Four Weeks Pregnant

This week marks the beginning of the embryonic period. From now until ten weeks, all of my organs will begin to develop and function. As a result, this is the time when I'll be the most vulnerable to anything that might interfere with my development. Right now I am an embryo consisting of two layers: the epiblast and the hypoblast, from which all my organs and body parts will develop. The primitive placenta is also made up of two layers at this point. Its cells are tunneling into the lining of Mummy's uterus, creating spaces for her blood to flow into so that the developed placenta can provide nutrients and oxygen to me when it starts to function at the end of this week. Also present now are the amniotic sac that will house me, the amniotic fluid that will cushion me as I grow, and the yolk sac that produces my red blood cells and helps deliver nutrients to me until the placenta is ready to take over this duty.

Three Weeks Pregnant

I'm just a tiny ball consisting of several hundred cells that are multiplying madly. Once the ball of cells (called a blastocyst) takes up residence in Mummy's uterus, the part of it that will develop into the placenta starts producing the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which tells her ovaries to stop releasing eggs and triggers increased production of estrogen and progesterone (which keep her uterus from shedding its lining — and me — and stimulates placental growth). HCG is the hormone that turns a pregnancy test positive. Meanwhile, amniotic fluid is beginning to collect around me in the cavity that will become the amniotic sac. This fluid will cushion me in the weeks and months ahead. Right now, I am receiving oxygen and nutrients (and discarding waste products) through a primitive circulation system made up of microscopic tunnels that connect your developing baby to the blood vessels in your uterine wall. The placenta won't be developed enough to take over this task until the end of next week.

Two Weeks Pregnant

Mummy is now considered to be two weeks pregnant, even though I was only made three days ago!

Archive of Blog Title Graphics

Click an image to see full-size.


"Presents" was done in a bit of a hurry after a surprise visit by Chris.


"Scales" is for use with posts related to baby-weighings.


"Hypo" lets readers know of Jasper's innoculations.


"Christmas" - nuff said.


"Rubber Duck" marked Jasper's first home bath.

"Measuring" marked Jasper's first visit from the Helath Visitor. She weighed him and took the first ever measurement of his height (or length!)

"Registrar" was created in anticipation of Jasper's visit to the Register Office on 23 November.


"Guthrie" was created for Jasper's 7 November 2007 blood test.


"Luggage" was first used on 6 November 2007, to mark Jasper's return from hospital without Elaine.

.fffffffffffffffffffff"Champagne" for a birthday.

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"Sleeping Babe v1.0" was used as the first splash at www.withnail.co.uk/jasper, to save me the bother of coding an automatic forward, which I always forget how to do, have to look up, cock up anyway, etc.

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The first two blog titles to actually carry names. At the time of creation, of course, Mummy and Daddy didn't know which one would be applicable.

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The first Baby Withnail graphic was done by Daddy when he had an overdose of Eye Candy Nature whilst under the influence of Monsters Inc.



This idea for a blog theme was abandoned before Jasper's birth.