Steph on April 5th (15 weeks)

At 17 weeks pregnant, all the books say things like ‘expect rapid growth’ right about now.  I think this is a valid forecast for our baby, my belly, our sense of time, and the way we see the world.

Baby is only about 4.5 inches right now, or so I’ve read.  The little bean is already a he or she, even though we won’t know which until we meet the little person face to face.  Although we have heard the heart beat twice (thanks to our midwife’s Doppler), it is hard to fully grasp that  there is a person growing inside me.

My belly is small but showing definite signs of occupation.  I can’t button my pants anymore.  My first official maternity purchase was a ”belly band’.  This simple contraption is a 1-piece band (kind of like a big pony-tail holder that would fit around your waist) that you can wear over the waistband of your unbuttoned pants.  Besides the obvious benefit of not having to button my pants, I also get to avoid shopping!  So for now, I’m happy as a clam with my belly bands and I’m also mentally preparing for the rapid growth that will push me into the maternity stores.

Profile of Steph's baby bump

Despite forecasts of rapid growth, time seems to be moving rather slowly since I’ve been pregnant.  I haven’t had a bit of morning sickness, I’ve been sleeping more and eating extraordinary amounts of food.

I hear that once baby arrives, time will move a wee bit faster.  Until then, I’m going to relax, enjoy and observe this fascinating baby-growing experience.  Stay tuned for more information than you ever wanted to know about Stephanie growing a baby.