14 Weeks

I had my second appointment with my midwife this week, which included a follow up to the ultrasound I had last week. It seems the ultrasound looks normal and my blood work also looks fine, but I won't have a confirmation that everything is as it should be until my second round of blood work is done. The size of the baby is perfect for his/her gestational age, so my due date of June 16, 2010 is still a go. Overall I'm glad all is well in the baby world.

Another highlight this week was listening to my lil' bean's heart beat. I was ready this time and didn't put on any lotion. My midwife checked my blood pressure, heartbeat, breathing and my uterus by external palpation. Everything checked out so the next step was listening to the baby's heartbeat using the doppler. It took her about a minute to find it but when I heard that whoosh-whoosh, it was unmistakable.

I think I could have listened to it for hours. Paul & I were smiling and staring at each other while she checked the heart rate. 150 bpm which is perfect for his/her age. We talked briefly about registering at the hospital and how integrated the midwives were with the rest of the hospital staff. She answered the few questions we had and our visit was over. Yet again Paul & I were giddy as we left the building. We're so happy that our lil' bean is growing perfectly and staying out of trouble. I can't wait to see and listen to him/her again.

I know most people would have told family and friends about a new baby by now. Especially with all the good news we've been getting over the last couple of weeks, but we're waiting. Christmas is at the end of this week and we think it'll be the perfect time to spill the beans. And although I was ready to tell people at 13 weeks, I've been good at keeping my mouth shut. Besides, I don't think I'll be able to hide it past the next couple weeks. My lower abdomen is sticking out, and most of my pants don't fit comfortably any more. Not to mention the size of my chest. All the shirts I've been wearing for the last 3 or 4 weeks are new. I've got about 3 loose fitted sweaters that have been keeping me warm but that's about it. I'll probably pick up a belly band after Christmas and maybe that will help a bit.
But looking fat won't last for very long because my lil' bean just keeps on growing! He/she is now the length of a lemon and the joints are developed enough so that he/she is really moving around. Hands are grasping and his/her eyes are moving under the eyelids. Facial muscles are also giving him/her the ability to form expressions. Lanugo is beginning to form and the body will now be growing faster than the head. It won't be too long before I start feeling all this movement!