21 Weeks-Banana Baby

Baby is the size of a banana this week! She is around 10 1/2 inches, and weighs approximately 12 ounces. She is a very active baby. I started feeling little flutters around fourteen weeks, and as she gets bigger the movements are more defined and stronger. I can feel little kicks and jabs, and I think I can tell when she is doing flips. Brodie has been able to feel her for a few weeks which has been really cool for him.

I am dealing with some not-so-fun symptoms, one of which is hip and leg pain that wakes me up every night. I have been stretching, and I want to get more massages which I think will help.

Something cool that I did this week was I took a Pre and Postnatal massage class over the week end. I signed up last minute and I was so glad I was able to go. It was really fun to experience the class while pregnant. I learned so much and I would love to get certified in this specialty after I graduate. We learned a lot about the benefits of massage during and after pregnancy, some of which are:

Increased circulation and lymph flow
Physical relief and pain management
Eases depression and anxiety
Encourages maternal behaviors
Stress relief
Shorter, less painful childbirth
Body awareness and connection to inner self
Birth preparation

I think this goes hand-in-hand with Prenatal Yoga, and I would love to be able to offer this service to expecting mothers!

I really feel like I've settled into the pregnancy. I find myself thinking about the birth all the time, but I I am also trying to live in the present and enjoy the stages she and I are both at right now.