The time has arrived. If preterm labor and delivery were to occur this week, the baby could survive with medical care, but the probability is high if not certain there will be problems. Contrary to many misconceptions babies should still be inside their mothers at this point and for a while to come. Technically she doesn't even have lungs yet, there are just little buds that are hoping to develop into lungs over the next few weeks. You need lungs to live. The NICU can help but I would rather not roll those dice. If there is anything we don't want it's a preterm infant. With increasing research and knowledge in the field of fetal medicine, the long-term prognosis for preemies is improving, but with each passing week my anxiety should decrease. I sometimes wish I knew less about what is going on. Complete knowledge of all that might happen is frightening for both of us.
By now the baby weighs a little more than 1 pound and even though fat is beginning to accumulate on her body, her skin still hangs loosely, giving her a wrinkled appearance. She has a daily workout routine moving the muscles in her fingers, toes, arms, and legs. Wendy says she is more and more active every day. In fact just last night I even felt her move for the first time. It was ever so slight but I did feel it. I guess Wendy hasn't been faking it.
