Week 10

In week 9 I had a lot of ligament pain so I know my uterus is growing rapidly. Although I don't think I'm showing or have popped yet (I'd say I've always had that little pooch) I have noticed all my weight is beginning to collect around my tummy and I have had to use a hair tie to hold my pre-pregnancy jeans together. I also can't hold my stomach in anymore if I try. In week 10, the baby could start weighing in! The end this week also marks the end of the embryonic period and the beginning of the fetal period. The fetal period is characterized by rapid growth of the fetus. During the embryonic period, the embryo is the most susceptible to things that could interfere with it's development. So, if everything looks good so far then there shouldn't be any further problems relating to congenital malformations. The baby is now attached to the placenta by its umbilical cord. One interesting formation this week, if it's a boy, his testes are already producing testosterone! But it is still too early to detect the sex of the baby via an ultrasound. According to babycenter.com, this is what will be happening in the upcoming week.

How your baby's growing:

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches. His liver is now functioning and the yolk sac is disappearing.

Having a baby in Korea

I have found a wonderful resource here, a public forum of foreigners who have had babies here. They are there to answer my many questions trying to figure out how in the world we are going to have a baby in a foreign country and have been very informative/supportive of the many options available. One of the biggest things has been learning how the culture works and I've concluded it runs very similar to a 1950's American society. Culturally, you are expected to not question those in authoritative roles, such as doctors. From what I've read, doctors may not talk to me but only my husband, C-sections are pushed along with episiotomies. Since I am going to an international clinic who are used to seeing foreigners, I may not experience these cultural differences since they model their clinic after the Western hospitals.

One thing that has me concerned the most, is finding out the sex of the baby. In 1987 the Korean government created a law banning doctors from telling parents the sex of their baby due to the increase number of gender-based abortions. Boys were highly sought after and often girls were aborted, even though abortion is illegal in Korea; only rare cases of rape and severe birth defects allow abortion to be legal. My understanding is even though they were not allowed to disclose the sex of the baby, many doctors would still hint at the sex by saying, "invest in some soccer balls" for a boy or "paint the room red, you have a ballerina" for a girl. This practice was done in smaller clinics where the chance of getting caught was less. The law dictates, any doctors hinting at the sex of the unborn fetus could face up to 3 years in term or a 10 million won fine (a little less than $10,000 US dollars at today's exchange rate). In addition, the government could cancel the doctor's license. In July of 2008, the Constitutional Court ruled the law was unconstitutional. The nine-member court said the law was out-of-date and "violated pregnant women's right to know, while restricting the freedom of doctors and nurses." It was added that the ban would remain in effect till Dec. 31st, 2009; so that means we SHOULD be able to find out the sex. I have only been able to find one article that disclosed how long the ban was to be in effect. According to the Korea Times, Korea, India and China prohibit doctors from revealing the sex of fetuses. I am being seen at a larger hospital so I may have to print out the article I found just to ensure we can find out the sex if it is a new policy beginning this year.

To read the entire article, click here:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr

Overall, the hospital system here is very different. We have Korean National Health Insurance and we also get a 50% discount at the hospital I'm attending since it is on campus of the University Greg is working at. Typically, you can get all your prenatal care done for fairly cheap at local clinics, difficulty is... most only speak Korean. I found a few that spoke English but they are over an hr away on bus and subway from where we live. Once you reach around 25 weeks you need to get a referral from your doctor to another OBGYN so that you can deliver; most clinics you do not deliver at. It was a bit easier for me with the international clinic. My first appointment I had to see a regular doctor who referred me to an OBGYN the following week. New this year at the clinic I'm being seen at, is an English speaking OB that works in the clinic one day a week. Previously foreign parents said they had to visit her on the OB floor instead of the clinic which resulted in a very rushed visit since she was also seeing Korean patients. So now, every Wed. she puts aside a day solely for foriegners. We have been trying to get an estimate of how much delivery at this hospital will cost but keep getting quoted drastically different prices. We are learning, no one really wants to take responsibility and quote you an estimate since it is based on what your doctor wants to do, the type of delivery you have and or the tests your doctor requests. It has been quite frustrating. Unfortunately it makes me have to be pushy so now I need to bring it up again at my next appointment on April 16th.

Week 9

Last week brought a few more days of much stronger nausea but I'm hoping that subsides this coming week. I have been feeling much more tired and read it should continue to next week as well, so far I can't seem to make it through the day without a nap.

This week my uterus has now increased to a little bigger than the size of a grapefruit! It started out about the size of an avocado seed. Fingers and toes are continuing to get longer and the tips of the fingers are slightly enlarged where touch pads are developing. The hands are now flexed and meet over the heart area. The head is more erect this week and the neck is continuing to develop. Eyelids almost cover the eyes; previously they have been uncovered. The baby also moves around, something that may be seen during an ultrasound.

According to babycenter.com this is what changes will be happening over the next week:

How your baby's growing:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape —
and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

The new side of cloth diapering

I've been curious about cloth diapers for a while but quickly become overwhelmed thinking of all the stuff you need, different size cloths, pins, leakproof covers... but after doing some investigating it is not as difficult as it seems! Cloth diapers have come a very long way in the past 10 years!!!! They now have pocket diapers which are an all in one diaper that you stuff an absorbent pad or material in. The pad can be removed for quicker drying time. They are comparable to disposable diapers with the benefits of cloth!

So far I have found 2 brands that offer a one size fits most (7-35lbs) that means investing in the diapers and 2 different size pads from newborn to potty training! Not only does it save money once but if I keep them and use them with any other children we have, I save double!!!! Typically a pack of 12 Fuzzi Bunz costs about $200 plus add in two different size liners for all 12. So that's about $300 for the most minimal amount of diapers or $600 for 24 diapers! Disposable ones would be well into the $1,000's if you bought them from newborn to potty training (approx. age 3).

Below are some video reviews of the two I've found... based on others experience I think I'm leaning more towards the Fuzzi Bunz.

Fuzzi Bunz:


Bum Genuis:

Week 8- 2 months

From Babycenter.com

How your baby's growing:

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

First prenatal appointment

Two weeks ago Greg and I found out we were expecting. Today we had our first prenatal appointment and it has definitely become more real.

Here is our little peanut at 7 weeks and 3 days. Not only did we get an ultrasound but we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. Our peanut has a strong heartbeat of 153bmp. My next appointment is scheduled for April 16th!

Here is what is going on inside the womb, courtesy of babycenter.com

How your baby's growing:The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

See what's going on in your uterus this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.