Testing, Testing

Who knew it would be so convenient to have a baby-sized dog to test everything out on? We received a very generous gift in the mail yesterday - our swing!!! Because I'm paranoid that items needing assembly will be missing parts, I decided to put the swing together last night in case I needed to exchange it or order any missing pieces.

I'm proud to say that I built the swing successfully and was happy that none of the pieces were missing. Then we let Mayo take a ride. I don't think he liked it very much.

V-DAY!

So, as I have mentioned previously, today is V-Day (i.e., viability day). I'm not sure how the term was coined, but it is common lingo among pregnant women these days.

The idea is that once a baby is 24 weeks, the baby has over a 50% chance of surviving if born prematurely. Obviously, this does not mean that is okay if a baby is born this early. Even if the baby survives it will almost assuredly face serious health issues for months, years or even a lifetime. So, while it is cause to celebrate, as is any other milestone in pregnancy (especially for those who are constantly paranoid, like myself, due to a previous loss), the notion of V-Day should be taken with a grain of salt.

A great chart showing viability percentages by week can be found at this website.

Many people have a "personal V-Day" as well - a date where they will actually relax a little bit more with the knowledge that they will be taking home their baby. Based on the chart linked above, I think my personal V-Day is more like 27 weeks, when the chance of survival is over 90%. I like 90% much better than 50%.

Next Ultrasound Scheduled!!!

We have another ultrasound scheduled for August 26th (4 weeks from today) to check on Joaquin's growth. This ultrasound will be at Magella Medical Group, which is the same place I went last time where I got that amazing picture. Hopefully he is healthy and growing and I can get another shot (or a few) of his adorable face to share with everyone.

Ticker Change Thursday - 24 Weeks

Joaquin is now 24 weeks and still about the size of a papaya. He has gained about 4 ounces since last week and because he's almost a foot long, he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.


How far along? 24 weeks
Weight gain/loss: 22 pounds already. Sigh.
Sleep? I'm getting better at sleeping on my side and the stomach spasms are becoming slightly less frequent, which is fantastic.
Best moment this week? Jay and I went to see Inception at the IMAX in Irvine. It was awesome. I highly recommend it. In particular, I think my dad would really enjoy this movie.
Movement: Little Joaquin is getting stronger every day. It is so fun to feel him kicking. Unfortunately, he still a little bugger when it comes to kicking when Jay is around to feeling it.
Food cravings: Cold lentil salad with cherry tomatoes. Yum!
Belly button in or out? Out, and now visible even with a shirt.
What I miss? High heels (sort of).
What I am looking forward to? I can't wait for this weekend. We have no big plans for the first time in a while, so hopefully we'll have some time to just relax.
Milestones: It's V-Day!! (I will post separately on this)
What I'm nervous about: How I am going to stay focused at work for the next 15-16 weeks.

Belly Picture Friday - 23w1d

23 Week Appointment Update

I just went to my OB and here are the highlights:

1. I gained 8 pounds since my appointment 4 weeks ago, so I have gained 22 pounds total. My OB wasn't concerned but I was shocked. Sigh. No wonder it's so hard for me to walk up stairs these days!

2. My HCG (beta) levels are 2x the median, which is right on the border for when my OB is concerned about the baby not growing quickly enough later in pregnancy. She wasn't worried and said "it is just an excuse to send you for another ultrasound." So, I guess that's good. I get to go back to the fancy u/s place (where they do 3D!) at 28 weeks to check and make sure Joaquin is growing on schedule.

3. My OB is pregnant and due in December!! I'm really happy for her.

4. I have to do my gestational diabetes test in 3 weeks. Fun.

That's all!

Ticker Change Thursday - 23 Weeks

Joaquin is 23 weeks today and still about the size of a papaya. On average, babies at 23 weeks are approximately 1 pound and 1 ounce. Joaquin is usually meausuring a little bigger than average, so I'd guess he's about 1 pound and 4 or 5 ounces.

How far along? 23 weeks
Weight gain/loss: I would guess I'm up 19-20 pounds. I will find out this afternoon.
Sleep? I'm having more trouble sleeping now, as I have to be on my side. Unfortunately, sleeping on my side hurts my shoulders so I am constantly waking up and switching sides to keep from getting sore. It is not easy to switch sides with a body pillow.
Best moment this week? We got our car seat and cloth diapers yesterday. It was pretty neat to imagine little Joaquin sitting in the car seat and see just how small those diapers are. Very cute.
Movement: The kicks keep getting stronger and sometimes my belly even moves. He is really stubborn though because every time Jay tries to feel him kicking he stops moving.
Food cravings: Smoked gouda.
Belly button in or out? Out, and now visible even with a shirt.
What I miss? Walking up stairs easily.
What I am looking forward to? Only about 2 more weeks until our 5 year wedding anniversary!
Milestones: I guess having my belly button pop out. I was hoping it would be a little later before that happened!
What I'm nervous about: How we are going to fit all of this baby stuff in our place.