Update on 19 Weeks

No incidents to report! All is well to date. I got a fetal Doppler, bought it off Amazon after Stacey told me about her getting one and it working for her. I can listen to her heart rate whenever I want (takes a bit of looking around sometimes, and can get a bit messy), and it makes it more exciting for me since I can't feel her kick yet. Her heart rate has stayed in the 138 to 142 range for the most part, but I have seen it jump up to 152. Roger is going to see how we can get a recording on the computer, and maybe upload it.

Anywho, on to the update!

Babycenter.com: "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."


Thebump.com: "Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil, and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature."

Babiesonline.com: "If you are having a girl, her ovaries now contain primitive egg cells. The placenta continues to grow and offer nourishment for your baby while the permanent teeth buds are forming behind the already formed milk teeth buds. Growth becomes rapid now and your baby begins to store iron for the production of red blood cells. Your baby can even dream (REM sleep)!"