26 weeks.....

By this week, the baby's crown-to-rump length is approximately 35 cm. Remember that is only from the top of his head to his bottom and does not include his leg measurements! Your baby weighs almost 950 gms and is beginning to put on weight.

The baby would now recognize my voice and may be calmed by the sound of it (observed by their heart rate slowing). They may also recognize his dad’s voice and different types of music. When observing unborn babies with ultrasound they can respond to relaxing music by turning towards it, and curl up and away from very loud rock, rap and pop type music. Studies have also shown that newborns may be soothed by particular sounds after birth (as long as the baby is not hungry). One soothing sound is 'white noise', a mixture of low, middle and high tones from the full spectrum of the human ear. White noise can be created by the sound of a vacuum cleaner or the inside of a car traveling

25 weeks......

Your baby's crown-to-rump length is about 33 cm and the weight has increased to around 800grams and fat is still being deposited at a high rate.
The baby's eyelids are no longer fused, so they can now open their eyes and blink! It is also possible for the baby to respond to bright light (such as shining a torch through the belly). Newborns have vision that is perfectly focused from about 20 to 30 cm, usually as far away as the face of the person holding them!

24 Weeks......

This week the baby's crown-to-rump length is around 22 cms and the baby will weigh approximately 1.2 pounds. Although it weighs a little over a pound at this point, the growing baby is still tiny. The baby's face is basically complete now. The fetus's eyes are close together on the front of his face and they are still shut. The baby's ears have moved into their final position on the sides of his head. Where they are now is where they will be when the baby is born! Hair will continue to grow on his scalp and his eyelashes are well developed. Most of the baby's features look the same as they will at birth. Because the growing baby is getting plumper, he no longer has room in your tummy to do cartwheels and somersaults.

23 Weeks....

This week the baby's length, from crown-to-rump, is approximately 20 cm and the growing baby has finally reached one pound. The baby is about the size of a small baby doll and looks very human. The baby's face and body look similar to that of a newborn at this time.

Fat is still being deposited at a rapid rate, but the baby still looks red and wrinkled. Skin is being produced at a higher rate than the fat is, so the skin hangs loosely. The baby looks red because the skin is losing its transparency and pigment is beginning to form. I am able to feel the baby moving quite a bit throughout the day as he kicks and punches the uterus walls. Babies also run their hands along the umbilical cord and touch their body parts while they are in the womb. The baby now can suck his thumb for real, where he was just sticking it in her mouth. He will continue to swallow amniotic fluid and recycle it as urine. The liquids and sugars that the baby retracts from the fluid is a supplement to the nutrients that the placenta delivers. The pancreas is developing and it will responsible for insulin production, to help break down sugars.

Eloise first riding lesson....

Eloise had her first riding lesson today. She was very excited but scared at the same time. Her little head did not fit any school helmets so we had to borrow the instructors daughters.

Eloise was wonderful. She learnt to mount up, walk on, halt and started the basics of sitting and rising trot...

After the half hour she was exhausted but excited about going again in a fortnight...

22 Weeks....

The baby is approx 26 cm in length and weights 550 grams

The baby’s body continues to grow and develop every day. The organ systems in the baby's body are becoming specialized for their particular functions. The fetal liver produces different enzymes than it will produce after delivery. The liver is responsible for breaking down billirubin, which is produced by the breaking down of blood cells. Because the life span of a fetal red blood cell is shorter than that of an adult, a fetus produces more billirubin than adults do. Billirubin passes from fetal blood to the placenta and then into your blood. Your liver helps get rid of fetal billirubin. A newborn baby that has high levels of billirubin may show signs of jaundice. Jaundiced babies have a yellowish tint to their eyes and skin and are often treated with phototherapy.

The baby's senses are developing daily. The fetus now has a full complement of neurons in the brain and is learning about his body and surroundings through touch. Touch is one of the first senses to mature and the baby may stroke its face or feel his arms and legs.