Week 23

This is about the time I'm supposed to be noticing the linea nigra, but so far, nothin. Other (less than delightful) skin changes on the body around this time can include red palms and soles, bluish blotchy legs, heat rash, and skin tags. So far, none of that has happened yet either, but my mom's palms turned BRIGHT RED when she was pregnant with me and never went back to normal! It also happened to my grandmom and aunt as well... so I might be saying goodbye to my white palms. :( The picture below is one we took a few years ago of my mom's hand (left) next to mine (on the right)....pretty crazy huh?


I'm almost in my sixth month and the baby is about to chub up a bit. His saggy skin will start to fit his frame as fat deposits fill things out. Beginning this week, he'll start to pack on the pounds (which supposedly means I will too...) and by this month's end he'll be double the weight he is now (though I shouldn't be — whew!). Right now, the baby's organs and bones are visible through his skin, which has a red hue due to developing veins and arteries beneath. But once those fat deposits settle in, he'll become less transparent, too.

So, the baby is cozily ensconced in my abdomen — yet, I'm noticing that pregnancy affects you head to toe, and pretty much everywhere in between. My head is fuzzy (this is your brain…this is your brain on progesterone), and your toes (well, your feet, at least) are SO sore! I keep saying to Jason "I've been on my feet a total of about an hour today, but I feel like I just walked New York City all day long!"

Supposedly I should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope now instead of just through a dopplar! That's pretty exciting! Stethoscopes are much cheaper than dopplars!