Seventeen Weeks

Today Baby Lundberg is 17 weeks old. Only 161 days to go! Still feeling great, still don't think I've really "popped."

According to The Cradle, this was a week of rapid, whole-body growth for Baby L. Existing structures became larger and more well-developed, but no new structures were formed. The chances were good that this week's growth spurt for Baby L. also resulted in a growth spurt for me (but I don't think that happened!).

According to Pregnancy Weekly, Baby L. is approximately 5 inches long (crown to rump) and weighs just less than 5 ounces. He or she should weigh more than the placenta from this point on. Since Baby L.'s hearing has become more finely tuned, he or she may respond to loud noises and mom may feel movement at the sound of large trucks passing or a slamming door. Epidermal (skin) and fatty tissue are developing all over Baby L.'s body to protect it after it is born and a substance called vernix is beginning to form on the skin tissue to protect it from the long exposure to amniotic fluid.

According to BabyCenter, Baby L.'s skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — his/her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Baby L. weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he/she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. He/she can move his/her joints, and his/her sweat glands are starting to develop.

I still haven't felt the baby move and I am anxiously awaiting that. Now that some sources say my baby can hear, I have to watch my language in the car on the way home from work! Only 2 1/2 more weeks until we can call the baby Nick or Kate. This pregnancy is flying by so far - so hopefully the next few weeks do too!

3D/4D Ultrasound Scheduled!

We just scheduled a 3D/4D ultrasound for December 27. I will be 25w1d. I wanted to schedule it then so my sister can go with us :) Her family will be in town for Christmas for a week.

We are having it at Vision Within 4D Imaging Center in Troy, Michigan. Here is the link:

http://www.visionwithin4d.com/

Their website has tons of examples of 3D pictures. We will purchase one of the packages that also includes a DVD of the ultrasound (which is the 4D part of it, I suppose!). We're very excited!

Cloth Baby Wipes

Jeff and I have decided to use cloth diapers with our baby. While researching cloth diapers online, I came across several websites that recommended using cloth baby wipes as well as cloth diapers. So, I decided to buy a sewing machine, learn to sew and make our own cloth baby wipes! It's a nice project I can definitely complete before the baby arrives, and it helps me to feel like I am "preparing" for our baby's arrival.

I bought three different kinds of fabric: flannel, terry cloth and fleece. All of the wipes have a flannel side, 1/3 of them have a terry cloth back and 2/3 have a fleece back. As UM fans, we thought it would be funny to make some Ohio State baby wipes, but unfortunately, it does not appear as though tOSU has chosen to license its logo to fabric manufacturers. So we had to settle for our second-biggest rival, MSU. I found MSU fleece and flannel. The other baby wipes have a fairly gender-neutral yellow baby-themed flannel, with either blue terry cloth or blue fleece as the other side.

There are several "recipes" for baby wipe solution online. The one I think we're going to use is a mixture of water, baby oil and baby wash. We will put it in a spray bottle or squirt bottle and get each wipe wet as we use it. Then, we will just stick the wipe(s) in with the diaper and wash them altogether! We anticipate running a load of diapers/wipes every 2-3 days, so we are not at all concerned about the smell.

We have not yet decided which cloth diapers we will use. I've read good things about Bum Genius and Fuzzi Bunz diapers, but our research is on-going on this topic.

Sixteen Weeks

Today Baby Lundberg is 16 weeks old. Only 168 days to go! So far this pregnancy has been really easy. No morning sickness or nausea, or excessive fatigue. I am starting to show but it kind of just looks like I ate a big lunch or dinner. I can't wait to really pop out!

According to The Cradle, Baby L. measures 4 3/4 inches long (120 mm) crown to rump and weighs 3 3/4 ounces (104.5 g), having more than doubled its dimensions in a mere two weeks.

According to PregnancyWeekly, Baby L. now weighs just over 3 ounces and measures about 4.5 inches long. His or her fingernails and toenails are now fully formed, and internally baby's urinary tract and bladder are functioning, emptying about once every hour.

According to BabyCenter, Baby L is getting ready for a growth spurt, and in the next few weeks Baby L will double in weight and add inches to his/her length. Baby L's legs are much more developed, the head is more erect than it has been, and the eyes have moved closer to the front of the head. Baby L's ears are close to their final position, too.

I should have started this blog earlier. I didn't think of it - I stole the idea from one of my sorority sisters. :)

We scheduled our "big" ultrasound for November 19, 2008. That is when we will find out if Baby L. will be baby Nick or baby Kate!

Typically moms feel their babies start to move between 16 weeks and 22 weeks, so I am anxiously waiting for that. It's called "quickening." Our baby's eyelids are fused shut, but it can still sense light. Soon our baby will be able to hear.

Stay tuned!

Twelve Weeks

Here is our twelve week ultrasound, taken on October 1, 2008. You can see Baby L's head, chin, leg and umbilical cord. Baby L jumped a lot during this ultrasound - it was very fun to watch!

According to BabyCenter, this was what was going on with Baby L at twelve weeks: the most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his/her toes will curl, his/her eye muscles will clench, and his/her mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if mom prods her abdomen, baby will squirm in response, although mom won't be able to feel it. Baby's intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now, and the kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. Baby's face looks unquestionably human: the eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head, and the ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, baby is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.