Week 24-27 Pregnancy VLOG, baby 5 by Teresa Palmer

Weeks 24-27

What’s baby up to?

Week 24
Size: Around 21 cm long (crown to rump)

Weight: About 600 grams (and is they’re born this early they’re officially considered viable and would be taken care of in the NICU)

Comparable to: An ear of corn

Development: Baby’s lungs are making something called “surfactant” which is a fancy substance that’ll help them breathe after birth. They’re also practicing breathing movements with amniotic fluid- also pissing into it and drinking it which means we’ve all drunk our own urine before…
Their inner ear is now fully developed, meaning they’ve got a sense of balance. Kicks are feeling much more rhythmic now, and baby seems to respond to songs like our nightly meditation chant “OM- the extended version” which the kids and I sleep to.

⸻

Week 25
Size: About 22 cm long (crown to rump)

Weight: Roughly 700 grams

Comparable to: A cauliflower

Development: babies' hair is growing in! Hiccups might start now, they’re like little rhythmic pops that feel different from kicks (although I've yet to feel any this pregnancy!) baby is really starting to build baby fat and looks less like a wrinkle skinny granny!

⸻

Week 26
Size: Around 23 cm long (crown to rump)

Weight: Nearly 760 grams

Comparable to: A head of lettuce

Development: Baby’s eyes are starting to open now. Such a cute development (not that they can see much yet!) their brain activity is buzzing, and their nervous system is more developed, meaning better coordination of those adorable baby limbs.

⸻

Week 27
Size: About 24 cm long (crown to rump)

Weight: Just over 900 grams

Comparable to: A cabbage

Development: yay I’ve officially reached my third trimester!! Baby is dreaming in actual REM sleep! They’re also reacting to light which you can try out with a torch on your belly and see how baby reacts! The little smoosh is also developing a more noticeable wake-sleep cycle, which gotta say matches mine at the moment (let’s keep it that way please!)


Anything new these weeks?
Everything! There’s such a pattern with the movement now. Baby loves to wake up right when I wake up around 6/6:30 and then everything night I lie with the girls to sleep and the baby is full partying in there (7:30-8pm ish) it’s so so sweet.

My ice crunching addiction is at an ALL TIME HIGH. I cannot stop and have about 5 mugs of ice with hot water to melt it down to the perfect size everyday. It’s like a delicacy, I get so excited for it, I’ve actually swapped kombuchas out for my ice thing. Bizarre! I also got my Ferritin levels checked and I’m at a 5! So very low and that explains the ice, so I’ve upped the iron supplements.


Challenges:
I have struggled so hard with a cold/cough since APRIL!! At the time of writing this (I’m now 29 weeks ) I’ve almost kicked this cough that I’ve had for so long. It’s been really super irritating and I felt panicky some nights that I couldn’t breathe. Also tmi here but my god my pelvic floor did NOT handle the coughing fits.. let’s just say my washing was upped a lot more!


Reflections:
I love having this one on one time with baby before I have to share them with the world. I just feel so lucky to get to have this connection. I almost feel like it’s telepathic the way we can communicate with each other. Baby is so responsive when I ask them to check in. Being pregnant is the wildest, most spiritual, otherworldly experience and I am loving every second of it, even the penguin waddle that officially started to take place!