WEEK 6: (embryonic period)

 

 

A baby at this stage is between 0.08 to 0.16 inches long, or 2 to 4mm. Our little one is 3mm and falls perfectly into this normal category. This is measured “Crown to Rump”, and you may have wondered what in the world does that mean??? Because I did.  Basically, they measure from the top of the baby’s head to its tiny booty.  They will use this measurement throughout the pregnancy because little ones are rarely stretched out to give its total height. This is the week the clinic determined fetal pole and heartbeat. Fetal pole is the first visible sign that there is a little embryo growing. My heart just leaped out of my chest when I saw our baby yesterday. I blew up the photo - I think he/she kind of looks like an egg snuggled in a nest.  The heartbeat is measuring 126 and is cause for celebration, not so much for the measurement itself (which by the way is perfect) but for the fact that we have one is the all important milestone in any pregnancy. A milestone that drastically cuts your risk of miscarriage, and even more so if the heartbeat measures more than 100bpm. We are very fortunate and I feel so blessed.

SCI informs me that the tummy mummy is doing well, and everything is progressing as should be.  This week she might begin experiencing morning sickness, heartburn, and could begin gaining weight. The first trimester is a tough one and my heart goes out to her. If there was any way I could experience these awful side effects instead, I would.  Our next scan will be in two weeks (8 week mark) J