This week’s baby development skills are breathing and blinking. By this week, nearly all of the organ systems (except the lungs) are completely mature. If fact, if we were able to make a video recording of next week’s ultrasound, we would would be able to watch the baby practice breathing. From here on out, the baby basically just gains weight (s/he is supposed to currently be about 2 1/2 lbs and 16 inches long) and the lungs mature. The lanugo (hair that has been covering the baby) also should be starting to go away as the baby develops fat to ultimately regulate his/her body temperature.
My food issues from the first trimester are also coming back. I still seem to have some adhesions on my stomach, so I can’t eat very much at one time due to the size of the baby and most everything makes me nauseous. As a result, I’m trying to be super cautious about the nutritional quality of what I eat. Traditional Lent guidelines are definitely out for me this year.* In addition to the list of foods that all pregnant women are supposed to avoid, anything fried, processed, greasy, smelly, or sugary is off the table. In case you’re wondering that means that fruits, veggies, chicken, potatoes, rice, cheese, and yogurt are my only routinely safe foods at the moment.
*In case you’re wondering, pregnant and breastfeeding women are officially excused from both fasting and abstaining during Lent. Although on a personal note, it has always bothered me (as someone who doesn’t eat seafood even when I’m not pregnant) that meat on Fridays is bad, but all you can eat seafood buffets are perfectly acceptable.
