23 Weeks Pregnant

 At 23 weeks, Owen is around  8 inches from the top of his head to the bottom of the buttocks (known as the crown-rump length). His height is over 11 inches from the top of the head to the heel (crown-heel length).1 This week, he weighs approximately 20 ounces or 1 pound 4 ounces (565 grams).

Activity 

Owen is building more muscle and getting stronger and is very active. We can see his kicks already!

Brain Growth 

His brain is developing very quickly during this time.4

Eyes 

Owen can respond to light as early as 23 weeks.5 (If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may react and move.) He reacts to our touch as well!

Fingernails 

Owen’s fingernails now reach the tips of the fingers.3

Survival Outside the Womb 

It is rare for babies born before 23 weeks to survive. However, extremely premature babies born during the 23rd week of pregnancy do have a chance of surviving. Babies born this early are still not ready for life outside the womb. They require a high level of specialized care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Research shows that in developed countries, between 23% and 27% of babies born at 23 weeks survive to go home with their family.6 

22 weeks view!

22 Week Belly Pic!

 

22 Weeks Pregnant!!!

How big is my baby at 22 weeks?

Guess what? Now that you're 22 weeks pregnant, your baby, who’s about the size of a small doll, has finally broken the 1-pound mark.

How heavy is that? Hold a 1-pound bag of sugar in your arms the next time you're in the grocery store — and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear.

Is the bag 11 inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!

Baby's grip, vision and hearing are getting stronger

This week, your Owen is making more sense of the world as he develops his sense of touch.

In fact, his grip is quite strong now, and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, he may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord. Don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it.

The sense of sight is also becoming more fine-tuned. Owen can now perceive light and dark much better than before, even with those fused eyelids.

Owen can also hear voices, Mommy’s heartbeat, her gurgling stomach and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through her body!

Also,Blood sugars have been more stable with insulin. Mommy is just tired all the time 😴 

Video- 21 weeks!

 

21 Weeks - Belly

 

21Weeks Pregnant!

 

How big is my baby at 21 weeks?

How big is your baby? Switching from crown-to-rump to crown-to-heel length, he's 10½ inches long and weighs 11 to 12½ ounces, about the size of a large banana!

Baby's moving and sleeping

Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning and even an occasional somersault — so that's what you were feeling last night!

With all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your baby is getting any shut-eye at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn. Now if only you could get some sleep yourself!

Baby's taste buds develop 

Speaking of milestones, whatever you eat this week, there's a good chance your baby will taste it, too. That's because when you're 21 weeks pregnant, your baby swallows a bit of amniotic fluid each day — not only for nutrition and hydration, but also to practice swallowing and digesting, skills he'll need as soon as he arrives in your arms.

And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten — spicy enchilada one day, sweet banana the next. That smorgasbord of flavors won't be lost on your baby since your little one has very developed taste buds already.

In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with those same tastes after birth. Want your peanut to eat his broccoli later? Eat yours now!

Baby's getting coordinated

Your little action figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves at 21 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone.

All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements, which explains all that kicking, stretching and bodysurfing, or rather bellysurfing, you may have started feeling.

20w4d

Officially at shelf stage!! 🤣

Belly Comparisons

 

20 Weeks!

18 Weeks!

16 Weeks!

20w2d Belly Pic!

 

20 Weeks Pregnant!!!

You weigh about 10 ounces and have a height, crown to rump, of about 6½ inches. This is usually the time an anatomy scan is done, however Mommy already had one due to previous bleeding.  As we all know, you are still a boy and your name is Owen Joseph!  During this time, your testicles are beginning to descend from your abdomen once your scrotum finishes growing large enough for them.  

You are also an acrobat!  Mommy feels you move, your sister and I have felt you kick and….Mommy caught your kicks on video that I posted a few days ago!  SIMPLY AWESOME!

This week you are also starting to put on more body fat to keep your body temperature regulated as you get ready for birth over the 2nd half of this pregnancy.

We love you to the moon and back little man!

19W4D- First Movements caught on video!

 

He is big enough now that I can feel him kick off the left side and push into the right at the same time 😜 

19W2D- BABY KICKS!

 You are one active little baby! Plus Mommy’s placenta is in the back which helps!  Your sister, Gracyn and I felt your kicks!  It won’t be long and we will be seeing them as well!  WOOT WOOT!

19w1d- More bleeding!

 Mommy had a small scare with more bleeding.  She knew you were ok because you wiggle so much and the doppler showed a nice strong heartbeat but still the worry set in and she called the OB….

..An Ultrasound and. Pelvic Exam were set up ….Ultrasound went great and turned into an anatomy scan.  Your HB was 151 and you are perfect in every way…growing right on track!  Placenta has moved off the cervix, SCH has resolved. Waiting for the pelvic exam. Mommy was Hopeful the bleeding was due to her “friable cervix” and vessels around her uterus looked “angry” as well 🙃  

Pelvic exam was very painful and Mommy had two areas on her cervix with active bleeding that he had to use silver nitrate to cauterize ! Ouch!

Mommy was advised to put her feet up as much as possible…even at work and rest!  Oh and by the way little man…you have a name for sure.  Mommy and Daddy have been calling you Owen Joseph from the day they found out you were a boy!  

19 WEEK BELLY PIC!

19 WEEKS PREGNANT!!!

 Mommy says that you are a little wiggler! She doesn’t need to use the doppler much these days!  Here’s what’s happening with your development: 

How big is my baby at 19 weeks?

Six inches long this week and just over a half pound in weight, your baby has gone through a bit of a growth spurt. 

Vernix develops

Your little one may have a cheesy varnish this week.

Say what? You read that right — a protective substance called vernix caseosa (vernix is the Latin word for "varnish"; caseosa means "cheese") now covers your fetus' skin. It's greasy, white and made up of that downy hair known as lanugo, oil from your baby's glands and dead skin cells.

This waxy "cheese" may not sound too appealing, but it's there for good reason: Vernix protects your baby's sensitive skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without it, he'd look very wrinkled at birth — sort of what you'd look like if you soaked in a bath for nine months.

The vernix sheds as delivery approaches, though some babies — especially those born early — will still be covered with it at birth, so you might get a look at your baby's first anti-wrinkle cream.

Guest Speaker

Daddy was the Guest Speaker at the Memorial Day Ceremony!!