5 Months Today~ Halfway there Baby M!

Today, we have reached a new milestone...I am now 5 months along - 20 wks! I cannot believe how fast this has all went. I know I keep saying that, but, now we have been getting anxious to find out what Baby M is. Boy or Girl? The appointment for that is next Friday at 1pm. Believe me, I think Allen is more excited than anyone else about that appointment. I have been getting anxious over little silly stuff. We have not done anything to Baby M's future room aka our guest room for now. We have been putting this off until we found out the sex of Baby M. I am ready to start shopping for material to make another baby quilt, specially for Baby M. I hand quilted one over 5 years ago, and I just wanted to have another quilt to coordinate with Baby M's room and have it embroidered with their name, date of birth, and weight, etc.. Allen noticed that I did not really grow anymore in the belly this last week. I still am proud of my weight gain this far, and hope to keep a handle on it for the other half of this pregnancy. I am soo proud of Allen, and I feel so very blessed to be sharing this all with him. It is great when he comes home and has to rub my belly first thing. We spend our evenings talking and watching tv in bed before we go to sleep, with him feeling for Baby M to move, and then kissing my belly goodnight. This is truely the highlight of my week. I am so thankful for having a marriage like this, and have now, finally gotten to where I can say that I am grateful that we have went through all of the doctors appointments, heartaches, and disappointments, to get to where we are now. I know it made me a better person. Some people say that they would not wish infertility problems on their worst enemy. I disagree. I feel like this has made our marriage stronger, made both Allen and I stronger, even though it was a time in our lives, it has lead to something soo much greater. I don't know if I would be this grateful to have a few stretch marks, or just to be pregnant. Sometimes the things you have to work harder for, end up being the things you are the most grateful to have in your life. So, this is why I disagree with not wishing this upon anyone. Anyway, I have felt GREAT today! I got 4 loads of laundry done, the sink is empty, and dishes are washed and put away! I have been behind on laundry and dishes, so, this is sooo nice to be caught up for once. The house is finally back to the order that I prefer to keep it in.

Now, for Baby M's 20 wks development!

How your baby's growing:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

How your life's changing:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

If you haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one, especially if you're a first-timer. A structured class will help prepare you and your partner for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, one-day session. Many communities have independent instructors as well. Ask your friends, family members, or caregiver for recommendations.