... The 14th Week...

Phew...! Past the crucial period of the first trimester. Now, we're on the 14th week of pregnancy. I really feel great and thankful to God that nothing happen in the first trimester. Let me tell you wats happening for this week...

Our fetus is now about 7 to 10 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs about 28 grams — or about half a banana. Its unique fingerprints are already in place, and when you poke your stomach gently and she feels it, the baby will start rooting (menggeliat).

If we're having a girl, she now has approximately 2 million eggs in her ovaries; she will have only a million by the time she's born. She'll have fewer eggs as she gets older, and by age 17, the number will have dropped to 200,000. No, guys. She can't be impregnated and the chances of she's getting pregnant, is close to none!

If it's a boy (grin), the prostate gland develops. Our fetus thyroid gland has matured and our baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life. Our little one may have learned to suck his thumb by this point!

Our child's bones are getting harder and stronger by the day, but his or her skin is very transparent still and Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water!

As for wifey, the fog may be lifting, so to speak. For many women, the side effects of early pregnancy — frequent urination, intense fatigue, nausea — diminish sometime in the second trimester. Her uterus, while large enough to announce to onlookers that she's indeed pregnant, isn't so huge that it gets in her way. Even though birth is months away, the breasts may already start making colostrum. Hmmm.... ok... Colostrum is the fluid that mothers produces few days after labour. It is high in anti-biotic that actually helps the baby to fight most harmful viruses or germs.

Finding out that I am going to be a father can be an exciting and confusing time. I've often asked myself this questions,

> How will having a baby change my life?
> How will I pay for all the things our baby will need?
> How can I be a good dad?
> What can I do to help during pregnancy?

Guess, the only thing that I can do is to get involved. I'll try to be at her preconception and prenatal visits. Read and asked around for tips from friends and families aldo do help a bit. Well, at this point, I dun think I will paln on wat to buy or go shopping for baby things. Least I can do now is to help wifey to stay healthy during pregnancy. Help her eat healthy foods, exercise and avoid dangerous workplace and household hazards (such as paint thinner and weed killers).

Its really not easy u know.... Really.