16 WEEKS

Today was our 16 week Dr. appointment and things still look good! We met one of the other doctors in the practice. I'm not crazy about anyone in practice so far, but I have no idea what doctor I would switch to. We decided to just stick it out and pray that the doctors bedside manner doesn't reflect the performance medically.
The baby's heart beat today was between 140-145 when we listened by doppler. Jon was so excited because you could here it so well and even hear the baby moving around! It was so exciting...I couldn't stop smiling!!
They drew blood for the AFP test and said they would call around Monday if anything was abnormal. No news is good news! I've gained a total of 6 lbs so far (although it feels like a lot more) and my uterus measures appropriately. We also set the level II ultrasound for October 21st! They will do a thorough check of the baby and find out the sex too!! The Dr today said her guess was a boy based on my pregnancy symptoms, etc....but only God knows for sure right now :) We will be so happy either way. Just anxious to give this precious baby a name and start planning the nursery :)
Initially when we found out we were pregnant I had a couple of ovarian cysts - as always. They hadn't caused me any problems until recently - my right side has intermittent sharp pains. I'm just waiting for the darn thing to rupture or just go away! I've also had a decreased appetite the last couple weeks. I'm never very hungry, but make myself eat small amounts several times a day. As a result, I've been having drops in my blood sugar -which makes me VERY jittery, nauseated, and I feel like I'm going to pass out. If I drink some juice or something I start to feel much better. I'm really trying hard to make sure not to go more than 3 hours without eating something. I almost passed out in the grocery store the other day...very embarrassing moment. Luckily people were very nice and after my fogginess cleared up I was fine. It's so fascinating all the changes your body has to make to accommodate a growing baby and all the ways it affects women. Every time I think about it - even when I'm miserable it just amazes me! I feel so blessed to be a woman and able to have a child!!



WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR BABY AT 16 WEEKS?
-Fat begins to form underneath skin, providing your baby with insulation for the coming months.
- Both baby and placenta are now about the same size?
-Your little one has reached 4.57 inches (11.6cm) and approximately 3.53 ounces (100gm).
-Her heart is pumping as much as 6 gallons of blood a day and beats at a rate about double your heart rate.
-If you could take a peek inside, you would witness your child's reflexes in action! (Sucking, swallowing and blinking are now evident - and even hiccuping.)
-The baby has learned to breathe! This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest.