Week 17 - How Big is Baby w/ Q&A

Baby is the size of an onion!

About our lil Munchkin:
About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces  — the size of your open hand.  Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle the baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts).  Baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration  to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed.  And since practice makes perfect, baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now. 

Today's date: Sept 28, 2010

How far along:  17 weeks

Total weight gain: 0 lbs as of now, I go for my check up today so this may change..

Maternity clothes: Haven't brought any, wearing the Maternity Band to hold up my pre-pregnancy jeans.  Highly recommend it.

Sleep: toss and turn all night, feels better to sleep in my recliner


Food cravings/aversions:  Chili Dogs...yummy

Morning sickness:  None, Yay!!  I still have the gag reflex & puke occasionally due to certain smells

Symptoms: gag reflex & puke occasionally

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: Still in

What I miss: nothing really, I still drink 1 soda a day

What I'm looking forward to: Hearing the baby's heartbeat today at my appt. & finding out the gender of our lil munchkin in about 3 weeks.

What's going on this week: Going to the OB today for my appt. and also seeing my gastro doc Thursday.