Baby Mo- Week 5

We're still pregnant!



Baby Mo is the size of an apple seed this week! Here's what's going on with his or her development:

The neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — is starting to develop in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel.

His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue.

The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

Here's what Baby Mo might look like this week:
I'm looking forward to Baby Mo looking a little less alien-like and more like a cute baby. I've really felt good this week. I'm going to try to consistently update in this format:

• Symptoms/ Side Effects: The only symptoms I'm noticing are more frequent trips to the ladies room and being a little more tired. I have noticed that when I wake up in the mornings, I can't go back to sleep. So if I wake up an hour before I need to.... I'm up for the day. Consequently, I've been hitting the hay between 9 and 10 every night.
• Cravings: I think it's still to early, but I did take great satisfaction in eating a bowl of Trix today. :D
  
• Highlights of the week: Sharing with our families and being able to talk about it with other people. It seems much more real now!
• Lows: None really. There's a little more anxiety than I expected. I keep expecting something to go wrong or to find out that it isn't real. I think I'll feel better though when we actually see the baby and hear the heartbeat.