Weeks 23 - 25

Rebekah's update for Weeks 23 - 25:

Not much excitement on the home front. I've been super busy with work. I went to Pittsburgh for a week or excitement on the first week of August. Let's just say that it's a good thing that I'm not a drinker, but that's another blog entry all in itself!

Rachel got really sick on her last day at Childcare Network (the kids' previous daycare). She spent all of Friday in the bathroom, sick from both ends. The poor kid! I don't know if it was worse for her or for Rusty. He had to clean up whatever mess she made. Let's just say that the washing machine was pretty tired by the end of Friday's escapades! What a trooper, that hubby o' mine. Here I am in Pittsburgh, and he's stuck with a sick kid. Blah!

So, longer story short, Rusty got Rachel's bug on Saturday night, and then I got it on Sunday night. This is the first time that I have called in to work...ever, but there is no way that I could have functioned. I stayed in bed all day, and went to bed early. Thank the Lord that we are done with that!

I've not done a good job with keeping up with these last 3 weeks, but there really hasn't been much happening. I think that Emily is going to be a pretty feisty kid, though. It seems that every time I STOP moving, she starts! Also, she has found my rib cage, bladder, and various other important body parts. I think that she's most comfortable when I am the least comfortable.

We have a Sleep Number Bed. This contraption may very well be the best invention EVER! I'm to the point that I can only sleep on my side, but I've not been able to find a comfortable pillow to shove under my tummy so that I can sleep soundly! Well, don't worry, folks! I can deflate the bed, and sink down into the mattress. Somehow, it creates enough lift so that my tummy doesn't feel like it's going to fall off. Woo Hoo!

I took the Oh So Wonderful "Glucose test" last Friday. Blah! Surprisingly enough, I was SO hungry that drinking the stuff wasn't all that bad. The part that was bad was having to sit in the lab for nearly 2 hours.

I go to the Doctor today for my usual checkup, and I have a followup ultrasound scheduled for next Wednesday. The last ultrasound indicated that my placenta was low-lying. I didn't know what it meant, but the Doctor told me that it was nothing to worry about. Here's what WebMD says: Placenta Previa - I'm not too worried about it, even though it sounds bad. We'll be taken care of, one way or the other. Emily was also hiding behind her arms, so we have to check her for cleft pallet. Wonderful! Another visit to the doctor...yee ha! I'll let you all know how the ultrasound / doctor's appointment go in next week's update.

I'm going to try to limit the website entries for the 3 weeks that I have been slacking, so bear with me. I promise...I'll do better.

Week 26, here we come!!!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**
-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the website: Week 23

Your Baby's Development
Even though fat is beginning to accumulate on your baby's body, the skin still hangs loosely, giving your baby a wrinkled appearance. Your baby's daily workout routine includes moving the muscles in the fingers, toes, arms, and legs regularly. As a result, you may feel more forceful movements.
By now your baby weighs a little more than 1 pound (454 grams). If preterm labor and delivery were to occur this week, a baby could survive with expert medical care, but might have mild to severe disabilities. With increasing research and knowledge in the field of fetal medicine, the long-term prognosis for premature babies (preemies) improves every year.
Your Body
The closer you get to your delivery date, the more trouble you may have sleeping. Anxiety, frequent urination, heartburn, leg cramps, and general discomfort can translate into a short night's sleep for a pregnant woman. But your baby's health and your own depend on you getting adequate rest. Try a warm bath, soothing music, a relaxing book, or a cup of herbal tea to put you in the mood to snooze.
Many doctors recommend that pregnant women sleep on their sides, not their backs or stomachs, so that blood flow to the placenta is not restricted. If you find this uncomfortable, try placing a pillow between your knees to relieve the pressure of your weight while lying on your side.

Week 24

Your Baby's Development

Your baby is still receiving oxygen through the placenta. But once birth occurs, his or her lungs will start taking in oxygen on their own. In preparation for that, your baby's lungs are developing the ability to produce surfactant. Surfactant is a substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from collapsing and sticking together when we exhale, allowing us to breathe properly.
Because the inner ear — which controls balance in the body — is now completely developed, your baby may be able to tell when he or she is upside down or right side up while floating and making movements in the amniotic fluid.

Your Body
An important prenatal test, glucose screening, is usually performed sometime during weeks 24 to 28. The glucose screening test checks for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn, such as low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes may also increase the chances that a woman would need a cesarean section because it can lead to the growth of very large babies.
During the glucose screening test, you'll drink a sugary solution and then have your blood drawn. If your blood sugar levels are too high, you'll have further tests, which your health care provider will discuss with you. Gestational diabetes usually can be controlled by eating a well-planned diet and getting regular exercise, but sometimes medication, such as daily insulin, will be needed during the pregnancy.

Week 25

Your Baby's Development
You may notice that your baby has resting and alert periods. You'll notice fetal activity more readily when you are more sedentary. Your baby's hearing has continued to develop, too — he or she may now be able to hear your voice!

Your Body
Pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects when it comes to digestion. Not only does the hormone progesterone slow the emptying of the stomach, but it also relaxes the valve at the entrance to the stomach so that it doesn’t close properly. This allows acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus. The result: reflux (also known as heartburn) that can make eating your favorite meals a nightmare. The expanding uterus puts additional pressure on the stomach in the last few months of pregnancy. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid spicy and fatty foods.