Seventeen Weeks

Fetus at seventeen weeks

I went to the OB on Thursday, and during the ultrasound the nurse practitioner tried her best to see if Baby Labrador is a boy or girl - to no avail. That's okay because it's just about time for the anatomy scan in a week or two. I will go to the perinatolotist's for that, and they have the cutting edge ultrasound technology there. We should know then for sure. That appointment hasn't been made yet, but I will probably be able to schedule it come Monday. During Thursday's ultrasound, we got a picture of the baby's foot. My mom thought it looked like Michael's foot. She said she should know because she spent a lot of time rubbing his feet when he was sick - we all did. He liked that.

Anyway, it's just amazing to watch this baby grow and develop even from this vantage point. I follow one of my favorite authors, Randy Alcorn, on Facebook, and today he posted this:

At 18 days after conception the human heart is forming and the eyes start to develop. By 21 days the heart is pumping blood throughout the body. By 28 days the unborn has budding arms and legs. By 30 days she has a brain and has multiplied in size ten thousand times; at 40 days brain waves are measurable.

This baby is way past forty days. He or she is at least five inches in length from the top of his or her head to the rump. With long legs like Michael and me, I guess the baby's full length could be around 8 or 9 inches. You'd think I'd be able to feel something that large inside of me, but I haven't just yet.

I'm still nauseous off and on, but not as much as before. I'm afraid to say anything for fear I will jinx myself and it will start up again. I take Phenergan and Benedryl only occasionally when I feel a little queasy. My appetite is much better than it has been in months. My mom has done a lot of cooking for me this past week, and I like that I'm able to enjoy food once again.

The terrible headaches continue. I saw a neurologist yesterday, and she really wasn't able to come up with a diagnosis based on what I told her and her examination of me. So, the next step is an MRI of my brain next week. She told me that I can take Vicodin for the pain because it won't hurt the baby. Sometimes the Vicodin helps more than other times, but it usually takes the edge off. I can take up to two per day. I am relieved to not be working right now. I just rest and eat. When a headache comes on, I do even less than that.

I was supposed to meet with a doula this morning, but somehow our wires got crossed and she didn't show up. Maybe she was helping someone else deliver a baby this morning. I think I'd only want to use a doula if I have a vaginal birth. If we need to schedule a c-section for whatever reason, then I don't think she would be necessary. Even so, I'd like to talk to her.

Lastly, my mom and I made a quick stop to shop for some maternity tops earlier today. I have found that even my largest t-shirts are getting too small. Motherhood Maternity had some really cute things, and I thought they were reasonably priced. So, I'm set for a while.

Seventeen weeks!