Baby This Week | 21 Weeks!

We are officially a pomegranate! Whoo hoo!

Baby weighs almost a pound now and is 7 to 8 inches long. His or her body still appears wrinkled because she lacks a significant layer of fat beneath her skin. This week nerve endings become functional enough so that baby can feel! Baby will be experimenting with this new sense of touch by stroking his or her face or feeling other body parts to see how they move. I can feel baby stretching its muscles by pushing against the muscular wall of my tummy with their feet or head.  In addition, baby's liver is busy breaking down bilirubin, a substance formed by the breakdown of hemoglobin in blood cells.

Other developments taking place this week:

• Lips. Baby will form distinct lips.

• Testes. If baby is a  boy, the testes, which have been tucked up inside the pelvis, will begin to descend into the scrotum this week, and immature sperm will form in the seminal vesicles.

• Eyes. Baby's eyes will complete formation, although the iris (the colored part of the eye) will still lack pigment.

• Pancreas. Essential to insulin production, the pancreas will continue to develop steadily.

Baby - This little one has been moving a lot lately and is pretty strong.  As opposed to last week when baby would only move during certain times of the day, now baby is moving all through out the day and night.  Baby's movements are strong enough for me and hubs to see from the outside, which is really cool.  Baby is steadily growing and getting stronger, so I anticipate the movements to get more fluid and even stronger as time goes on.

Me - I have been feeling pretty good.  I've been pretty tired this week and can feel my body (the insides especially) stretching.  My bump has gotten bigger as well and I'm up about 1-2 lbs from the previous week.  As of right now, my overall weight gain is about 9-10 lbs.  I do feel like baby is hanging out in the back of my uterus this week, becaue my bump doesn't look as big and I've been feeling more pressure everyday.  My appetite is pretty regular now, thank goodness.  I'm eating most meats again, but still not craving them majorly.  Fortunately, no stretch marks, swelling, and my rings are still on.  Looks like my growth has been centralized to just one area, my abdomin, which I am happy about!

Hubs - Hubs was able to feel the baby move the other and see it!  it was really exciting, because before than he had no idea what the movements felt or looked like.  He likes to talk to and tickle the baby (which is really just him tickling me and gently shaking my belly).  He was able to come to both the prenatal appointment and ultrasound last week, and was super excited to be able to see the baby.  We are both so excited to be just 19 weeks away!

Until next week folks!

Happy Bumping!

xxoo,

Tenns