Week 17

Alrighty...back to the updates. On Friday, I received results from my last blood tests (Fifth's Disease and Maternal Serum). I am immune to Fifth's Disease (yoo-hoo...especially since it shows up in the classroom at least once a year) and the Maternal Serum results came back normal. "Normal results of the screening, which is the case over 90 percent of the time, should be reassuring. This typically means that no further testing for Down syndrome or spina bifida will be necessary. Unfortunately, screening tests for Down syndrome and spina bifida do not always identify an affected fetus. It should be comforting to know, however, that maternal serum screening detects over 85 percent of fetuses with spina bifida, and multiple marker screening identifies 60-75 percent of fetuses with Down syndrome."

My appetite seems back to about normal along with my energy levels. Although I am quickly losing the ability to button up my pants. Instead of running out and buying maternity pants, I am going to try ordering a Bella Band - http://www.ingridandisabel.com/bellaband0708/how-to-wear.html. At this stage, I would wear it as an extra layer to disguise the fact that my pants are unbuttoned. We'll see how it works. Apparently, at this point I may start feeling the baby move. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to determine if it is movement or something else. I have had little 'sharp' pains (not painful) that I can pinpoint to a specific spot here and there, but I have no idea if that is the baby or not???

In the meantime, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving, delivery of our new family room furniture, and our first sonogram next Tuesday.


Baby's Development (from Pregnancy.org)

• By week 17, your baby weighs about 4.97 ounces (140gm) and is 5.12 inches (13cm) long.
  
• He or she has a much more normal "human" appearance now. She holds her head more erect and her body and limbs are longer in proportion to her head.
  
• Pads are forming on his tiny fingertips and toes. Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent.
  
• Her eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.
  
• Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become your baby's first poop!
  
• The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to rush blood and nutrients to your growing baby.
  
• If your child is male the prostate begins to develop.
  
• Her skeleton is tranforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier.

(pictures from Pregnancy.org)