21 Weeks

Your baby's bone marrow has started making blood cells, a job done by the liver and spleen until this point. The placenta has provided nearly all of your baby's nourishment, now your baby will begin to absorb small amounts of sugar from swallowed amniotic fluid.Based on the size of baby's head, which is about 2 inches (5cm), the date of birth can be determined to within one week. The fetus is steadily gaining fat and has grown a whitish coat of a slick, fatty substance to protect skin in amniotic fluid and to ease delivery.The baby can hear and recognize the mother's voice, and may respond to some types of music.

20 Weeks

Your baby reacts to loud sounds. Baby can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during their development stages often are calming after birth. This is an important time for sensory development since nerve cells serving each of the senses; taste, smell, hearing, sight, and touch are now developing into their specialized area of the brain.
Your baby now weighes about 11 ounces and at roughly 7 inches long they are filling up more and more of the womb. Though still small and fragile, the baby is growing rapidly and could possibly survive if born at this stage.

It's a BOY!

**Oh come on...you're embarrASSing me!**

Our appointment was awesome! To see little Lucas moving all around was so great! His heartrate dropped to 154bpm which was very sneaky because it was very high the last couple of times making us think he was a girl! We were both very suprised but so EXCITED! The full anatomy went well and Lucas pasted the test! He weighs 10 oz. and is looking so cute already! We can't wait to meet him! I have my next appointment on August 25th before I go back to work on the 26th. I will still keep you posted each week on the growth of Lucas and what he is up to.

Ultrasound...19 weeks

**I slid down Mommy's tummy...this is fun!**
**I'm smiling at you!**

**Oh man...what was I going to do!**

**My foot and hand!**

**Finally...they are leaving me alone so I can sleep!**

19 Weeks

If baby is female the uterus starts to develop, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place. Females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth. If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognizable. Even if the sex looks obvious, ultrasound operators have been known to make mistakes.Baby's legs are reaching their relative size and with the increase muscle development occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon. If you have not felt movement yet, you will soon. Your baby will increase its weight by more than 15 times between now and delivery.Your baby's size is around 6.5 inches and 9 ounces.

Back from Erie

We made it back from Erie. Today is the first day I really felt the baby move more than just once. I woke up to a couple movements while lying in bed and this afternoon while working on the computer the baby moved a couple times. It really feels awesome! We had a great time in Erie and already looking forward to going back in August for the baby shower. Thanks to Natalie and birthday gifts, I came back with lots of maternity clothes. I am really looking forward to our appointment on Tuesday. I do not know what I am more excited for...to see our little one on the sonogram, hear their heartbeat (I love that part), or to find out if it is a boy or girl! Our appointment is not until 4:00 so I will be anxious all day!

18 Weeks

Still visiting in Erie! Doing very well and really looking forward to my doctors appointment on the 28th to find out what we are having.

Vernix (a white cheese like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo, a soft lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs, both help to protect your baby's skin during the months in water. Your baby may hear your heart beating, your stomach rumbling or blood moving through the umbilical cord. He or she may even be startled by loud noises.Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs and the vocal chords are formed. Baby goes through the motions of crying but without air doesn't make a sound; yet. Your baby may have the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. Baby will have a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods.Your baby measures about 6 inches crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces.

17 Weeks

We are in Erie!

Baby's eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed. The skeleton is tranforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier. You can feel your uterus just below your bellybutton. If you put your fingers sideways and measure, it is about two finger-widths (1 inch) below your bellybutton. Your uterus is the size of a cantaloupe.The crown to rump length of your growing baby is 5 to 5.6 inches (12.5 to 14cm) by this week. Weight of the fetus is about 5.25 ounces (150g).

16 Weeks

Since I updated with the last appointment here is the update for 16 weeks on Baby Fluegel...

Your baby has learned to breathe. This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest, inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. These actions help the lungs to develop and grow. More developed facial muscles may lead to various expressions, such as squinting and frowning. Your baby nows weighs more than their afterbirth. The baby can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.You are showing more now and have an obvious swelling in your lower abdomen. The rest of your body is still changing. A total of 5 to 10 pound (2.25 to 4.5 kg) weight gain by this point in your pregnancy is normal.The crown to rump length of your baby is 4.4 to 4.8 inches (11 to 12 cm). Fetal weight has doubled in 2 weeks and is about 3.5 ounces (100g).

Appointment Update

Just had another appointment today. Baby's heartbeat was 162 again! It was louder than mine and not hard to find at all! I have gained 4 pounds and everything else looked good! We rescheduled our appointment to find out the sex of the baby and it is now scheduled for Tuesday, July 28th at 4:00! Say an extra prayer that the little one cooperates and lets us see "everything"!
I felt the baby move for the first time yesterday while I was sitting with my feet up on the couch! The only was to describe it is that feeling you get when going down a hill on a rollercoaster...like the baby was doing a summersault and brushed up against my tummy! It was a very funny feeling! So special at the same time!
Still feeling wonderful and I have said it a million times...so excited for our trip to Erie here in a week!!