Monday, November 24, 2008

From Embryo to Fetus

We are finally to the 10 week mark, and things are looking great! According to everything I've read, this is the big week where the placenta kicks in and supports the growing baby. And the growing baby is now officially a fetus and no longer in the embryonic period!! I love the milestones. Here is the size she is this week:


Getting bigger everyday! I'm going to really miss getting my weekly ultrasounds, but I'll get used to it! Today is also the last day I have to use my progesterone cream. It has done it's job well but I will be glad to see it go! Here is how she is developing...


Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.


One last thing...Saturday night at work, me and a pregnant (33wk) coworker got the unit ultrasound machine (very small and old) and looked at our babies! She was trying to figure out how hers was laying. It took me awhile to find mine, but I pushed down and twisted and searched and finally found her! I sat there for 5-10 minutes just watching her move around. It was amazing!! I know that each week she will get bigger and bigger and I will have the ability to look at her when I want to. I'm pretty happy about that! So maybe know that I know where she is, hopefully I can start hearing a heartbeat on the doppler. Thanks for reading!

1 comment:

  1. Yeah! I am so happy for you! I also love the name Emma. That is one of my favs!

    ReplyDelete

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