I know, I know. We’ve been very bad about posting about the baby and putting up belly shots. The problem is, this pregnancy is going by way too quickly! We’re still hashing out names, still have yet to figure out what we’re doing for the nursery, and as yet, the only thing we have purchased for our wee boy is a little blue sleeper. Yes, we have furniture, toys and supplies already, but unfortunately, every stitch of clothing, decor and blanketry is a decidedly girlie shade of pink or purple. And we have but 15 weeks left. So really, posting pictures of my pregnant belly in a timely manner is the least of our concerns!
The little guy’s movements have become more obvious, but still consist mainly of stretching, repositioning and hiccuping rather than intentional rupture of various internal organs. My bladder has received maybe four kicks in the past month — a far cry from the relentless pounding of another baby I might mention. Am I complaining? No, I am not! If I had been pregnant with this little guy the first time around, I might be one of those glowy earth-mother types who enjoys every moment of pregnancy. (Instead, I’m just dreading what I assume is the inevitable feeling that the baby, once bigger, will crack my ribs, strain my pelvic floor, sever my spleen and push all the food back up my esophagus.)
There’s not much to write about. My prenatal appointment went fine, as usual. The little guy’s heartbeat is in the 140 to 150 range, as it tends to be. He’s measuring two days behind on ultrasound, just as he was at eight weeks. He’s got predictable (if relaxed) periods of activity in the morning, early afternoon and late evening. In short, he’s a perfectly healthy, apparently laid-back baby. At this point in his gestation, he weighs a pound and a half, measures more than a foot long, his lungs are producing surfactant and he has a 60 to 80 percent chance of survival if born this week. Of course, we hope he stays in a lot longer — not only for his health, but also so he doesn’t have to come home wrapped in a pink hand-me-down blanket and sleep in a crib with pink gingham bedding.
And here are pictures of the belly at 23 and 24 weeks, respectively:
Week 23
Week 24