According to the Experts: Week 12 August 17, 2008

This week marks a turning point for your baby. The herculean task of developing new bodily structures is nearing an end as most of your baby’s systems are fully formed. Now comes the maintenance phase, during which your fetus’ systems continue to mature for the next 28 weeks and the organs get to work.

Your little fetus weighs as much as half an ounce now, and the crown-to-rump length is about two and a half inches (the size of a large plum — busily working his or her way through the whole produce department). It’s hard to believe (especially from the outside, since you’re probably barely showing at this point), but your baby has more than doubled in size during the past three weeks.  And that’s just on the outside — there’s plenty going on inside too. The fetal digestive system is beginning to flex its digestive muscle — literally — as it starts practicing contraction movements, a skill your baby will need after birth to push food through the digestive tract. The pituitary gland at the base of the brain has started producing hormones. And the bone marrow is making white blood cells, which will one day help your baby fight infection (including all those germs passed around the snot-nosed playgroup).

If you haven’t already had the pleasure, it’s likely that at this month’s checkup you’ll finally hear your baby’s heartbeat — a sound that will make your heart race with joy!

According to the Experts: Week 11 August 17, 2008

Slightly more than two inches long now and weighing about a third of an ounce, your fetus is growing by leaps and bounds. And so is his or her head, which is equal in length to the rest of the body (don’t worry — all fetuses are top-heavy).

On the crown of that large head (and over the rest of the body), hair follicles are forming. Fingernail and toenail beds begin to develop this week and by next week, the nails themselves will start to grow (so don’t forget to add a baby nail clipper to your to-buy list).

Your baby’s body is straightening and his or her torso is lengthening (sounds like a yoga pose, doesn’t it?). Other poses your baby can assume now: stretches, somersaults, and forward rolls. And while you can’t tell this baby’s gender by its cover yet, testes are developing if it’s a boy and ovaries if it’s a girl.

According to the Experts: Week 10 August 17, 2008

Your baby’s growth is fast and furious now. He or she is nearly an inch and a half long and the size of a prune, but not nearly as shriveled (even with all the time it spends in water). In fact, your baby is really taking a human shape now. Bones and cartilage are forming, and small indentations on the legs are developing into knees and ankles. The arms (complete with elbows) can flex already, but don’t run to the store for a baseball bat just yet. Though your baby’s arms are taking shape and getting stronger, each one is only about the size of this number 1.

The tooth bud fairy is making her appearance this week, heralding the arrival of your baby’s little choppers, which are forming under the gums. (Those pearly whites won’t break through the gums until your baby is close to six months old). Other systems are go, too. Your baby’s stomach is producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and, if your baby’s a boy, he’s already producing testosterone (yikes!).

According to the Experts: Week 8 August 17, 2008

How’s your baby measuring up this week? At a length of about half an inch right now, your baby has graduated from blueberry-sized to raspberry-sized. But weekly growth is getting a bit hard to estimate, and here’s why: Growth occurs at about the rate of one millimeter each day, but that growth isn’t necessarily just in height.  Spurts can occur in the arms, legs, back, and other parts of your baby’s body. So, big changes will be occurring every which way in the coming months.

What else is changing at eight weeks pregnant? A close-up view of your little embryo (say cheese!) would reveal a more baby-like appearance (and thankfully, a less reptilian one). You’d see an upper lip forming, the protruding tip of that cute button nose, and tiny (and very thin) eyelids. And check out those hands and feet! Your baby’s webbed fingers and toes are differentiating now, so give your baby a round of applause.

All this growing is exciting for your baby too. How do you know? His or her heart is beating at the incredible rate of 150 times per minute. (That’s twice as fast as your heart beats.) Your baby’s digs are growing, too. Amniotic fluid increases at a rate of about two tablespoons per week to accommodate your womb’s growing tenant.

According to the Pregnant Lady: 2 Months, 3 Days August 17, 2008

I’ve never blogged before, but there’s a first time for everything!

I am officially 2 months pregnant, in my 9^th week. Michael and I conceived over the July 4^th weekend—how many folks can claim THOSE kind of fireworks? I kind of had a sneaking suspicion that we had sealed the deal on a day hike in the Sierras, so I ended up taking some flak from friends who got rejected when they invited me out for wine-tasting, brew-festing, and bar-hopping. As my friend Diana told me yesterday, “See?!?! Now don’t you wish you had come to Napa with us?” Well, yes and no. In an odd way I’m into the self-deprivation, kind of like seeing how long you can hold your breath under water.

But those of you who know me well know that I am not SO MUCH into self-deprivation that I am starving myself for attention. I hope my co-workers don’t figure out that I was online shopping for trendy maternity wear two weeks after Mike and I, as he put it, “threw caution to the wind.” So far I have my heart set on the forth-coming H&M maternity line, (which is not yet available in the U.S.), and an adorable green tank that says simply, “i grow people.” Apparently my sister-in-law Julie is gearing up her sewing machine to make matching crib sheets, but then again she’s so baby-crazy she would offer to carry this pregnancy herself if she could. Oh, and I’m blogging, so obviously I’m neither shy nor private when it comes to the intimate details of the impending body deformity that is my pregnancy.

And speaking of body deformity, I swear I have a baby bump. The pregnancy books tell me that it’s just bloat. But seriously, what kind of bloat shows up before sunrise? About 4 days ago I noticed that my belly was pooching out. It would probably look normal on another woman, but when I was bouncing around in kick boxing class in only a sports bra, (yeah, I’m THAT girl), I did notice a lil’ extra hanging over the top band of my elastic waistband. It was a little distracting; imagine trying to keep up with a high-choreography class while simultaneously trying on a swimsuit and looking for imperfections—but in a good way. And for those of you who are concerned, I have done martial arts for 9 years and I’ve moved my guard down to block my belly, and this particular class is filled with pregnant ladies, so my classmates are aware. Speaking of these classmates, phat props to these amazing women, including one instructor, who have inspired me in their maternity tanks, toned arms, fierce expressions, and ripening bellies.

I’m still going to kickboxing, lifting weights, and running. However, I’m working out about an hour less per week now, (mostly due to fatigue), and I haven’t run more than 3miles since June, (and I’ve done about a half-dozen half-marathons in the last 2 years). My goal is to run a race during my pregnancy, and if I don’t feel up to the bridge-to-bridge race in SF in October, I’ll run a 5K (or two). My geeky dream is to get shirts printed for me and my brothers with “Uncle-in-Training” emblazoned on the back, and my matching shirt will read “Mommy-in-Training” on the back and something like “Future Athlete” on the belly.

Like I said, I am hardly starving for attention.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll be sure to post at least once a month.

According to the Experts: Week 9 August 17, 2008

Your baby has ended his or her embryonic stage and is entering the fetal period now (good-bye embryo, hello fetus). Your fetus is now about one inch long, the size of a medium green olive (but no martinis, please). The head has straightened out and is more fully developed, the ears are much more prominent, and some new organs (the liver, spleen, and gallbladder) are forming. Your fetus is also making spontaneous movements of his or her arms and legs now that minuscule muscles are beginning to develop, though you won’t feel your tiny dancer for at least another two months.

While it’s way too early to feel anything, it’s not too early to hear something (possibly). Your baby’s heart is developed enough — and grown large enough — so that its beats can be heard with a Doppler, a handheld ultrasound device that amplifies the lub-dub sound the heart makes. But don’t worry if your practitioner can’t pick up the sound of your baby’s heartbeat yet. It just means your shy guy or gal is hiding in the corner of your uterus, or has his or her back facing out, making it hard for the Doppler to find its target. In a few weeks (or at your next visit) the miraculous sound of your baby’s heartbeat is certain to be audible for your listening pleasure.

Welcome to our blog! August 17, 2008

In an embarrasing display of self-absorption, I have decided to start a blog of my pregnancy. I want to promise that it will be beautiful and not-gross… but then again you know and (hopefully) love me. All I can promise is that it will be funny, and sometimes interesting or informative.

Read and comment as you see fit. Thanks for tuning in to the miracle that will be our little red-haired, brown-skinned Oompa-loompa.