Pregnancy Joke (07/29/2009)

Q. My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?

A. Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

9 weeks :o)

Greetings Everyone,

So, we do not have an ultrasound this week, but I still wanted to give you all a list of week 9 little Lacny milestones. We'll have a lot more to post after our ultrasound on Friday, July 31st. Anyway, here you go:

• Our little one is now approximately 1 inch or the size of a medium size green olive
• Their little muscles are developing at a rapid rate and they can move quite well now even though Mom can't feel them yet
• His or her pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and anus are all in place, ready to poop and pee a dozen times a day when they're born
• Their male or female genitalia will begin to develop this week...basically they are getting their hoo-ha (girl) or wee-wee (boy)
• The baby's head is approximately half the size of their body
  

8 weeks 3 days...and counting

Hey Everyone,

Beth was just scanned again. We were unable to capture the heartbeat for all of you to hear, but his (or her) little heart was beating at a whopping 167 bpm! The baby measured out to be at 8 weeks and 3 days. The umbilical cord was visible. Apparently Beth has a "posterior placenta" which basically means she is going to feel the baby kicking and moving all the time. Also, the baby is much larger than it was when we had our "official" ultrasound last Thursday. So, all in all things are great. We can't wait until the 31st.

• The babies eyelids, ears, upper lip, and tip of his nose are forming
• Baby Lacny will sprout webbed fingers and toes this week
  
• The heart has now separated into four distinct chambers and is really pumping (at approximately 150 bpm)
• Our baby is a little more than 1/2 inch long...about the size of a small grape or normal sized blueberry
  

7 weeks and 2 days

Hello Everyone,

Beth and I have officially graduated from the fertility clinic! We are now free to go on to our OB. Today was our second ultrasound with the fertility clinic. The primary goals today were to measure the embryo and attempt to audibly pick-up the heartbeat. Our embryo (baby-to-be) measured at 0.92 cm which is about the size of a grain of rice. This puts our little one at 7 weeks and 2 days. With regards to the heartbeat...(drum roll please) WE HEARD THEIR LITTLE HEARTBEAT FOR THE FIRST TIME! It was amazing. Their little heart was beating at 140 bpm (this is good, strong, and right on target). All in all, things look great so far. We are having a picture perfect pregnancy. Beth and I would like to thank Dr. Kim and all the wonderful people at the University of Chicago Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility group. They are the true magic makers here. They have given us the greatest gift we could ever ask for. Lastly, what kind of host would I be if I didn't leave you all with a list of exciting things going on with our baby-to-be right now. Here you go.

• This week your baby's brain is growing at a mind-boggling 100 cells per minute within a see-through skull.
• Your baby's face is becoming more defined this week.
• A tiny mouth hole (which will be ready to wail before you know it!), tongue, nostrils and ear indentations are visible.
• His or her eyes are wide open, but he doesn't have irises (the colored part) yet.
• Baby's arm buds are growing. At this point they look more like microscopic ping-pong paddles than arms.
• Baby's leg buds are also forming and will look like tiny paddles by the end of the week.
• The umbilical cord—the connection between your baby and the placenta—is now visible.
• Your baby is now between 1/3 and 1/4 inch long—about the length of a Tic Tac and about as heavy as an eyelash. While that sounds tiny, he or she is approximately 10,000 times bigger than at conception.

Thanks everyone. Keep checking back for more updates.
The Lacnys

6 weeks now...

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday, June 31st, was our first viability scan (ultrasound). Things looked excellent! Erica (our lovely ultrasound tech) was able to pick up the heartbeat visually, but not by sound yet. We have our next and most likely last viability scan with the fertility clinic next Thursday. They should be able to pick-up the heartbeat audibly at that appointment. After that scan we will be released to go on to our regular OB. Here are a few things going on with our little one right now:

• The embryo has reached a size of about 8 mm (1/4 inch) in length.
• The spinal cord, which until now has been open, is beginning to close.
• The first blood cells and blood vessels are developing.
• Blood moves through these primitive vessels connected to the yolk sac.
• A pipe-shaped heart is formed and begins to beat.
• The brain begins to divide into 5 parts.
• Optic pits form the start of the developing eye.
• The cells destined to be the arms and legs are in place.

Thanks,
The Lacnys