The Undiscovered Country

That ain't right

Something ain't right here.

I'm 37 and having growing pains! That's right, sometimes I move funny, or I sneeze hard and it feels like my abdomen wants to tear away. There are sharp little pains in other areas, but I won't discuss those. I don't want to embarrass anyone (me especially).

I did read, however, those sharp pains are a normal part of the uterus expanding and trying to make room for itself.

If I look close, I'm showing a bit. I feel it especially today. My stomach feels hard and a little stretched like I swallowed a grapefruit whole (and my stomach decided to drop 6 inches). I realized I can now look forward to the inevitable stretch marks. But, there's a lot of creams and such that can help with that.

Also, the first thing I do when I get home now is change into my elastic-waisted jammies. Talk about relief! My pants aren't tight yet, but the little one likes the extra space I guess.

One week from tomorrow I go in for another check-up, and they will look for the baby's heartbeat. I'm excited for that, let me tell ya!

I found a website called Visible Embryo ( http://www.visembryo.com/baby/index.html ). According to the site (and other things I've read), the baby has developed thusly (at 10 weeks):

SIZE: The crown-to-rump length of the growing fetus is about 1.25 to 1.68 inches (31 to 42mm).

Head and Neck
Basic brain structure of the fetus is complete and now the brain mass rapidly increases. Sockets for all twenty teeth are formed in the gum lines. Face has human appearance - one example is the nasolacrimal grooveforming on the upper lip. Separate folds of the mouth fuse together forming the palate. Early facial hair follicles begin to develop.

Thorax
Vocal cords form in larynx and fetus can make sounds.

Abdomen
Intestines have migrated into abdomen from the umbilical cord. Digestive tract muscles are functional and practice contraction. Nutrient-extracting villi line the now folded intestines. The liver starts to secrete bile, a thick, brown-green liquid containing bile salts, bile pigments, cholesterol and inorganic salts. The bile is stored in the gall bladder. Development of thyroid and pancreas are complete. Pancreas starts to produce insulin.

Pelvis
Genitalia begin to show female characteristics (labium minus, urogenital groove, labium majoris) and male characteristics (glans penis, urethral groove, scrotum). Neither male nor female genitalia are fully formed.

Limbs
Fingernails begin to grow from nail beds.

Skin
Fetus develops reflexes and the skin is very sensitive.

How cool is that?