10 week update

Picture of a 10 week old fetus (definitely not mine!!)

After a couple really good days this week, the nausea and fatigue have returned. I definitely expected to feel ill on Wednesday after my horrible experience at the doctors, but thought it may be nice and subside after our good day on Thursday. I spent most of yesterday trying to stay positive and hoped a different attitude could change how I felt. I'm sure that a healthy attitude does play a part but hormones and body changes will always win. I was sick all afternoon/evening yesterday and throughout the night. I am getting very bored in the apartment but don't like to venture far should a big wave of nausea hit. The cat likes it, though.

I look at our ultrasound pictures... all the time! It is very surreal to know that is inside me. Here is where she/he is at for development this week:

She/he is busily swallowing and kicking. Each day more minute details start to appear, such as fingernails and peach-fuzzy hair. The vital organs -- the liver, kidneys, intestines, brain, and lungs -- are fully formed and functional, while the head is almost half the length of the entire body. The forehead temporarily bulges and sits high on the head, but later will change into a more human-like feature. If you could take a look at your baby this week, you'd be able to see the clear outline of his spine. Spinal nerves stretch out from the spinal cord. The tooth bud fairy is making her appearance this week, heralding the arrival of your baby's little choppers, which are forming under the gums. (Those pearly whites won't break through the gums until your baby is close to six months old). Other systems are go, too. Your baby's stomach is producing digestive juices, the kidneys are producing larger quantities of urine, and, if your baby's a boy, he's already producing testosterone (yikes!). Bones and cartilage are forming, and small indentations on the legs are developing into knees and ankles. The arms (complete with elbows) can flex already; though your baby's arms are taking shape and getting stronger, each one is only about the size of this number 1. With the help of a Doppler, a hand-held soundwave stethoscope, you can hear the fetus's rapid heartbeat.

My protruding stomach is not due to the fetus yet but rather my bowels becoming distended. Which would explain why I am usually quite uncomfortable after I eat. The "fat" pants I purchased a few weeks ago are alreay getting too tight so today I will buy some stretchy-type pants (ick) or a "belly band" which allows my to wear the same pants but unbuttoned/unzipped. Thank goodness I still have my fatty uniforms for work... a few less items to buy.