25 weeks and Bedrest?

Well, I celebrated turning 25 weeks by laying on the couch all day. That's because I had been placed on 3 days of strict bedrest by my doctor. Here's what happened...

On Thursday night my doctor asked me to meet him at the hospital because I had been feeling a lot of pressure and "achyness" low in my abdomen all day. (I have such a wonderful doctor! He was off that night and the next day, but he came to the hospital just to meet me and check me out.) When I got to the hospital and they put me on the monitor, they saw that my uterus was in fact irritable and doing some very minor cramping or contracting.

What worried me more and made me think it might be something more, was that my cervix seemed to be "dimpling" open, but the doctor said that could be normal and it may have alway been like that, or it could be a sign of something happening. The good thing is that it's still long (though maybe a little bit shortened) and the inner os is closed. Another good thing, is that the baby looked GREAT on the heart monitor. I got to listen to his/her heartbeat for 2 hours, and it had great reactivity, etc. So, that was a total blessing!

They ended up having to give me a couple of shots of terbutaline and watched me for a couple of hours. Once my uterus quieted down, he sent me home on bed rest for at least 3 days to see how I would do. So, I was at home Friday, Saturday and Sunday on strict bedrest. (Thanks to the wonderful friends who brought dinners and company! It is appreciated more than you know!) I am back to work today, but will be backing off from a lot of my normal activities. Meaning, not as many times of going out in the evenings and on weekends. I need to rest more. I will probably be moving into a schedule of working from home part-time and in the office part-time as well.

Basically what I'm feeling may be "normal" and nothing to worry about, or it may be the beginning of things my body shouldn't do. The determining factor is my cervix. As long as it stays closed and doesn't shorten, then we are "good". So, continue to pray with us and for us and this precious little one to stay put for a little while longer.

We want to do whatever it takes to make sure this little one stays inside and "cooks" for as long as necessary. I really believe the Lord is in control and He even spoke a word through my Aunt that He will hold this little one and will only release him/her to be born at the perfect time. My heart is at peace!

So, this week baby is the size (but not the weight) of a 5 pound bag of flour...

Here's what's happening with baby this week...

• The unborn child is 34 cm in length and weighs almost 690 grams.


• Baby is around 13.5 inches in length and weighs about 1 and half pounds.


• Bones are becoming solid, hands are now fully developed.


• The brain is growing rapidly, the brain cells are starting to mature.


• The sexual organs are fully developed.

Baby is now pretty well built portion wise even though it still has little body fat and its skin is thin. The structures of the spine begin to form -- All 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments. The tiny brain is growing rapidly, and the baby is starting to fill the space in your uterus. The uterus is now about the size of a soccer ball and mom looks pregnant.

Your baby's hands are now fully developed, although some of the nerve connections to the hands have a long way to go. Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and clasp objects placed in palm. Exploring the structures inside your uterus may have become baby's prime entertainment. Fascinated by the amount of tactile stimulation a fetus gives itself; it touches a hand to the face, one hand to the other hand, clasps its feet, touches its foot to its leg, its hand to its umbilical cord. Twins will explore each other and begin their bonding.

Blood vessels of the lungs develop. Your baby's nostrils begin to open. The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. Their swallowing reflexes are developing. Baby can hear sounds outside the womb and the brain cells are starting to mature also. Already it can learn and remember and can recognise its mother and fathers voice.

Babies at 25 weeks of pregnancy stand a 50% chance of survival.

Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby's hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn't mean he can feel it when his father pokes your stomach, however, so tell him to knock it off. Other highlights include:

Your baby's arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. So don't be alarmed when your newborn's arms barely clear his waist. Baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (like he's taken a super-dose of Sudafed) and he can practice breathing through the nose. The structures of your baby's spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments. Can you believe you're growing something that complicated inside of you?

The capillaries, the teeniest blood vessels, are now forming in your baby's body, giving his formerly translucent skin a pink glow. The blood vessels in the lungs also develop this week. You'll see how well that worked out when your baby gives those lungs a workout while you're on line at the bank in a few months.

Here's me at 25 weeks...

So, my belly button has officially become an "outie"!! It has definitely popped out there! Nathan thinks it's cute, I just think it's funny! I took some pictures so you can appreciate the "poppage"!!