Week 26

Baby's development: This week the baby is 9 1/4 inches crown to rump (13 1/4 inches head to toe) and weights almost 2 lbs. At this stage, the daily developmental benchmarks may seem small, since much of what is happening is just continual development of what has already formed. For example, the baby continues to swallow amniotic fluid to practice using his lungs. His eyes have completely formed and his pulse now quickens as he reacts to sound. He may even move in rhythm to music. This week, his testicles begin to descend into his scrotum.

I'm noticing changes in my body as well. The vericose veins are still there, but so far, no stretch marks! I'm still having pain in my left butt muscle when I bend over, but there isn't much I can do. All the hormones making my joints loose are probably causing this pain, so I don't anticipate much relief until after the baby is born. My belly is still itchy beyond belief!

Ryan has been playing games with the baby recently by pushing back against the baby when the baby pushes against my stomach. Ryan will poke the baby and then the baby will move, but then the baby will kick the same place that Ryan just poked him at. It's pretty cool to feel that the baby is responding to what we are doing. It feels like the baby is active 24 hours a day too. If I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I'll feel him moving around after I lay down again. This is usually at 3 am! I'm trying to sleep baby!

I've also noticed that my uterus is moving up and now I feel the kicks more near my ribcage. Even though my appetite has mushroomed, I definitely feel like there is less room for food in my stomach. Everything is being pushed up! I was short of breath the other day after climbing three flights of stairs! I went to regular Hatha yoga class the other day (but the instructor also teaches prenatal yoga, so she told me how to modify some of the poses) and I really liked it. I did find the balancing poses a little more difficult, however. First, I'm more front heavy now, so doing half moon pose without touching the ground was a little scary. Second, I have no ab strength at all. I had to rock myself up from the couch the other day.

Ryan and I begin our 7 week birthing class in about a month. I'm excited to meet some more parents to be in Fort Collins!