You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's about 10 inches from head to heel— the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured now changes.) A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats your baby's entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance made of dead cells, digestive secretions, and swallowed amniotic fluid, which will accumulate in her bowels and end up in her first diaper.
Much to our families' chagrin, DH and I have decided to keep the baby's name a surprise until the ink dries on the birth certificate. There are several reasons we've chosen this route. First, it takes the pressure off for a while. This way we don't even have to really decide until August. And honestly, we haven't really thought of any names because there's no hurry. Also, it seems odd to me that people - even random people I barely interact with - seem to think that they can suggest names to us or make fun of the name we've chosen. Or tell us the "rules" for naming a child. I also realize that DH and I will likely change our minds several times and I don't want to have to tell people we've changed it yet again. And, although I don't know anyone who's pregnant and due before me, there's always the chance that someone could steal your name and give it to their baby. It happened to my aunt.
Also strange to everyone but us, we have not set up the nursery yet. We've got until AUGUST. DH has promised me it would be done by June, and my first baby shower isn't until the end of June, so that works out fine. Plus we've got to completely rearrange the house in order to accommodate a nursery, and that involves buying new office furniture and renting a storage facility. It's not as if we have an empty room we're ignoring. I'm sure that if I weren't in graduate school I'd be more focused on it but I just have so many things to divert my attention. Not that I'm not excited, because I REALLY am, I just have to take it one day at a time. Like Schneider. (Anybody get that reference?)
I'm feeling her move more these days, but it's still not easy to describe or detect. Most of the time I can only identify her movement by process of elimination: it's not gas or another gastrointestinal issue, I'm not hungry, I'm being still and quiet...must be the baby! Twice she's moved while I was listening to music - in once instance the choir was singing at church - so I will start playing her some good music. I'll start with classical and lullabies and hymns, then work my way up to Sarah McLachlan and Loreena McKennitt. DH said he wants to start reading to her as well. I hope she enjoys hunting magazine articles.
We went to our first childbirth preparation class Monday night and I think it was a real eye opener for Papa Bear. We watched two birthing videos; one where the woman had an epidural and the birth was fairly serene and quiet, and one where the woman chose natural childbirth and it was not so serene or quiet. I think he secretly hopes I'll have an epidural for his sake. :) We took a tour of the maternity area at the hospital and it was nice. The rooms are not scary hospital sterile and there's even a recliner in the room for Papa Bear. Could be worse. Oh, and the nurse shot a baby doll through a plastic pelvis and it was not cool. It hurt just watching. Next week we get to roll around on the floor and breathe. Eerily similar to exercise if you ask me.
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