Pocket Bebe

Well hello there, long time no chat!  Things are moving right along and I have a lot of catching up to do for you!

Bebe’s Blog:

Two developmental weeks have gone by since I blogged last.  A week ago Bebe was nine weeks old and looked like this:

and was the size of a grape (the red one, Bebe is not a runt!)

At 9 weeks Bebe was about an inch long and started to look more human. Essential body parts were all in place even though they’ll be fine-tuned and fully developed in the coming months. Baby’s heart finished dividing into four chambers during the week and the valves started to form — along with Bebe’s tiny teeth. The embryonic “tail” is completely gone and Bebe’s organs, muscles, and nerves were kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won’t be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks and while the eyes are fully formed, Bebe’s eyelids are fused shut and won’t open until 27 weeks. Bebe has tiny earlobes, and mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones (hence the weaning of the artificial hormones!!). Grow Bebe, grow!

This current week is week 10 and as of right now Bebe looks like this:

Amazing that at only ten weeks Bebe has now completed the most critical portion of his/her development. The pregnancy is ¼ over with ¾ remaining, we have counted down 10 out of 40 weeks.  This is the beginning of the fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in Bebe’s body rapidly grow and mature.

Bebe is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac).  Bebe has tiny nails forming on his/her fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.  Bebe’s limbs can bend now. The outline of the spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from the spinal cord.  Bebe’s forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his/her body.

My Time:

I’ve started weaning off the medications and so far that has been good, I was worried I might have some cramping and spotting.  Fingers crossed it continues to be uneventful.  Listed below is the weaning schedule from nurse YC in Miami:

3/19/2010: STOP patches. Estradiol tablets 1 pill every night. Progesterone vaginal capsules 1 every morning and 1 every evening. Progesterone in oil ½ cc every night. Continue baby aspirin and prenatal vitamins. 

3/26/2010: STOP estradiol pills. Progesterone vaginal capsules one every evening before bedtime. Progesterone in oil ½ cc every other day.Continue Prenatal Vitamins and Baby Aspirin 

 4/02/2010: STOP baby Aspirin,  STOP progesterone in oil, STOP progesterone vaginal capsules. Continue prenatal vitamins!!!!

Lucy has started her regimen to begin getting her body to be ready to breastfeed Bebe when he/she arrives in October.  Information that she found is located here under breastfeeding protocols. 

Last week I went on a two night three day field trip to Tallahassee to study the state government with my daughter’s fifth grade class.  Some of the highlights included watching the kids do a mock trial in the Supreme Court House, visiting a Florida history museum, IMAX film on ocean life, both the old and new Florida State Capitol buildings, and the never to be forgotten school bus breakdown in Georgia after visiting a plantation.  Good times, good times.

 I managed not to gag or throw up in front of anyone and that was in part to a little something called Sea Bands that I wore nonstop.  I didn’t ride the school bus very often but when I did, even the Sea Bands couldn’t keep the queasy away nor did they help any during the IMAX film BUT they did allow me to get myself out of bed in the morning at the booty crack of dawn.  Since I’ve gotten home, the pit of disaster (laundry, toys, and/or dog), has swallowed one of the precious Sea Bands whole and now I only have one,  which renders it useless.  Here is a picture of the Lone Ranger that didn’t help keep the allergy drip down this morning.  I guess it is back to CVS and another ten spot to keep me moving along.

This is the first pregnancy that I have felt this queasy this constantly and there is much deliberation going on in my mind because of it, is it the fertility medication? Is it because I might be carrying a boy this time instead of having a fourth girl pregnancy?  Is it because I have gotten more sensitive to pollen and environmental allergies over the past years?  Age?  What it is, is the million dollar question!  Ideas anyone?

© Pocketbebe, 2010