12 Weeks!

From www.babycenter.com

(My comments in purple.)

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close (If this kumquat comes out like it's father I won't be surprised if I get "the bird" at our next ultra sound), his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.


How your (My) life's changing:

Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone (I tried and tried and tried to feel my fundus last night and I've gotta tell ya, it all feels the same to me - like mushy guts.) . You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening ("slight paunch" or "beer gut") and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing. (Why yes - yes I am: sweat pants, PJ pants, or no pants at all)

You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. (check!) Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

Week 12 is an exciting week! It marks the end of the scary period. The period in your pregnancy where most miscarriages happen. Eric and I go in to the doctor on Monday to hear the our kumquat's heart beat. If, on Monday, the baby sounds good the chance of miscarriage is reduced to only 1%. Right now I feel great. I'm a little hungry but still I feel great. I'm excited about our appointment on Monday and I am fully confident that we will come out of the doctors office with a good and healthy, "See ya next month!"