Squish - week 19

Yup, we are there. I'm 19 weeks pregnant.
Almost 1/2 way there. (Pregnancy is supposed to last 40 weeks).


Cervix Check - Yay! Good news - the bed rest is helping. They had been concerned about the length of my cervix I guess they look for numbers over 4.0cm as cervical length prior to 24-28 weeks. At my first cervical length check I was at 3.4, the second I had shortened further to only 3.3 - this is when I was told to really take it easy. They don't get freaked out, and I won't be put on severe bed rest, or hospitalized bed rest, until my cervical length measures 2.5 or less so I have wiggle room. This week I was measuring 3.6 - 3.8 not a huge difference, but the number went up, which proves that the bed rest torture is working. The closer we get to 22 weeks (it was the day I hit 22 weeks at 12:51am that we lost our Christopher) - the more scared I'm getting. I can't tell you what a relief hearing that my cervix had lengthened was. Dr. Dixon, my perinatologist (high risk obstetrician), did tell me that we can relax a little on the bed rest, yet another positive this week.

(For those who don't know the cervix is the tube/tunnel between the womb and the vagina. (Yeah I know everyone wants to hear this.) When you hear them saying "she's at a 3" or "she's dilated to 8" they are talking about how many cm the radius the womans cervix has opened to. The further along the labor process you are the wider the cervix is opened, they normally allow women to start pushing once she hit's a dilation of 10. The closer you get to delivery with your pregnancy your cervix starts to shorten, and starts to funnel. The top of it (closest to the baby) will start opening, getting wider, and the length of it shortens, exactly like a funnel. With incompetent cervix, the person's cervix is not strong enough or structurally capable of holding itself closed when the weight of a baby is applied.)

Baby News - Not a whole lot new going on in Squish's world as far as I can tell. I was hoping to feel a lot more movement, but so far it's about the same. I can't wait until I start feeling things that are definitely kicks and punches. Squish still doesn't like cold drinks, or being poked. I'm thinking maybe I should try bribing baby, I won't wake Squish up by poking intentionally if they let us know whether they are a boy or girl. Is it to early to start bribing your kid? How about threats? Is threatening to drink a lot more cold liquids if they don't cooperate for ultrasounds wrong?

Gender check - Squish is still being uncooperative with ultra-sounds. I had a cervical check and anatomy ultra-sound on Friday, Kelley even took the day off for it to be there. Squish was their normal misbehaving baby self. The ultra-sound tech looked and couldn't get a peek between the legs - so we still don't know whether we have a boy Squish or a girl Squish. This is the second week they've worked on that anatomy scan - checking all the parts of the baby for defects and such - and once again they couldn't get all they needed to because of wiggling Squish. I guess this week our baby's spine was in the way of everything, good news is Squish has a spine.

Tammy update - I'm exhausted. At the same time talking to other women about as far along as I am they are exhausted too. Something about the fact that the baby is growing by leaps and bounds right now, putting on tons of weight. Squish weighed about 5.5 ounces on the 8th - by the fifth of February baby should be weighing about a pound. I guess what they say is true, baby building is serious business.

My back is not liking being pregnant, but at least it's pain for a good cause. My legs/feet are having more issues with numbness the farther along I get, but my pain doctor told me to expect that. Sometimes I look down and think I'm all tummy - because that's all I see. My toes have disappeared. From what they say it's me being all tummy now that is making this pregnancy harder - the weight from the tummy is pulling my spine forward - which is messing with the already messed up mess back there. The weight makes the spine pinch more here, put more pressure there, stuff like that. The good news with this is that it's not permanent, and once baby is born and the weight is distributed the way it should be again, I should go back to just my normal pain.

I'm still craving strawberries - but at least they are coming into season here. Arby's too, and I've never been an eat at Arby's a lot person. Not as bad yet as Taco Bell was last pregnancy, but I can do without dreaming of roast beef sandwiches. There is something else I've been craving but I have yet to figure it out.

Poor Kelley is still putting up with me. I think I've been a little bit better on the weepyness, but it's definitely irritating. Doesn't help when I bawl over things like not being able to make the bed, or the fact that we have a fridge full of food and nothing looks good. You would think with me being the primary person deciding on what we eat that there would be something that looked good in our pantry and fridge. I cried the other day when I was brushing our dog because some of the fur on the back of her legs had matted a little bit - all I could think was that I couldn't even keep my dog brushed well, how was I going to take care of a baby? Don't forget to check in next week for what's making Tammy cry next.

Baby Gaga Update:


Fetal Development in Pregnancy Week 19: our amazing little baby is now around 10 inches in length! If this seems a bit shocking, you’ll be relieved to know they’ve not actually grown over 3 inches, but that their little legs are now straight enough to be measured. This is when doctors begin measuring fetal growth from head to toe, (no longer “crown to rump” or CR). Lanugo (little hairs) covers their whole body now, trapping that charming cheese-like vernix caseosa (see week 18) to the surface to the skin. This week your lil’ fetus will start on an appetizing diet of amniotic fluid which they are now capable of swallowing, digesting, and passing the fluid as far as their tiny “large” intestines. Fortunately for you, this nice little lump of baby-poop won’t be coming out while they’re still in your womb. Some time shortly after they’re born, this fun lump will become the first in a long line of baby poops. (What finally comes out— commonly known as “meconium” to the science world, will be black and sticky, and you’ll be very glad it happens only once!)


And Hows Mom Doing?: nlike generations of women before you who were taught pregnancy was practically an ailment (10% of women DID die in childbirth back then), we now have scientific evidence that exercise is a good thing when you’re pregnant. In fact, most physicians recommend continuing or starting a pregnancy-friendly exercise routine.


Walking, running, swimming, weight training and yoga (see week 20) are all good for your heart and overall physical stamina during this physically challenging time. Not to mention proper exercise can do a lot towards increasing your overall flexibility (at a time where your body wants to stiffen up) thereby somewhat reducing the pain and tension during labor. Last but not least, exercise can keep you from gaining unnecessary amounts of weight (which you’ll have to fight off later after birth if you don’t do it now). Obviously, you’re going to want to avoid sports where you are at risk of falling or being hit in the stomach. Basically, stay away from sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and skiing. Instead, opt for the pool, weight room, and/or yoga class. We’re not saying you should stress yourself out trying to be a world-class athlete, but if you’re eating right and getting enough sleep, exercise during this health-critical phase of your life, will keep your collective energy levels higher and increase your feeling of well-being, as well as ensuring that you and your baby are in top physical and mental condition.