Week 24

How far along: 24 weeks – began September 11, 2017.

Size of Baby: Eggplant (13 inches long, 1 1/2 pounds) 😮

Milestones: BB's lungs are starting to produce the substance that makes them inflate when he has to breathe on his own, and his taste buds are developing, which means he'll soon be able to taste the stronger flavors of the foods I eat through the amniotic fluid. These first exposures to flavors can contribute to his food preferences, so trying to eat healthier foods is that much more important at this point... Each week, he puts on a little more fat and is starting to take regular baby-shape and the appearance of capillaries is giving his skin a pink glow. 

Best Moment This Week: It was a big week for us! We had my 24 week appointment which went well, BB's heart rate was in the upper 140s-lower 150s and he was moving so much that my OB had to chase him around with the doppler monitor lol. I'm measuring exactly on target and at my next appointment, I'll finally have my glucose test and another ultrasound to see if my placenta has moved. My OB said she's pretty confident it will move by 28 weeks, so we'll see what happens! Leif and I also began our long line of prenatal classes/visits yesterday. We began with a tour of the St. Luke's Birth Center. I was impressed with all of their offerings and feel like BB and I will be in good hands there. The nurse who gave us the tour was very thorough and walked us through every step of what to expect when the big day comes. They have a well-equipped NICU and the rooms are homey. Next Saturday, we'll be taking the Baby Basics class, so I'll let you know how that goes!

What I’m Looking Forward To: Can't wait until my 28 week ultrasound to see how BB is coming along. Based on other photos/videos I've seen from around that time, he'll look somewhat close to how he will when he's born. At the Birthing Center's NICU, they have a "wall of fame" featuring photos of premature babies side-by-side with how they look years later to help comfort parents in that situation. The youngest baby was about 25 weeks and was pictured cuddling with a Beanie Baby that was a little bigger than him. I can't believe that BB could already survive on the outside!  

What I Miss The Most: As my bump continues to grow, it's getting more challenging to pick things up off the ground and get out of the car and bed. I just have to take it slow and it's fine, but it's easy to forget my limitations and feel like an upside-down turtle. There have been a few instances where Leif's had to help me up when I crouched down to get something at the store, and I know it will only get worse!

Symptoms: The kicks continue to intensify! If I look at my belly when they're happening, I can usually see ripples and sometimes shifting. BB is still on a pretty set pattern of activity, so that makes it easy to detect is anything is off with him. I was told I can begin counting kicks since I feel them so well, so basically once or twice a day when he's active, I'm supposed to count how long it takes for him to kick ten times, and if it takes more than two hours, it could be a red flag. Otherwise, I've had a couple bouts of nausea, but it seems to have been related to getting overheated, so my OB once again advised to to drink more water. Still pretty tired every other day and have some back pain from time to time, but nothing too bad.

Cravings: Working on cutting down on my sugar intake a little with the glucose test coming up... easier said than done though. Multiple people have told me that they failed the initial glucose test because they ate something sugary and had to go through the three hour test and ended up passing because they were more careful about what they ate prior. I've been eating a bunch of Cheese-Its, figs, and nuts for snacks and same-old chicken and vegetables for most meals. Still love gyros and burgers when we're able to get them!