20 Weeks - Halfway there!

This week is the halfway point! As of today, I'm 20 weeks 3 days, so only 19 weeks 4 days to go!

The baby is about 7 inches long or the size of a medium banana and weighs around 11 ounces. (I'm sure Lincoln is a tad bigger since last week the ultrasound tech estimated he weighed 11 ounces then...)

Lincoln swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day - not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting - skills he will need as soon as he arrives in my arms. (Happy thought!)

And, something I found interesting: the taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what I've eaten. And those tastes won't be lost on Lincoln, because he has very developed taste buds already. In fact, some researchers have found that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with those tastes after birth. (I've been trying to eat a wide variety of foods to expose him to a lot of different foods. But I've been hooked on potatoes. Doesn't matter what form - mashed, fried, french fries, baked, scalloped - I'll eat them.)

Right now, Lincoln still has a lot of room, but before long he'll start to feel cramped. But until then, he has plenty of space for twisting, turning, and an occasional somersault. (Which I'm sure is what I'm feeling!)

With all of that dancing going on, it's hard to believe he even sleeps at all! But believe it or not, he sleeps as much as 12-14 hours a day! (If only I could get some sleep!)