Sunday, April 18, 2010

Week Two: The Second Trimester

Posted by Gayla at 4:04 PM
The Fourth Month:

Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body.  


Welcome to your second trimester! Your energy is likely returning, your breasts may be feeling less tender, and your queasiness may have completely abated by now. If not, hang on — chances are good it will soon be behind you (although an unlucky few will still feel nauseated months from now).

The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.




                                                            This is an ultrasound image from 14 weeks gestation.




Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. At around 16 weeks, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. 






Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.
Here are some ultrasounds of Crystal's son taken at 16 weeks!







He's all boy!


Your baby's growing steadily at 24 weeks, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. 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.

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