image: header
image: gownflare

Monday, November 08, 2010

Baby Stockton #2 Countdown - Week 18, 22 to Go!

Wow! When I type out that post title, it makes everything hit home real hard! I can't believe I'm already nearing the halfway point and only have about 5 months left. It's amazing to even think that in just 5 short months, I'll be holding my second little one and falling in love all over again. :)

Oh, and for those who hadn't heard or read it yet....SURPRISE! I'm pregnant again and expecting another wee one on April 8th, 2011. It's posted in several places on this blog, my web site, and Facebook, but easy to miss if you're not looking for it.

Anyway, if you were around in 2008-2009, you know on Mondays I posted weekly updates toward the countdown of my first baby's arrival. Well, I heard so many great comments and received so much feedback, I figured it'd be a great idea to do that again. I began in week 22 then, so I'm getting a few weeks' early start this time around.

And as of week 18, here is the update:

We have had 4 appointments so far, and our first ultrasound is scheduled for December 2nd. This time, we're going to find out if we're having a boy or a girl. No surprises. And this is it for us too. Only two children. I'm getting too old and too close to 40 to have anymore. :)

I started feeling movement about 3 weeks ago and have been feeling flutters or bubbles every day since. Doc said I should definitely experience my first real kick about mid-December.

Other than that, we're doing great. I had a belly at about 6 weeks, believe it or not. I'd heard with a second baby, your body remembers, but I didn't believe it until it happened. With my daughter, I didn't need maternity clothes until nearly 6 months. This time, I was scrounging for my maternity clothes, worried I'd packed them somewhere I'd never find, or worse, that I'd put them in a large garbage bag that got thrown away. We've been preparing to move from our condo to a house this year, so there are a lot of boxes. Thank God, I looked in a tub in my daughter's closet and TADA! I found them. Phew! :)

Anyway, this is the week when my baby's inner ear and the nerve endings from the brain have developed enough so that he/she can probably detect sounds clearly. One of the most comforting sounds is probably my heartbeat. My baby may also hear my voice, my stomach rumbling, and the sound of blood moving through the umbilical cord to and from the placenta, which is now almost as big as my baby.

So, I guess it's good to start singing and talking to the wee one I'm carrying. :)

And....we have two more ounces! My litte "getting bigger-n-better by the minute baby" is already up to 7 ounces and 6 inches! This is also a big week for their baby skin. There are now two distinct layers—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis. Currently, his/her skin is covered with a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance, known as vernix caseosa. Sure, it sounds pretty nasty, but this mixture of fatty secretions covering my little swimmer from head to toe is the best way to protect their oh-so-thin skin from bruising and abrasions as well as chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure (and my little one is swimming in that stuff!).

My baby is also starting to swallow and may even feel thirsty sometimes. Some experts think thirst may trigger a baby to swallow, and since amniotic fluid is constantly being produced, my baby’s swallowing of excess fluid helps keeps the fluid at a constant level. This little one can also mimic breathing. The little chest will continue to move up and down to mimic breathing, but my baby isn't breathing air—just swallowing and inhaling amniotic fluid.

That's about it for now.

Tune in next week for the latest. And if you want to receive an email each time I post an update, subscribe using the form over there at the top right.

Thanks for coming along this journey with me...some of you for the second time.

* * * * *

4 comments:

CherryBlossomMJ said...

Goodness everywhere I turn the people who had new babies or where pregnant while I was pregnant are there again! I'm out of the club, but excited for everyone else. (My prayers are for patience for when I can join the club... *sigh*) Congrats on #2!!


I've updated the CHF Reading Challenge post and finally moved over the linkies if you want to link up your reviews for others to see. I know I'm behind. I'm sorry. :)
2010 Christian Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Sheila Deeth said...

Congratulations!

Martha A. said...

Congratulations!!!!

Tiffany Amber Stockton said...

Thanks for the congrats. And MJ, don't worry about it. We planned and hoped for our 2 kids to be about 2 years apart, and God worked it out. It'll happen for you when the time is right. For us, age was a factor. I'm just getting too old for this. :)