Dylan James Bolin

Dylan James Bolin

Born July 1, 2011

7 pounds 7 ounces

20 1/2 inches long

Mom and baby are doing fine!

40 Weeks

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. 

His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

After months of anticipation, your due date rolls around, and... you're still pregnant. It's a frustrating, but common, situation in which to find yourself. You may not be as late as you think, especially if you're relying solely on a due date calculated from the day of your last period because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with reliable dating, some women have prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reason.

Yes, I am past my due date and still no baby! I think a positive aspect of still being pregnant is that we had plenty of time to move into our new home and get somewhat settled. 

I saw the doctor on Tuesday and he said that I was a good 4 cm dilated. The doctor stripped my membranes to try and help things come along a little faster. He told me that if nothing happened by this Friday that I should just go to the hospital saying that I am having contractions. He said that he will try to have them admit me because I will almost be a week overdue. He scheduled an induction Tuesday the 5th just in case the hospital won't keep me. We can't wait to see our new little one and hold him!

Baby Shower...

Showering Dylan James Bolin! 

On Sunday June 5, David planned a surprise baby shower for me. Between David, my Mom and his Mom, they pulled it off and over 35 people were here to help us get ready for our little boy. Thank you everybody for coming and for showering Dylan and me with your gifts and love.

39 Weeks

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

At each of your now-weekly visits, your caregiver will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. But even armed with this information, there's still no way for your caregiver to predict exactly when your baby is coming. If you go past your due date, your caregiver will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue — or sooner if there's an indication that the risk of waiting is greater than the risks of delivering your baby without further delay.

While you're waiting, it's important to continue to pay attention to your baby's movements and let your caregiver know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem. Also call if you think your water may have broken. Membranes rupture before the beginning of labor in about 8 percent of term pregnancies. Sometimes there's a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there's only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If you rupture your membranes and don't start contractions on your own, you'll be induced.

Not too much has happened since last week.  Tuesday is my next doctor's appointment if I don't go into labor by then. We are just hoping right now that I don't go into labor when David is at work. He is about two hours away but he can't leave work until someone comes to relieve him so that puts him at least three hours away!

38 Weeks

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

I had my doctor's appointment today. The baby is doing great, his heart rate was around 142 beats per minute. The doctor told me today (I see a different doctor every week) that the baby was measuring around 37 weeks. We can't wait until he comes out to see how big or small he really is. 

I am progressing really well. I didn't think that I would change much in my dilation over a week but I went from 1 to 2 cm dilated to 3 to 4 cm! The doctor said that I could sit at this for a while but I think that it might go a little more quickly since I am not taking it so easy. We are officially moved into our new home so it is a little hectic with trying to get things put away and in an order so we can bring this little guy home.

37 Weeks

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

A lot has happened this week. Last Thursday I had a doctor's appointment. The doctor told me that I was dilated to 1 1/2 centimeters. David really wants to be able to deliver this baby so he talked to the doctor and the doctor said that if everything goes well that he will let David deliver the baby. 

I just had another doctor's appointment on Tuesday. This time I saw the nurse practitioner.  She told me that I was about 1 to 2 centimeters dilated. When she was measuring my belly she asked how big Jeffrey was when he was born. I told her that he was two weeks early and that he was 8 pounds 4 oz. She told me that she wanted to order an ultrasound for this baby because she was a little concerned about his size. She said that he was measuring one centimeter smaller than he should be. So we scheduled an ultrasound for that evening. Even though we were all a little worried, the ultrasound showed that he is perfectly healthy. They checked to make sure that he was a boy and he is definitely a boy! They also checked the size of his head, his spine, his femur, his kidneys, his bladder, and his heartbeat. Everything seems to be perfect! On Tuesday, I was around 37 weeks and 3 days and he was measuring 37 weeks and 1 day. The technician told us that he was around 6 pounds 15 ounces and that he might gain 1/2 a pound a week. We weren't able to see his face because he had his arms folded around his face. It is very comforting to know that our little guy is healthy!

36 Weeks

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. 

He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs.

35 Weeks

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. 

His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.

Wednesday I had my doctor's appointment. Everything is still going perfectly. The doctor checked me and said that I was one centimeter dilated and that she felt the baby's head! She said that with the second baby I could possibly be at one centimeter for another month so she didn't want us to worry. We asked her how big she thought the baby was and she said that he seemed about average. I now go see the doctor every week.

Thursday, we went to Disneyland! I made sure I asked the doctor if it was going to be okay for me to go to Disneyland and walk around all day. She told me that as long as I didn't get over heated and dehydrated that I would be just fine. We had a very fun day with my Mom, Dad, Kenny, Jen and Van. 

34 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever.

His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

33 Weeks

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

Today I had my doctor's appointment. Everything is going just fine. I am measuring right where I should be and I haven't gained any weight since the last appointment. The baby is now head down and his heart beat is strong around 142 beats per minute.  My Mom was able to come with me for this appointment and she got to hear the baby's heart beat. 

These last few weeks we have been working really hard to get our house finished so we can move in before the baby comes. I think we are only a couple more weeks away from being finished with the house!  It will be really nice to be able to set up the baby's room and to get everything out of storage so that we know exactly what we need to buy.

32 Weeks

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often.

You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor.

Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

31 Weeks

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. 

He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless. Frequent contractions, on the other hand — even those that don't hurt — may be a sign of preterm labor. 

My last doctors appointment was last Friday and everything was fine. The doctor told me that I was measuring perfectly this time. Last time I went in, I was told that I was measuring two weeks early. I guess the baby just had a big growth spurt last time or I was just measured wrong.

I have been getting Braxton Hicks Contractions for the last week. The doctor told me to just take it easy and make sure that I drink plenty of water.

My one hour glucose screening test turned out normal so I was glad that I didn't have to worry about doing the three hour test. I only have one more blood test that I need to do and then I don't think there are any more tests that need to be done. Yesterday I had my rhogam shot and I will need another one after the baby is born. The reason I had to get this shot is because I am Rh-negative. I wrote below what it means to be Rh-negative.

When an Rh-negative woman carries an Rh-positive baby, small numbers of the baby’s red blood cells may get into the mother’s bloodstream. This can happen during her pregnancy as well as at delivery. The mother’s immune system sees the baby’s Rh-positive red blood cells as foreign and goes to work to produce antibodies against them. The antibodies formed to protect you against Rh-positive red blood cells can pass to the baby you are carrying. They attack and destroy the baby’s Rh-positive red blood cells, causing anemia (low red blood cell count), jaundice, and in severe cases, heart failure.

30 Weeks

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. 

His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Let the countdown begin! Only ten more weeks to go and we still have so much to do. We need to finish our house, move in to our house, schedule our hospital tour, register at the hospital, and buy all of the things that we don't have for this baby.

I haven't been sleeping very well these last few days. I just can't get comfortable so I am tossing and turning all night. In the morning my neck and back are so stiff. I try and catch up on my sleep during the day by taking naps with Jeffrey.  

My belly seems to be getting so much bigger now, although I am not gaining any weight. Sometimes, at the end of the day, I find that I start to waddle around a little bit. 

My next doctor's appointment is this Tuesday. I get to find out the results of my one hour glucose test (hopefully I passed). After this appointment, I will start seeing the doctor every two weeks. 

29 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel.

His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Your baby's very active now. Your healthcare provider may ask you to spend some time each day counting kicks and will give you specific instructions on how to do this. Let your provider know if you ever notice that your baby is becoming less active. You may need a nonstress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby's condition.

The baby is definitely getting more active each day. At first he was on a regular pattern of just moving at night right before I went to bed and in the morning when I first woke up. Now it feels like I can feel him all throughout the day. It is so much fun to be able to feel him rolling around. 

28 Weeks

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester.

I can't believe that I am in my third trimester. This pregnancy is going by way too quickly. I am still feeling really good and I am hoping that this last trimester will slow down a little bit so that we have time to move into our home before the baby comes.

27 Weeks

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. 

With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. 

Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.

On Tuesday, I had my doctor's appointment. Everything is looking really good but the doctor told me that I am measuring two weeks ahead of schedule. With Jeffrey, I had him at 38 weeks so this one seems like it might be around the same. Now being 2 weeks ahead of schedule we are looking forward to getting our house finished so we can move in and get settled before the baby comes.

On Friday I did my one hour glucose screening test. I hope everything comes out fine so that I don't have to go back and do the three hour test. Next appointment I get to look forward to getting my rhogam shot because I am RH negative.

26 Weeks

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. 

He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. 

And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

25 Weeks

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.

You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. Unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise, it's fine to continue to exercise, but follow a few safety rules: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired and stop if you feel any pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Don't lie flat on your back and avoid contact sports as well as any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.

The Results are In...

 It's a Boy!!!!

Last Friday we had our ultrasound and found out that we are having a boy! Since this was a follow-up ultrasound it went by pretty fast. The technician took her measurements and then she showed us the baby. He looks perfect and healthy and we are so excited to be having another boy.

24 Weeks

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), 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.

In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

23 Weeks

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. 

Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Our last doctor's appointment was pretty normal. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get an ultrasound in the office but the doctor did order one. We should be getting the call in the next week to schedule another ultrasound.  

The baby is growing perfectly. The heartbeat was very strong at 149 beats per minute. The doctor told me that everything is perfect and that my weight gain is textbook.

22 Weeks

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

This last week I haven't been feeling very good. Jeffrey came down with a cold and must have given it to me, so not that much has been going on. I did manage to have David take a picture of my belly, it is not a very good picture but I will post it. 

We have our doctors appointment tomorrow so hopefully everything will go well and maybe we will get an ultrasound.

As I was typing this post, the baby started moving a lot. I put Jeffrey's hand on my belly and he felt the baby kick twice for the first time. He was really excited!

21 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual discomforts associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. If you're feeling good, relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester may bring with it a new crop of complaints.

The baby definitely has a pattern of activity right now. During the day I don't really feel much but in the evening the baby becomes very active. Just three nights ago David and I were watching t.v. and I felt the baby kick so I told him to come see if he could feel it. Of course the baby would stop kicking when he tried to feel but eventually he felt a little, tiny kick! Just two nights ago, he felt the baby kick about 12 times!

20 Weeks

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy!

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).

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. 

The day before our ultrasound I definitely felt the baby move! It is so much fun feeling the flutters once again. I can't wait until David and Jeffrey get to feel the baby move. 
 
I can't believe that I am already halfway through my pregnancy. We are hoping that our new home will be ready soon and that we can move in well before the baby is born. 

One thing that I forgot to mention about our ultrasound is that the baby was measuring about 11 oz. Now we just need to find out if it is a boy or a girl.

Time to Vote!

Well, today we tried to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. We went in for our ultrasound this afternoon but unfortunately, the technician couldn't tell what the baby was. She tried so hard and had a great angle but she just couldn't tell. She said the baby was still a little too small and that in a few more weeks it will be more noticeable. At the end of the ultrasound she tried one last time but the baby was stubborn and decided to cross its legs!

Hopefully we will be able to find out in a couple more weeks (if the baby cooperates). So, cast your votes below.

Is our baby going to be a boy or a girl?

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Baby Bolin

Baby Crossing its Legs

19 Weeks

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

I told Jeffrey today that the baby might be able to hear him talk now and he got really excited. All day he kept talking to the baby telling it that he can't wait for it to come out and that as soon as it comes out he wants to play cars with it. 

I am definitely getting bigger and even though I can fit into my normal jeans it is just so much for comfortable to wear maternity pants.  

Although I thought that I was feeling the baby move at 14 weeks I don't think that it was the baby. I haven't felt any movement since that time so I am really looking forward to actually feeling the baby move. I think that I felt Jeffrey move just shortly after my 19th week so hopefully soon with this one.

18 Weeks

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

We went to see the doctor today. We took Jeffrey with us this time so that he could hear the baby's heartbeat. The doctor let him put the Doppler on his heart so he could hear his own heartbeat. He loved how different his sounded from the baby's. The baby's heartbeat is around 149 beats per minute. 

We should be getting our next ultrasound in about three weeks. We can't wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl.

17 Weeks

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling. Wear low-heeled shoes to reduce your risk of taking a tumble; trauma to your abdomen could be dangerous for you and your baby. You'll also want to be sure to buckle up when you're in a car — keep the lap portion of the seat belt under your belly, drawn snugly across your hips, and also use the shoulder harness.

16 Weeks

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

 

How your life's changing:

The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

15 Weeks

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

Happy New Year!

We finally heard the babies heartbeat at the last doctors appointment! It is so reassuring to hear the heartbeat and know that the baby is really in there.

We are so excited that we are getting closer to finding out if we are having a boy or a girl. Our doctor told us that we should be able to find out at 20 weeks but maybe we can convince them to let us find out earlier.