27 Weeks

Did you think I forgot how to blog? ;) Nope, just busy... Was out of town last weekend, so I missed the posting (and pic). Onto this week...

27 weeks... It still seems like a ways to go until you think 13 weeks or less! (Well, technically it could be up to 14 weeks, but let's hope not.) I've been really tired and feeling the strain of pregnancy lately. Baby moves A TON and I can tell he's getting bigger. Physically, it's getting hard for me to keep up with it all. Somehow I just keep going, with many little breaks in between. :) The past two weeks I've gained 3.5 lbs, but still only makes it 19 overall (and I lost 17 before I was pregnant/started gaining...).

(17 weeks now; 27 weeks with Lauren)

Here's what's going on with baby: "This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle."

And with Mommy: "The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too."

Last week of second trimester! I have a doctor appointment on Monday morning, where they'll do the glucose screening and some other labs to be sure things are going okay. I'll post an update then!