16th Week

Another week has come and gone and so has another fruit. Is an avocado really a fruit?  Blech!

This week I've been looking for a nice lullaby that I can sing to baby. Any suggestions? I read an article that said if you sing the same song every night to baby in utero, then you can use that same song to soothe the baby after he/she is born.  Since Baby Bean's hearing is now developed, I thought I would give him/her something else to listen to besides my beating heart and rumbling belly.  Given the choice though, I wonder is BB would rather listen to the "lub-dubs" and "gurgles" than my screechy voice?!    Speaking of music, I'll be interested to see what kind of activity that guitar playing will stir up, as the instrument rests against my belly.  So far I haven't noticed an increase when playing, but the fluttery movements  are still few and far between. 

Another interesting study I read promotes the power of touch. "Though your little one is still very tiny, your touch may prove to be of much help for making it feel safe, secure and warm inside the womb. If you haven't already begun to do so, you can consider rubbing your belly in calming circular movements. This helps not only in comforting your little one, but also helps in initiating the bonding process between you and your baby throughout your pregnancy and thereafter."

Something that is really neat and worth mentioning is that Baby Bean's Paternal Grandmother has a TWIN sister in Ireland who is also expecting her FIRST grandchild at the SAME time.  The Twin Sisters' Daughter is 42 and an only child.  Baby Bean's Daddy is 38 and also an only child.  I bet the two "Grandma's to Be" gave up thinking they would ever have a little one to spoil and bounce upon their knee.  It will be an exciting time for them to share these little miracle Grand-Babies together.

What's happening with baby this week? "This week, baby is just beginning to accumulate some fat cells underneath her translucent skin. The baby is about 4 ½ inches long and weighs about 3 ½ ounces. She is beginning a huge growth spurt within the coming weeks in weight and height, so hold on! Baby's heart is strengthening, and is now pumping about 6 gallons of blood per day. The heart beats twice as fast as yours, and it is furiously working to promote circulation and feed the organs for growth. The whorl pattern on her scalp, which will form her hair, has started to develop. If you were to watch your baby's face, you would see that she has also developed some reflexes, including sucking, swallowing, and blinking her eyes. Her eyes have moved to the front of her head as well. Another great milestone this week is that your baby is breathing. Her tiny lungs are taking in oxygen-enriched amniotic fluid for practice until she can breathe air one day."

Bring on week 17!!