Baby Good Turns 11 Weeks Old (Gestation)

This morning I had my first "real" doctor's appointment with Dr. Jones at Lancaster Physicians for Women. I really like her, and she took a lot of time with me to explain the answers to questions I had. She's also the one that had told me to come into the hospital when I called in to say I was sick with Joshua, and that was definitely the right call to make!

Anyway, today after my exam, we got to listen to the baby's heartbeat!!! That's always the coolest thing to hear. It still doesn't seem real to me that I'm pregnant or that we're going to welcome another child into our lives and home. It's exciting and overwhelming all at the same time, so I usually don't dwell on that fact (and with a busy little guy, it's hard to dwell on anything for too long!)

Dr. Jones also informed me that my ultrasound showed dermoid cysts of the ovary, which are usually benign and are small enough now that they aren't going to operate on them at this point. (Why put the baby at risk now if we don't have to?) However, they will keep an eye on them throughout my pregnancy this time. I asked what dermoid cysts are, and she grimaced and said she hoped I wouldn't ask. In a nutshell, they are little 'monsters' or cysts with hair, skin, teeth, bone, etc. She explained that our bodies are able to reproduce but can only make a baby when sperm meets a cell. For whatever reason, these are something that my body is trying to make a person and can't without the sperm connecting with them. So they are masses of gross things that can cause major problems for me especially if they get too large. YUCK!!! For more on those (if you're not feeling sick in the stomach like I was when she told me), go to http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2960.

I was disappointed to hear that there was something that was found AGAIN in that first ultrasound. She wants me to go have a higher level ultrasound with Dr. Bayliss again ASAP, which I'm working on scheduling. Please pray that the insurance covers this! If not, we'll probably wait until the 18-week ultrasound. But, she said there's some things you can see now and not then and other things you can see then and not now so she feels it's best to have both if possible.

My due date that I had guessed at was "off" by three days, but they only change the date if it's more than 5 days. So, the due date remains at July 13. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages between a VBAC and C-section, but depending on these dermoids, I may not have a choice. I'm truly fine with either one, I think.

Here's what's happening with our baby, who turned 11 weeks on Saturday:

Fetal Development:

Starting with this week, the baby is now called a fetus. The most critical part of the baby's development is over. This is a period of rapid growth, and your baby is about the size of a large strawberry, measuring approximately 1.75 to 2.4 inches from head to bum (weighing roughly three-tenths of an ounce)! The baby's head is about half its length. All major organs have now been formed. And even baby's tiny nose is beginning to develop, and may be complete by week 15. The eyelids will fuse shut, and the irises will begin to develop. Sometime during this week or the next week, blood will begin to circulate between the baby and uterus and the placenta starts to function.

Maternal Changes:
Your uterus is the size of a small grapefruit already! You may find that your appetite is better as your nausea subsides even though certain smells may bother you.Feeling extra flushed? Light-complexioned women may actually become quite pink during pregnancy. That's because of the added volume of blood in your body. And speaking of blood, watch your iron count. Make sure to take your prenatal vitamins!