27 weeks on Wednesday

Ok so I am a little early. I wont actually be 27 weeks until Wednesday, but I am here now so here it is.

Your baby at 27 weeks weighs slightly under 2 pounds. Your baby's total length is close to 14.4 inches. Your baby is now a perfectly formed albeit very tiny human being, but of course, he will continue growing as you continue your pregnancy week by week. Up until the 27th and 28th weeks of pregnancy, your baby's eyelids were fused together. After this week or next, they will open. The retina, the light sensitive portion of the eye, typically starts maturing at about 27 weeks of pregnancy. The layers that form in the retina will allow your baby's eyes to receive light and transmit the information it is receiving to the brain to form images. This basic process is referred to as "sight". Imagine that, at 27 weeks pregnant, your baby is a tiny, seeing human being! If your baby was born in week 27 of pregnancy, he or she would have a 90 percent chance of surviving. He or she would also look similar to a baby born at 40 weeks, albeit a lot smaller and thinner. This period of pregnancy from 27 weeks onward is known as within the period of fetal viability.

Keep in mind, though, that there is still a lot of development that will occur during the next 13 weeks. Also, a premature baby born during this week of pregnancy will be in for a long hospital stay. A baby born this premature will probably not be able to breathe on his or her own, cannot maintain a consistent body temperature, and cannot protect him or herself against infections.

I am exhausted! I have been a little bit stressed (still) about "things" but I am trying to keep calm. It's not easy. I have been having contractions still, they are at the most inconvenient times. Anytime I want to go somewhere or do something they start up. And if I do go somewhere or do something they continue and grow stronger. I feel like I cant leave my house without having contractions. Sometimes they are just Braxton Hicks and sometimes they are real live contractions. Doc says if I have more than 6 REAL contractions in an hour I need to head to the emergency room. To be honest I have had more than 6 in an hour, but if I lay down and relax they always seem to go away within a couple hours, so I havent gone to the ER yet. Other than that I am begining to have some back pain and little swelling in my feet when I am on them for a while. Baby is definitely growing though because I am also having long ligament pains(growing pains in my stomach) But this is all part of pregnancy, right? This is what I prayed for, for over 5 and a half years, and I know I am so blessed to be having the pains of pregnancy! I have 13 or less weeks to enjoy this amazing experience, so that is what I am going to do!!!