19 weeks!

Hey we forgot belly pic Friday. Oops. Friday was a hectic day for us as we went out of town with our Seattle crew to a little place on Anderson Island, on the water southwest of Tacoma. Everybody had a bed that was one size too small, the dogs got to play in the water, the humans played badminton and uno and parcheesi and everybody ate like kings. A good time was had by all.

Ok, 19 weeks! Woohoo!! The midwife last week mentioned that baby mcgee appears to be 20 weeks old, which is a good, healthy sign. Baby has been kicking, kicking, kicking. It’s so weird! There’s a little human being inside my wife’s tummy. So crazy! All the online pregnancy sites say “you might start noticing kicking any day now”, which is hilarious since we’ve been feeling it for weeks and weeks now. This kid’s gonna be a bruiser, you heard it here first.

Here’s what’s happening to baby at 19 weeks:
Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

One of the most amazing aspects of your baby's growth and development is that of the fetal brain. Your baby's brain is one of the first organs to appear. Your baby's oversized head shows the brain's importance in his development. Because the nerves that connect the muscles to the brain have grown into place, your baby's movements are consciously directed. Your baby's ears stand out from the sides of the head and the buds for your baby's permanent teeth appear. Your baby's arms and legs have reached their relative proportions and his feet are approximately one inch long. Baby's skin is now covered with vernix, a slippery white coating that protects the birthday suit from getting chapped or scratched. Permanent teeth buds are forming behind the milk teeth buds.

Here’s what’s happening to mom at 19 weeks:
Continued from last time:
Forgetfulness
Fatigue
Irritability
Round ligament pain
Hearburn
Eating cold sandwich meat prohibited – nuke it first to kill bacteria

New-ish symptoms
Most women can feel their uterus about a half of an inch below their bellybutton at this point of pregnancy. If you turn to the side, you can really tell that your body is changing! Most women have gained up to 14 pounds now and only half a pound of that is baby! The placenta weighs about 6 ounces and the amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby weighs 11 ounces. Mom may be gaining weight in places other than her abdomen and this may be affecting posture and sleeping habits.

What about skin changes? Ok! Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it's from increased estrogen. Patches of darkened skin are also common during pregnancy. When they show up around your upper lip, upper cheeks and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." You may see these splotches on your arms or other areas that have been exposed to the sun. darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or "dark line." All of this darkening is caused by a temporary increase in melanin, the substance that colors your hair, skin, and eyes. For most women, these darkened spots will fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you're outdoors. And if you're self-conscious about your "mask," a little concealing makeup can work wonders.