatic, unlearned behaviors a baby is born with. Most reflexes have survival value for the infant: Blinking helps keep foreign objects out of their eyes and keeps their eyes moist; sucking and swallowing provide for the ingestion of nutrients. Right now, Adelyn is practicing all 3 of those reflexes. She is also working on incorporating some additional reflexes, so that by the time she is born, the average full-term baby will display more than 70 different reflex behaviors.

Over the next 2 days, the ears will move to their final positions.

Her head and neck are more straight as more bone has formed and the back muscles have become stronger. Her skeleton has been actively ossifying. Her chin no longer seems to rest on her chest.

She is now able to practice breathing, swallowing, and sucking movements in preparation for life outside the womb. Some amniotic fluid is swallowed and processed by Adelyn's maturing digestive tract, as she practices for the time when she will eat conventional food. By now, all the major elements of the lungs have formed except those involved with the oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange. Thus, breathing air is not yet possible.

With the help of the placenta and the umbilical cord, Adelyn's system is operating as it will after she's born. She has her own circulation, pumped by the heart, which at this developmental stage pumps about 25 qts of blood a day; that rate will increase to 300 qts of blood a day by the time she is born. The placenta helps with protection, digestion, respiration, waste removal, and hormone production.

Adelyn now displays more sophisticated hand and arm movements, such as making a fist, moving the thumbs, bending the wrists, and grasping. All the body movements that Adelyn engages in right now constitute practice. It takes some time for the nervous system and the muscles to make smooth, synchronous movements. So these motions test the hookups within the neuromuscular system. Adelyn is also exercising her tiny muscles by moving them.

At this point in development, Adelyn has a considerable range of foot and leg movements: She can kick, turn her feet outward and inward, curl her toes, and fan her toes. Her toenails have begun to grow from their nail beds. Her legs have lengthened and are now well developed. Adelyn now has pads on her fingertips and toes that will develop the characteristics swirls and creases of the finger and toe prints.

Sometime last week, Adelyn's kidneys reached their final mature position. This ascent took nearly 10 weeks to complete because the body had to straighten to bring the kidneys into the abdomen. Body straightening is only 1 part of the astounding growth.

Meconium (the early fecal waste material) has begun to accumulate in Adelyn's bowel. This material is the product of cell loss, digestive secretions, and swallowed amniotic fluid and is the result of the digestive system practicing digestion while still in the womb.

Adelyn weighs 3-3/4 oz and stands 4.5" long!

Amy still hasn't gained any weight, but that's most likely due to being nauseous and subsequent sicknesses, like passing a kidney stone. The Dr's don't seem too concerned at this point. Amy has also already started to notice some new stretch marks on her sides. She has, however, been feeling miss Adelyn's movements for a few weeks now!

Hello 2nd Trimester!

Punkin is now quite active & his/her muscle responses have been changed from mechanical & puppetlike to smooth & fluid, like a newborn's. Punkin is now approx 3" in length.

Much progress has taken place in the development of Punkin's mouth. The bony palate, or roof of the mouth, has been complete for some weeks, the sucking muscles are filling out the cheeks, the tooth buds are under the gums, and the esophagus, windpipe, & larynx are present. Punkin's vocal cords have now formed in the larynx. Punkin's salivary glands have begun to function. Punkin has started to make breathing, sucking & swallowing motions!

Punkin's neck is now well defined. The head now rests on the neck instead of the shoulders.

Punkin's arms have almost reached their final proportions relative to body size, but the legs are still quite short. Punkin's hand is becoming more & more functional. He/She is beginning to move his/her thumb in opposition to the other fingers.

Punkin's liver is now secreting bile & the pancreas is now producing insulin. Punkin's spleen is has assumed functions supervised by the liver: the removal of old red blood cells & the production of antibodies.

The intestines have formed into folds & are lined w/nutrient-extracting villi.

Amy has lost a couple pounds (now weighing 2 lbs less than when she got pregnant), but the doctor doesn't seem to be concerned about it at this point. She's been less emotional (though it still happens from time to time), has started to get through most days without a nap, is less nauseous & her appetite is good! Hello 2nd trimester!!!

Our last appt showed growth & a strong heartbeat still, so things are looking great!

Almost 13 weeks

Our baby's brain now has the same structure that it will at birth - just smaller.

The mechanism that enables Punkin's sense of smell is developing.

By today, all of Punkin's 20 baby teeth & their sockets have formed in the gums.

Over the next 2 days, the vocal cords will form in Punkin's voice box. Punkin will not be able to make sounds, however, or cry out loud until the amniotic fluid is replaced by air after birth.

The hard, bony part of the palate has completely formed. This bony palate divides the mouth from the nose & makes it possible to eat & breathe at the same time.

The muscles in the walls of Punkin's digestive tract have become functional in order to begin practicing the movements required to push food from 1 portion of the tract to another. Some intestinal coils may remain in the umbilical cord, but most are repositioned in the abdomen. Over the next 3 days, the intestines will form into folds & become lined with small, fingerlike projections in the lining of the intestines that absorb certain nutrients.

Punkin's fingernails have begun to grow from the nail beds.

The thyroid, pancreas, and gall bladder have completed their development. The pancreas has begun to secrete insulin.

Sometime in the next week or so, the urine that is formed by Punkin's kidneys will be excreted into the amniotic fluid. Each kidney contains about 800,000 delicate waste-screening cells.

Punkin's skin is sensitive all over - any type of touch causes him/her to move. But a new reflex is also present: Now when Punkin's face is touched, he/she will open his/her mouth. This is called the rooting reflex and helps babies find the food source.

Punkin's growth rate has slowed somewhat. He/She has doubled his/her weigh in the last week to almost 1/2 oz; his/her length has increased to about 2.5".

The placenta grows w/Punkin, but not as fast. At this point in development, it weighs around 1 oz; at the time of birth, it will weigh between 1-2 lbs.

Amy has been getting more and more headaches. Generally this is caused by hormonal changes. She's still been moody/emotional & her energy still isn't back to normal. She gets occasionally nauseous (possibly from her prenatal vitamins), but is feeling pretty good, for the most part. Newest weird craving: tator tots!

Amy's progesterone has been in the high range the last few blood draws, but they still have her doing the shots 2 times a week. She was told today that it will probably continue until about week 16. She's not too thrilled about that. Her CRP level is back up to over 20 again. Doctor's are still saying to just check it every 2 weeks. Keep that in your prayers, please. Lastly, her iron was on the low-end of normal, so the fertility Dr, OBGYN & Naturopathic Dr are all trying to determine what should be done, if anything, about that.