In my 12th Week

What's happened in my 12th week....


For one thing, I went to my first pre-natal appointment.  Didn't get to see my doctor (he's not back until the 29th) but I did get my blood work and nurse's appointment all taken care of.  It was kind of surreal... as if I didn't actually belong there or something.  Never had a pre-natal appointment since about October of 1999!  They gave me a copy of "Baby's Best Chance" which brought back memories of my first pregnancies.  It's a very basic book on pregnancy and childbirth.  Kind of neat but not really the in-depth stuff I'm used to researching.


I've also started to show a bit, or at least seriously thicken up.  I have one pair of maternity jeans that I seem to be wearing more and more.  My regular jeans fit in the mornings but in the evenings start to be so uncomfortable that I am unbuttoning at work!!


I listen to the heartbeat for about 30 seconds in the morning and again in the evening.  Baby is located about an inch to the right and about an inch above my pubic bone.  I find him right away (or her?)... the heartbeat is strong, even and measures between 150 and 160 bpm.  The baby often moves away from the doppler which is really freaky.  To think there is something 2.5 inches long moving around inside my body and I have no sensation of it being there.... it's freaky!


I am getting bouts of maternal protectiveness, but not overwhelming and not all day.  I'm not glowing, nor am I walking around with a hand on my tummy, and I'm not sharing my news with strangers.  I have moments of tenderness and realization and fascination and worry.  


As per my agreement with my husband, I am ceasing my chronic work-a-holic ways as much as I can and actually sticking to a 8 or 9 hour workday with a couple days (or at least half days) off each week.  I even went to Costco and stocked up on freezer-to-oven meals, which is totally unlike me - the passionate cook - so that I would actually eat in the evenings.  This has all made a huge difference for my level of restfulness and emotional ease.  I'm taking my pre-natals daily and getting plenty of liquids.


I'm feeling a LOT more energetic these days which is awesome - most likely a result of ending the first trimester and ending the progesterone supplements *and* taking it a lot easier on myself.  I'm not scrubbing windows and toilets, but I am getting more chores done and taking care of myself more, which is great for my emotional well being.  I still have a couch full of gifts that need wrapping - a Sunday project in the making.


Okay.. so this has gone from a fertility blog to a pregnancy blog.  It's different... I love it, but it's different!

Week Twelve: Fingernails and toenails appear

You are 12 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 10 weeks) The fetus is now about 2.5 inches (6cm) length and weighs about 0.7 ounce (20 g). The feet are almost half an inch (1cm) long. The fetus starts moving spontaneously. The face is beginning to look like a baby's face. The pancreas is functioning and producing insulin. Fingernails and toenails appear. The baby can suck his thumb, and get hiccups. From this week you may well be able to hear the baby's heart beat through a doppler monitor on your tummy. You will notice that the rate is up to 160 a minute, double that of a normal adult. Your baby now has a chin and a nose and a facial profile. Vocal chords are complete, and the baby can and does sometimes cry silently. The brain is fully formed, and the baby can also feel pain. The fetus may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers. The hair is on the head and the fingers and toes have developed soft nails. The kidneys are developed and begin to secrete urine. Your baby weighs between 0.5 and 0.7 ounce (14 to 20g), and crown-to-rump length is almost 2.5 inches (63mm). Your baby's size has almost doubled in the past 3 weeks.