Another week down, now into the 9th week of pregnancy. Oh it seems like we have come so far along this journey, yet we have so long to go! Our little babies are now the size of green olives, about 1 inch in length. I had an OB appointment yesterday at 8 weeks and 5 days and both baby A and C were measuring exactly per dates and Baby B is still measuring 2 days behind. All three babies had very strong heartbeats ranging from 180-182—that is 3 beats every second!!! Below you will see ultrasound pictures of the three babies. Rest assured, although it might look like there are pictures of 4 babies, and some might even question about the big empty sac on the one picture, there are only 3 babies! It is impossible to get all three babies on the same snapshot, and even trying to get two in the same shot is getting more difficult. After you see how the babies have grown, then you will see how I have grown!! Course, my belly isn’t all that huge overall, but for only being 9 weeks, you definitely know there is more than one baby!
This week in development, the spleen and gallbladder, the two last organs in development, have formed. The eyes are now fully formed, but will remain shut until about 24 weeks gestation. By now, 99% of all muscles can be identified and nerves are running throughout the entire body. Blood is circulating both oxygen and nutrients. Additionally, sex organs are beginning to develop, although it is much too early to find out the gender of the babies.
I’m continuing to do well through the pregnancy so far. The exhaustion truly hasn’t hit yet, although I’m making every effort to get extra rest. Everyone that I talk to that has had multiples keeps trying to tell me, “this is not a normal pregnancy.” When carrying more than one baby, the demands on the body are much higher compared to a singleton pregnancy and it is a very good reminder to take extra good care of myself. Jay has been absolutely fabulous—picking up the extra chores around the for me. However, he still has some lessons to be learned yet…he was so sweet to make me a wonderful meal for lunch the other day but didn’t think the smells of soy sauce would wake me up fresh out of my post-call nap to be hanging over the toilet! I’ve also learned after coming so close to puking in the food store (I was lucky enough to make it outside to the parking lot), that carrying a puke bag isn’t such a bad idea—super hot hugh?! Well, we are learning slowly but surely about pregnancy on all sorts of levels!! See you next week, and maybe there will be new lessons to be learned by then!
Baby A:
Aww....I love your little belly. Thank you so much for sharing the u/s pictures. It is amazing to watch little babies develop from something you can't even see to something you'll be holding in 9 months.
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