All the Buzz

It's been far too long!

2008-05-27T16:27:00.004+01:00

So this will be a long entry!

The big news is that I did manage to beat my target of doubling my birth-weight by the time I reached six months old. In fact, three days before I was six months old I weighed 14lbs 15oz, which was an ounce over my target!

Mummy got a new camera last week so has been driving Connor, Dirk and me mad taking pictures and filming us all the time!

Fat Boy Slim!

2008-04-01T14:44:00.002+01:00

13 lbs 3oz.

That's a whole pound in the last fortnight!

There's no stopping me now!

Look how pleased I am!

Guy and Doll

2008-03-24T14:42:00.000Z

I used to be smaller than this dolly, now it's wearing my old pyjamas!

Still growing!

2008-03-18T08:59:00.002Z

12 lbs 3oz.

That's 11 oz in the last fortnight!

Mummy milk is the best!

Playing Catch-up

2008-03-16T22:00:00.004Z

I haven't posted much on here lately. Pressure of other work, etc. But Mummy and Daddy have been going "reh-reh-reh" so here's some pics for "me public.". Me being a handsome devil.
. Me and Grandpa.
. Me and Daddy.

Me and Mummy.
Me in a hat with comrade Mum.
Never mind the stereotypes Mum... what's "right-click" mean?!!

Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble...

If I was a supermodel, I'd lose my job!

2008-03-02T09:11:00.000Z

11 lbs 8oz.

That's 6 oz in the last seven days.

Everyone is really pleased with me!

Behemoth

2008-02-26T23:05:00.002Z

11 lbs 2oz.

That's 9 oz in the last seven days, and a whole pound in the last fortnight.

Thank you Mummy.

Mummy Milk Makes Me Massive

2008-02-19T18:58:00.001Z

Today I weigh 10 lbs 9 oz. This means I gained an average of an ounce every day over the last week. Not only does this represent the fastest weight-gain I have yet achieved, it is greater than the predicted gain for my age, meaning that I am on the right track to being the "correct" weight eventually. (Until now, I was plummeting off the bottom of the graph!)

And it's all thanks to Mummy's Marvellous Mammaries!

Watch out Winston (and Dirk and Connor!)

2008-02-18T19:36:00.000Z

Jasper's Journal Visitors

2008-02-16T12:32:00.002Z

Are you sitting comfortably?

2008-02-16T11:59:00.000Z

Good... 'cos I am!

Some Pictures

2008-02-14T23:58:00.000Z

Creeping up!

2008-02-12T16:20:00.002Z

Today I was weighed again. I am now 10lbs 2oz.

Windsor Trip

2008-02-08T22:54:00.001Z

This afternoon, we all went to Windsor. I saw my Grandma and my Great Grandma. They both think I'm gorgeous.

But what does that prove? They ain't blind!

I think daddy must have got some of my vaseline on his camera lens for this one...

Slowly but Surely...

2008-02-05T16:19:00.000Z

Today I was weighed again. I am now 9lbs 13½oz.

Party Baby

2008-02-02T17:33:00.000Z

This evening I went to a party with Mummy, Daddy, Connor and Dirk. Here are some grown-ups cutting their birthday cake. Sixty years man! That's 235 times as old as me!

Piling on the pounds

2008-01-29T22:02:00.000Z

Today I was weighed again. I am now 9lbs 9½oz.

Look into my eyes, not around the eyes!

2008-01-29T20:11:00.000Z

Smiler

2008-01-23T22:02:00.000Z

Great Outdoors and Great Indoors

2008-01-20T18:56:00.000Z

Today I took Mummy, Dirk, Connor, Daddy, Kate, Sarah and Kenny for a walk in Stockgrove Country Park. They all looked a bit hungry, so I took them for a meal afterwards.

Kenny liked my joke about the actress and the bib.
This is Auntie Kate. Dirk's a bit wary of her, but she's OK.

My lunch was served first, as I'm most important.

I'm a growing lad!

2008-01-15T21:56:00.000Z

9lbs 3oz!

Auntie & Earl

2008-01-13T21:46:00.000Z

A cuddle from Auntie Sarah:

Jasper sandwich!

Just What I Deserve!

2008-01-11T21:38:00.000Z

Granny and Grandad Visit

2008-01-05T22:58:00.000Z

Today my Granny and Grandad came to visit. Here they are giving me cuddles:

Needles and Safety-Pins

2008-01-04T15:03:00.000Z

I had two injections today; one in each leg. The immunisations were as follows:

...LEFT LEG:..PCV or "7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine" for short.
RIGHT LEG:..DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis)
............................IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine)
............................Hib (Haemophilus influenzae)

I was not best pleased about the needles. (Note to self: Grow up to be a pharmacologist and invent a system of immunisation where the stuff can be mixed and applied with nappy cream.) I had lots of Mummy milk afterwards, so it was probably just about worth the all the agony. And pain. Agonising pain, in fact.

Incidentally, my weight has shot up to 9 lbs and 2 oz since I was last weighed. This is the first time I have weighed more than Dirk did when he was born. The great wobblebottom!

+8OZ!

2007-12-31T14:01:00.000Z

Jasper was weighed at the clinic again today. He has gained another eight ounces since last time, bringing him up to 8 lbs and 14 oz. (And that was after being sick just before going on the scales.)

Just like that!

2007-12-30T13:18:00.001Z

And so this is Christmas

2007-12-25T14:32:00.000Z

Lots of paper. And some new duds.

Is this what they've been getting worked up about for half of my entire life?

Perhaps next year I'll look into the whole business a bit more.

And now a nap, I think.

Christmas Weigh-In

2007-12-24T08:29:00.001Z

This morning I was weighed at the baby clinic. Mummy threw away my dummy after my last visit, so I have been able to tell her properly when I'm hungry.
The happy result is that I now weigh 8lbs 6oz (equivalent to 3.8kg.)
This is an increase of 6oz (128g) which is my biggest yet! Breast really is best!

Me and Connor

2007-12-20T20:53:00.000Z

Mummy took this photo of Big Brother Connor giving me a cuddle.

Clinic

2007-12-17T19:24:00.000Z

Today I was weighed at the baby clinic.
I weigh 8 lbs exactly!

If you go down to the shops today...

2007-12-11T17:08:00.000Z

...you're sure to see Jasper dressed as a teddy bear.

Surprise Visitor from Overseas

2007-12-09T12:05:00.000Z

Uncle Chris just came to visit. I got a lovely new outfit as well as this warm hat:

Portrait Pointer

2007-12-09T09:00:00.000Z

My brothers and I were photographed by a "professional" on the first of this month. The picture is available for viewing here: http://jasperwithnail.blogspot.com/2007/12/portrait.html.

Missed Appointment

2007-12-07T22:46:00.000Z

Although this letter was posted on 30 November, we didn't receive it until 7 December (the day after the appointment) because staff at the Luton Royal Mail office were illegally withholding our post. Luckily for Mrs Joan Siddron of Royal Mail Chairman's Office and Mr Andy Bird of Royal Mail's Luton office, Jasper had already had this particular vaccination at hospital. That's as far as their luck went. They are now being investigated by Postwatch and our MP's office.

Blood Test Results

2007-12-07T22:40:00.000Z

Although this letter was posted on 26 November, we didn't receive it until 7 December because staff at the Luton Royal Mail office were illegally withholding our post. They are now being investigated by Postwatch and our MP's office.

Weighing in at the Boob Club

2007-12-04T18:04:00.000Z

Today, Mummy showed me off at the breastfeeding clinic. I was weighed again while we were there. I am now 8lbs, ½ oz. My big brother Dirk was weighed too. To find out how much he weighs, visit his blog by clicking here.

Visiting Granny & Grandad

2007-12-02T21:01:00.000Z

Mugshots

2007-12-01T20:36:00.000Z

By popular demand...

Portrait

2007-12-01T17:38:00.000Z

Not the best ever, but watch this space for another one in the New Year.

Visit from Granny

2007-11-29T17:50:00.000Z

Granny came to visit today. She says my hands and feet are tiny.

First proper bath!

2007-11-28T22:28:00.000Z

"Do I want a WHAT?!!"

My first bath since coming home! Admittedly, the timing is a bit Withnailian, but when you see my reaction, you'll understand why I wasn't in any hurry...

(Big Brother Dirk seems to think it's funny. But then, he's a funny guy... he likes baths!

Health Visitor

2007-11-26T11:35:00.000Z

The Health Visitor came at 10.30am today. She measured my weight and length. My weight is now 8 lbs and I am 51.5cm long. And for anybody who wants to buy me a hat for Christmas, my head circumference is 36cm.

Registration of Birth

2007-11-23T09:14:00.000Z

This afternoon Mummy and Daddy took me to be registered. Now I'm on the bureaucracy radar I suppose I can apply for a passport, get into debt, have my phone tapped and be sent to prison.

Here's the proof:

Ev'rybody loves me, Nobody hates me...

2007-11-21T06:49:00.000Z

Here's my Big Brother Dirk. He's very proud of me. Naturally.

"I'm here for you mate..."

...I reassure him.

Granny bought me a proper chair from which to control my Evil Empire. It doesn't have bat wings or laser beams, but it vibrates. I find this very soothing.

Everybody thinks I'm great. I don't think I'll go and eat worms.
Like Dirk!

Wide-eyed Boy

2007-11-20T14:34:00.000Z

Mummy took this photograph in our living room using her mobile phone.

The UK Chief Medical Officer has recommended that if parents want to avoid their children being subject to any possible risk that might be identified in the future, the way to do so is to exercise their choice not to let their children use mobile phones.

He'll say "are you married?" We'll say "No man!"

2007-11-18T20:24:00.000Z

Mummy's giving out the cuddles!

And what's this stuff? It falls so white and slow and quiet... It needs a nice gentle, quiet name, like... S-N-O-O-Z-E, or S-L-O-W, or S-N-O-W! That's it, SNOW! Is that a good name? Perhaps I can think of a better one later when I've figured out what it's for because there certainly seems to be a helluva lot of it!

Weights and Measures

2007-11-16T23:02:00.000Z

Today, I visited the midwives at Greenside Children's Centre. They had a good look at me and said that I have all my bits and am "perfect." I am 3.44kg, which is 80g more than when I was born, and 240g more than last time! Mummy-Milk is BEST!!!

Meeting my Uncle

2007-11-11T00:51:00.000Z

Today, my Uncle Lindsay came to visit me. He gave me a very long cuddle.

After that, lying in my cot just wasn't the same...

Seeing Double!

2007-11-10T23:39:00.000Z

Will the real Slim Withnail please stand up!

(Clue: I'm the one with the SLIM legs!)

Cruisin' and Snoozin'

2007-11-09T23:35:00.000Z

I'm a whole week old!

This afternoon, Mummy, Daddy and I all went to meet my Big Brother Connor from his badminton club. It was nearly dark when we got home...

...so we all had a nap!

Photos at Home

2007-11-08T23:30:00.000Z

Cuddles!

2007-11-07T23:28:00.001Z

Daddy was very busy today, so I got most of my cuddles from Mummy.

Midwives Visit

2007-11-07T16:13:00.000Z

This morning, two midwives came to visit me and Mummy. They weighed me and took some blood from my heel for the Guthrie Test.

I was very brave about the prick in my heel. I am 3.2kg which is 160g fewer than on my birthday, but small weight loss in a baby's first days is not unusual.

Homecoming King

2007-11-06T17:20:00.000Z

I arrived home with Mummy this afternoon. This is my road.

This is my new bed. Just right for a good wriggle!

This is my big brother Dirk. He seems to think I'm lovely... well he ain't blind!

I'am glad somebody's happy! I had my BCG injection today and it hurts.

.
.
.
Scorpio's horoscope for 6 November 2007: Eat a really good breakfast, because this day will be quite a marathon!

Another test!

2007-11-05T22:08:00.000Z

That dratted woman with the hearing test paraphernalia came back, like, again. I was like I'm sleeping, and she was like Good that's easier, so I was like Go on then do it, and she was like I will then, so I was like WHATEVER!

Oh well, at least I can listen to stuff now.

Elemental Babyhood

2007-11-05T21:46:00.000Z

Sucking

Bleating

Cooing

Snoozing

The bottom two photos were actually taken yesterday by Mummy. The lady is my Auntie Caroline.

Wanted on Voyage

2007-11-05T12:39:00.000Z

Lots of visitors

2007-11-04T18:50:00.000Z

Mummy's very tired. She has had lots of injections anf things. Chin up Mummy... only a couple of decades to go, and then I'll probably be able to take care of myself. Except laundry, I s'pose.

Oh, and meals. I can't imagine life without Mummy milk. I just can't get enough right now!

This little boy is Dirk's best friend Sebastian. The lady in red is Mummy's friend Nathalie.

It's a strange thing, but Sebastian told me that she's Mummy.
"That's not Mummy", I told him, "Do I look like I was born yesterday?"
"No," said he, "more like the day before!"

That's Sebastian's Daddy Sylvester on the right.

Auntie Sarah came too. She gave me lots of lovely cuddles, which is what counts in this life, as far as I'm concerned.

Here are some videos:

Scorpio's horoscope for 4 November 2007: You've got good friends and you are feeling even more affectionate than usual. Now is a great time to just hang out with them, or to take part in shared activities, even those that aren't your first choice.

Exam Results

2007-11-03T20:26:00.001Z

I got my APGAR test results back today. They were as follows:

1 minute: 8
5 minutes: 9

This score — developed by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar in 1952 and now used in modern hospitals worldwide — rates a baby's appearance, pulse, responsiveness, muscle activity, and breathing with a number between zero and 2 (2 being the strongest rating). The numbers are added, and 10 is considered a perfect score.

Mummy and Daddy seemed quite pleased with how I'd done. But I was a little disappointed to have missed the Perfect 10. I'll just have to study harder for my next test!

APGAR stands for Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance, and Respiration - Virginia had an amazingly apt surname! Here's how they were used to rate me:

Activity (muscle tone)
0 — Limp; no movement
1 — Some flexion of arms and legs
2 — Active motion

Pulse (heart rate)
0 — No heart rate
1 — Fewer than 100 beats per minute
2 — At least 100 beats per minute

Grimace (reflex response)
0 — No response to airways being suctioned
1 — Grimace during suctioning
2 — Grimace and pull away, cough, or sneeze during suctioning

Appearance (colour)
0 — The baby's whole body is completely bluish-gray or pale
1 — Good colour in body with bluish hands or feet
2 — Good colour all over

Respiration (breathing)
0 — Not breathing
1 — Weak cry; may sound like whimpering, slow or irregular breathing
2 — Good, strong cry; normal rate and effort of breathing.

Today they also tried to give me a hearing test*. I have mucus, which means they'll have to try again another day.

* The Hearing Test was invented by Dr Ainsley J Hearingtest in 1492.

A real eye-opener!

2007-11-03T17:53:00.000Z

Today I have been taking a good look around. And doing my Mel Smith impersonation.

But it's a tiring job...

A guy needs to keep up his strength...

But I don't need this!

If you wanna test my hearing, why not just pop a paper bag?!!

Mummy's very pleased with herself. Quite right too!

I'd heard she was a looker, but she's got to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!

Scorpio's horoscope for 3 November 2007: Secrets aren't always scandalous -- and nobody knows that better than you. It's a good day to rethink how much information you've decided to make public and maybe to open up on some issue.

Photos taken by Granny and Grandad

2007-11-03T17:14:00.001Z

My Granny and Grandad came to visit me this evening. I got a lot of fuss and cuddles from them and my brothers.

Jasper's first videos

2007-11-03T08:24:00.000Z

It's a... BABY!

2007-11-02T22:03:00.000Z

Auntie Sarah came to our home very early (6am!) Mummy, Daddy and I got to the hospital at 7.20am.

Here is a picture of Mummy trying out the bed in the waiting-to-have-a-baby ward.

And here's Daddy too:

Mummy had been told that she was going to be the last caesarean of the day. But she was first! At 9.15am, she went into theatre. There was a bit of a delay while a scrub nurse was found. Then there was a bit of difficulty in doing Mummy's spinal anaesthetic. Things eventually got started at about 9.45am.

At 9.58am, I was born. Hello world! How do you do? My name is Jasper. My birth weight was 7lbs 7oz. This is equivalent to 3.36kg at sea level. My head was measured at 34.5cm (just over 13½"). And here I am...

I am proud to tell you that I am much more NOISY than my big brother Dirk was when he was born.

And here is Mummy giving me a cuddle. The consultant was still elbow deep at this point.

After a bit of fuss (she lost so much blood that she needed 3 litres of fluid to make it up), Mummy was all stitched up. At 11.18, we all went to a nice quiet room where we could have a proper cuddle.

Here I am having a peep at the world. What's that you say? Well, let's just say the jury's out!

A while later, we were taken up to the proper ward.

Peace at last!

Mummy and Daddy would like to thank all the staff involved in bringing me into the world. The anaesthetist and midwife in particular were outstanding professionals and a credit to the hospital.

To view well-wishers' messages or to leave a message yourself, click HERE.

Scorpio's horoscope for 2 November 2007: Your day is a bigger challenge than you may be used to, but of course you can rise up and meet it with relative ease. Try not to get too cocky about it, but make sure that the right people know you're still in the game.

Thirty-nine weeks pregnant.

2007-11-01T06:14:00.001Z

Getting bored now...

...can't wait for tomorrow!

OMFG!!!!

2007-10-31T17:46:00.001Z

Thirty-eight Weeks Pregnant

2007-10-25T09:25:00.000+01:00

I have really plumped up. I weigh between 6 and 7½ pounds (boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls), and I'm nearly 20 inches long. I have a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold my hand for the first time! My organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what colour my eyes will be? You may not be able to tell straight away. If I'm born with brown eyes, they'll probably stay brown. If I'm born with grey or blue eyes, they may stay unchanged or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time I'm nine months old. That's because my irises may gain more pigment in the months after I'm born, but they won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than grey or blue eyes.)

Last Visit to Midwife

2007-10-22T20:02:00.000+01:00

Today was Mummy's final pre-partum midwife appointment. Everything is fine:

My head is now fully engaged (or "brim.")
My heartbeat is so loud that the listening device had to be placed in an adjoining room. Almost.

Thirty-seven Weeks Pregnant

2007-10-18T17:23:00.000+01:00

I AM NOW FULL TERM! This means that if I decide I've had enough of waiting in Mummy's tummy, my lungs are fully mature and ready to adjust to life in the outside world.

I weigh a little over 6 pounds and measure just about 20" inches, head to heel. Although many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks up to 1½" long, I'm not going to give you any clues about my style or colour here. You'll just have to wait like Mummy and Daddy.

Getting Hold of Mummy

2007-10-15T21:49:00.001+01:00

Mummy has arranged bedside Internet and telephone for her hospital stay. Posting the details here would be an invitation to spammers, so her telephone number and e-mail address are on a password protected Web page, which can be reached by clicking the link at the bottom of this post. (Please note that the phone number will only be activated when Mummy gets to her ward.)

You will be asked for a username and password.

The username is Mummy's first name. (Six letters, all lower case.)
The password is the name of the crescent where Mummy and Daddy grew up together. (Five letters, all lower case.)
If this is all a bit much to cope with, you can just call the operator on 0870 212 1234 and ask for her by name. (Calls charged at national rate.)

To access Mummy's hospital phone number and e-mail address, click HERE.

Spot the Baby

2007-10-15T17:38:00.000+01:00

I'm in there somewhere!

Final Naming Decision

2007-10-14T16:39:00.000+01:00

The final decision* on my names has been made by Mummy and Daddy.

Boy: Jasper Diello Gene Withnail
Girl: Fenchurch Alice Nancy Withnail

Jasper
Mummy: "We both just like this name instinctively."
Daddy: "It was the name of a character in a Terrance Dicks novel I read in 1980. Sir Jasper, as I recall. Funny how I always pictured him with black and yellow stripes."
Mummy: "It's a rather fetching stone. It's also an unusual name, but I think it's some way short of being out-and-out weird."
Daddy: "Which is more than you can say about Fenchurch!"

Fenchurch
Mummy: "Not my idea, but I like it."
Daddy: "I'll put my hands up to this one... well, I'll put Douglas Adams's hands up."
Mummy: "He it was that gave us the name Dirk. I haven't read that book though."
Daddy: "That's right; Fenchurch is a key character in the book The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But she's only mentioned in passing. She's not named until the fourth book in the trilogy."

Diello
Mummy: "We stole this name from the diary of Pauline Rieper (AKA Pauline Parker.) It was filmed as Heavenly Creatures by Peter Jackson in 1994."
Daddy: "Diello was prince of the fictional country of Borovnia, invented by Pauline and her friend Juliet Hulme. He's an appealing character because he's gallant and doesn't suffer fools gladly. On the other hand, he rampages as a toddler and continues in adulthood. As Juliet put it: 'The Queen's biggest problem is her renegade child, Diello, who has proven to be an uncontrollable little blighter who slaughters his nannies whenever the fancy takes him!'"
Mummy: "I have to live with this."

Alice
Daddy: "Literary again. In between asking the young Alice Liddell if he could possibly borrow a pair of her panties to mop his sopping brow, the incomparable Reverend Dodgson (AKA Lewis Carroll) created one of the most enduring female characters of English literature. I believe her to be a seminal gothic herione too."
Mummy: "I believe you are being a pretentious prat. Alice is simply a nice name. It looks nice written down and sounds nice too. And the chavs are so busy with Jasmine and Chardonnay that they haven't noticed it."

Gene
Daddy: "Anything happens to this car and I'm gonna come round yer house and stamp on all yer toys!"
Mummy: "He means he got the idea from Life on Mars."

Nancy
Mummy and Daddy: "SIDNEY!!!"
Baby: "If you need it explained, you wouldn't approve and had better get beck to The Archers. That's what Daddy's done!

* (Opinions not invited.)

Thirty-six Weeks Pregnant

2007-10-11T15:58:00.000+01:00

I am still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. I now weigh almost 6 pounds and am a little under 19 inches long. I'm shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered my body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected my skin during my nine-month amniotic bath. I swallow both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture called meconium which will form the contents of my first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, I will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

Hospital Appointment

2007-10-10T13:27:00.000+01:00

Today Mummy and Big Brother Dirk took me to the hospital on the bus. Daddy met us there. We had to see the Doctor for a routine 36 week check-up.

The Doctor measured Mummy's tummy and said I am right on track, size wise. He also felt my head and then he let Mummy and Daddy feel it too. (My head is four-fifths engaged.)

After that, everyone listened to my heartbeat. It was 168 beats per minute. The Doctor was pleased with me and Mummy, so we don't need to go back to the hospital until the day before I am due to be born.

Mummy's Bump

2007-10-05T22:04:00.000+01:00

Thirty-five Weeks Pregnant

2007-10-04T09:50:00.000+01:00

I don't have much room to manoeuvre now that I'm over 18 inches long and tip the scales at 5 pounds plus. Because it's so snug in here, I'm not likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times I kick should remain about the same. My kidneys are fully developed now, and my liver can process some waste products. Most of my basic physical development is now complete — I'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Penultimate Midwife Appointment

2007-10-01T18:26:00.000+01:00

Mummy, Daddy and Big Brother Dirk took me to the midwife this morning. She prodded Mummy's tummy, so I kicked her! Apparently the prodding was to find out whether I am head-up or head-down. It would have been much easier to check http://babywithnail.blogspot.com/2007/10/position-update.html or type position in the search box at the top of the page.

The midwife used a special machine so that they could all listen to my heart. (Again, they could have just gone to http://babywithnail.blogspot.com/2007/07/heartbeat_30.html, or typed heartbeat in the search box.)

Mummy had to have an injection in her bottom. I think it must have hurt. The midwife made an appointment to poke me some more on 28 October. I'm looking forward to meeting everybody properly soon. Only thirty-two days... if I can wait that long!

Position Update

2007-10-01T17:46:00.000+01:00

I have wriggled and pushed and am now lying head-downward in Mummy's tummy. Ready when you are, World.

Thirty-four Weeks Pregnant

2007-09-27T13:02:00.000+01:00

I now weigh about 4 3/4 pounds and am almost 18 inches long. My fat layers — which will help regulate my body temperature once I'm born — are filling me out, making me rounder. My skin is also smoother than ever. My central nervous system is maturing and my lungs are continuing to mature as well. If Mummy and Daddy are nervous about preterm labour, they'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Thirty-three Weeks Pregnant

2007-09-20T08:48:00.000+01:00

This week I weigh a little over 4 pounds and have passed the 17-inch mark. I'm rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and my skeleton is hardening. The bones in my skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for me to fit through the birth canal (although I won't be born that way). These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as my brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. Forty-three days till my birthday - officially at least!

Thirty-two Weeks Pregnant

2007-09-13T08:08:00.000+01:00

By now, I am just shy of 4 pounds and am nearly 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in Mummy's uterus. Mummy's gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to me. In fact, I'll gain a third to half of my birth weight during the next 7 weeks as I fatten up for survival outside the womb. I now have toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). My skin is becoming soft and smooth as I plump up in preparation for birth.

It's only 50 days until my birthday!

Hospital

2007-09-12T14:55:00.000+01:00

Daddy took Mummy and me to the hospital today. A registrar listened to my heart and then a nurse took some of Mummy's blood. My birthday has now been set at Friday 2 November.

Set?!!

I ask you.

Entre nous, I've half a mind to come a bit earlier, just to show 'em who's boss!

Still, for what it's worth, here's a list of some interesting facts about 2 November...

It is All Souls Day.
On 2 November 1913, Burt Lancaster was born.
On 2 November 1938, Queen Sofia of Spain was born.
On 2 November 1930, Ras Tafari was crowned Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia.
On 2 November 2003, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his companion Mike Stroud completed their 7th marathon in 7 days, each in a different country. Fiennes had suffered a heart attack five months previously.
On 2 November 2000, the first crew arrived at the International Space Station.
On 2 November 1988 the Morris worm, the first internet-distributed computer worm to gain significant mainstream media attention, was launched from MIT.
On 2 November 1982, Channel 4 was launched.
On 2 November 1964, the first episode of 'Crossroads' was broadcast on ITV.
On 2 November 1936, the BBC launched its Television Service (renamed BBC1 in 1964.)
On 2 November 1962, US President John Kennedy announced that the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' was over. He had just pushed the world closer to the brink of nuclear war than it had ever been.
On 2 November 1960, Penguin publishers were cleared of obscenity for printing the D.H.Lawrence novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. On the same day, the first section of the M1 motorway was opened between the present junctions 5 and 18. Curiously, I will be born right next to this very stretch of motorway.
On 2 November 1957, The Levelland UFO Case in Levelland, Texas, generated international publicity. It remains one of the most impressive UFO cases in American history. On the same day, Elvis Presley set an all-time record with 8 hit singles in the UK Top 30 chart at the same time.
On 2 November 1954, the comedy series 'Hancock's Half Hour' was first broadcast on BBC Radio. Exactly a year earlier, the Samaritans was founded.
On 2 November 1924, the first 'crossword puzzle' was published in a British newspaper (the Sunday Express.)
On 2 November 1917, Britain issued the 'Balfour Declaration on Palestine.'
Exactly three years earlier, Russia had declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
On 2 November 1903, 'Daily Mirror' (designed especially to be read by women) was launched.
On 2 November 1899, the siege of Ladysmith in Natal began when Boers encircled British troops and civilians inside the town.
On 2 November 1871, British police begin their 'Rogue's Gallery' - taking photographs of all convicted prisoners.
On 2 November 1841, the Second Afghan War started.
On 2 November 1950, Irish writer and playwright George Bernard Shaw died aged 94.
On 2 November 1944, Rommel committed suicide after being arrested for his involvement in the failed plot to assassinate Hitler.

Thirty-one Weeks Pregnant

2007-09-06T11:30:00.000+01:00

This week, I measure about 16 inches long. I weigh a little over 3 pounds and am heading into a growth spurt. I can turn my head from side to side, and my arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath my skin. I'm moving a lot too, so Mummy may have trouble sleeping because my kicks and somersaults keep her up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that I am active and healthy.

Thirty Weeks Pregnant

2007-08-30T08:42:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and I weigh almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds me, but that volume will decrease as I get bigger and take up more room in Mummy's uterus. My eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after I'm born, I'll keep my eyes closed for a good part of the day. When I do open them, I'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means I can only make out objects a few inches from my face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Twenty-nine Weeks Pregnant

2007-08-24T07:17:00.000+01:00

I am growing rapidly now. This week I weigh about half a pound more than I did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and am a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. My muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and my head is getting bigger to accommodate my growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in my skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that my nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.

Midwife

2007-08-20T12:05:00.001+01:00

Today Mummy and Big Brother Dirk took me to see Sue the Midwife. Dirk played with the toys while Mummy had her blood pressure checked, then she had some blood taken for tests and finally poor Mummy had to have an injection. Then Sue had a feel to see that I am growing well, and she listened to my heartbeat. I decided to have some fun by kicking against the doppler, which made a nice loud noise for everyone to hear!

Twenty-eight Weeks Pregnant

2007-08-16T18:21:00.000+01:00

I now weigh a little over 2 lbs and measure almost 15" from the top of my head to my heels. I can blink my eyes, which now sport lashes. With my eyesight developing, I may be able to see the light that filters in through Mummy's tummy. I'm also developing billions of neurons in my brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world - just seventy-seven days away!

Twenty-seven Weeks Pregnant

2007-08-09T18:47:00.000+01:00

Now I'm really starting to get big. This week I weigh almost 2lbs and I'm nearly 14½" long. I now sleep and wake at regular intervals. I sometimes like to suck my fingers, and although my lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if I decided I'd had enough of being stuck in here - so watch it! When I get hiccoughs, Mummy can feel it.

I open my eyes sometimes... betcha wish you could see what colour they are! (Actually, I wish I could see something more with them!) The nerve pathways to my ears are complete now, so I can pay much more attention to daytime soaps and heavy metal.

With more brain tissue developing, I’m doing a lot of thinking these days…

Although my "due date" is 91 days away, I'm hoping to be in Mummy's arms in only 84 days, because I'm being delivered by caesarean section.

Twenty-six Weeks Pregnant

2007-08-03T00:31:00.001+01:00

I now weigh a little under 2 lbs and measure about 14" from head to heel. The nerve pathways in my ears are developing, which means my response to sounds is growing more consistent. My lungs are developing now, too, as I continue to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when I'm born and take that first breath of air.

Heartbeat!

2007-07-30T21:51:00.000+01:00

Today the midwife listened to my heartbeat. Can you hear it too?

Twenty-five Weeks Pregnant

2007-07-26T12:27:00.000+01:00

Head to heels, I now measures about 13 1/2 inches. My weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but I'm beginning to exchange my long, lean look for some baby fat. As I do, my wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and I'll start to look more and more like a newborn. My hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after I'm born.

Twenty-Four Weeks Pregnant

2007-07-19T06:39:00.000+01:00

I'm growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when I was just over a pound. Since I'm almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but my body is filling out proportionally and I'll soon put on more baby fat. My skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, my brain is growing rapidly, and my taste buds are developing. My lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

Here I am!

2007-07-15T19:18:00.000+01:00

Twenty-three Weeks Pregnant

2007-07-12T22:19:00.000+01:00

I am more than 11 inches long and weigh just over a pound. I may be able to feel Mummy's movements now, so put on some tunes and dance around the house. I look red now due to blood vessels showing through my transparent skin. My true skin tone will develop over the course of my first year. Blood vessels in my lungs are developing to prepare me for breathing, but complete lung development will take many more months. The lungs are the last organ to fully develop. I can swallow, but I normally won't pass my first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as music or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze me when I hear them outside the womb.

Twenty-two Weeks Pregnant

2007-07-06T02:53:00.000+01:00

I now look like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9" and almost 1 lb. My skin will continue to appear wrinkled until I gain enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers my head and body is now visible. My lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath my gum line. My eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and my pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

Twenty-one Weeks Pregnant

2007-06-28T18:36:00.000+01:00

I now weigh about three-quarters of a pound and am approximately 10½ inches long. My eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And Mummy can certainly feel me move! Researchers say babies move about 50 times an hour even while sleeping. All that movement helps stimulate my physical and mental development. Mummy may not notice all those kicks, punches, and twirls during the day, but as she's settling down at night, she shouldn't be surprised if I seem ready to dance the night away!

Twenty Week Scan

2007-06-22T17:18:00.001+01:00

Today I made another Guest Appearance on television! Mummy, Daddy and Big Brother Dirk all watched me wriggle and squirm on the Ultrasound monitor at hospital. Everything was tickety-boo. Here's my photo:

I tried to hide again, but I'm just too big now! Alas, my days of playing Das Boot with the sonographer are long gone! She took lots of readings and measurements. My cerebellum, for instance, is 20mm. Don't ask me whether that's height, depth or width, 'cos she didn't say! She estimated my weight the be 325g which, apart from being the Minnesota Statute's Chapter on Consumer Protection, is the same mass (NOT weight Ms Wilson!) as a jar of Mars Galaxy Instant!

The graph below shows my Biparietal Diameter (that's head width, dummy!) The measurement was 46mm, which is exactly average!

This graph shows Femur Length. My measurement today was 32mm which means my thigh is the tiniest bit longer than average!

This graph shows Head Circumference. Mine was 174mm this afternoon. This is as near to average as makes no odds.

Lastly, here's the graph for Abdominal Circumference. My twenty-week measurement was 147mm - average again!

Here's the whole data sheet:
Sorry about the atrocious spelling... NHS cutbacks, I suppose!

A Video (Not me!)

2007-06-22T09:29:00.000+01:00

Twenty Weeks Pregnant - HALFWAY THERE!

2007-06-21T19:52:00.000+01:00

I weigh about 10½ oz now. I'm also around 6½" long from head to bottom, and about 10" from head to heel. A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats my entire body to protect my skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. I am swallowing more, which is good practice for my digestive system. I'm also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in my bowels, but you'll see it in my first nappy! And what are these tiny hard things on the end of my- my... well I suppose I’d better start finding names for things if I want to make any headway in what for the sake of what I shall call an argument I shall call the world, so let’s call them my feet. Anyway, little hard things on the end of my feet. I'll call them, er... nails. Is that a good name? I can always think of a better one later, when I've found out what they're for because there certainly seems to be a hell of a lot of them!

Midwife visit

2007-06-18T21:23:00.000+01:00

Today Mummy went to see Sue the midwife. This time I decided to behave myself and let Sue and Mummy hear my heartbeat. Mummy also had her blood pressure checked and it was fine. We have to see Sue again in five weeks.