April 23 - 20 weeks

Congratulations to me! I've hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy. So I'm thinking I deserve something special for making it to this point! What do you think???

The top of my uterus is about level with my belly button, and per our last appointment I had only gained 3 pounds (pretty sure in the past month I've gained a couple more though). My doctor said that was okay, since I had a "little extra" weight to start with. :)

PB weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He/she is also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against their torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, they're measured from head to toe).

Our baby is swallowing more these days, which is good practice for their digestive system. He/she is also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in their bowels, and apparently we'll see it in their first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)...

At this point it's important for me to get lots of iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, my body needs more iron to keep up with my expanding blood volume, as well as for our growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. However, I feel like I have been eating less of it, since it should be cooked well-done - who likes a well-done steak? Not me! Poultry, especially the dark meat, also contains iron (go figure I always go for the white meat). Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals. I also heard that a lack of iron could also be the reason for my headaches. I plan on discussing this with my OB next Thursday at our appointment.

At the hospital on Friday, I plan on asking about classes they offer for expecting parents. It's about that time, especially since we're first-timers! I get lots of advice and questions answered from other mommies too. Although I'm not sure if you are ever actually "ready"...not until the baby is here and then the rest just falls into place!