How much does my baby weigh?

One of the most common questions we get asked at BabyView is how much does my baby weigh? We hope this chart helps.

The Jenkin Family

Dear Cheryl and Staff,

We had a little girl Kayla Alexis on December 27th @ 9:00pm, weighting 8lbs 10oz and 20.5 inches long. Our visits to BabyView was one of the highlights of both of my pregnancy. I wanted to especially thank you for taking extra time with us during our visit to make sure we had great images of our baby. At first her hand was in front of her face, but after some moving around she finally showed her face. And I was so glad to be the baby of the month in October. I would also like to thank you for all the help you gave us during the free ultrasound. We love sharing this experience with our family and friends with the DVD you offer in one of your packages. Thank you BabyView for providing us with a unique and unforgettable experience.

Here are a couple of pictures of Kayla and Hannah. We had a 3d ultrasound with both girls!!

Thank You,

Greg, Lisa, Hannah, & Kayla Jenkin

When do babies open their eyes in utero?

Vision is the last sense to develop. In utero, eyelids remain closed until about the 26th week in order for the retinas to fully develop. Around week 26, the eyes open and even begin to blink! At birth, a baby's vision is perfectly focused from 8 to 12 inches. As soon as their eyes open in the womb, twins seem to have no trouble locating each other and touching faces or holding hands.

Just as the womb isn't completely quiet, it isn't totally dark, either. As early as week 18, when the eyes are still closed, a baby's retinas can detect a small amount of light filtering through a mother's tissue if she's out in the bright sun or under strong lights. By week 33, the pupils of the eye can now detect light and constrict and dilate, allowing your baby to see dim shapes. Studies shining a bright light on the belly of a woman at 37 weeks have shown a baby's heart rate speeding up in response, or the baby turning toward the light. (Note: Exposing a fetus or premature infant to bright light before it's ready can damage its eyes.)

Post by: By Karin A. Bilich

Why do babies hiccup in utero?

There is not a great deal written in the medical resources about foetal hiccuping even though it is such a common feature during a pregnancy, and usually experienced at least once by most mums as distinct, episodic movements of their foetus. It is certainly a foetal reflex similar to our own. In this reflex (which is an involuntary movement in an area) there is a sudden spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm and closure of the sound-producing folds at the upper end of the windpipe. Usually, of course, there is a sudden drawing in of breath, and we make an accompanying noise. Thank goodness that doesn’t happen in utero – could be quite disturbing!

In the case of the foetus there has been shown to be a drawing in of some of the amniotic fluid in which it floats. It seems that it is only the more mature foetuses that show this (because of the development of the central nervous system at that time). Some think that the ‘hiccup reflex’ is a response to foetal drinking or foetal breathing which causes this flow of amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs, thus stimulating the diaphragm to contract, just as it does in the normal hiccup situation.

Posted by: ivillage.co.uk - Pregnancy experts

Do babies cry in the womb?

If by, "a baby crying in the womb" you mean making baby crying sounds then the answer is no. But if you mean do their vocal cords have the capability of making crying sounds, the answer is yes. The following are my reasons for giving such a yes/no answer.

A baby in the womb is totally immersed in fluid called amniotic fluid. During development of the fetus it swallows and "breathes" this fluid. Remember, while the baby is in the womb there is no air with which to make crying sounds. Only after a baby is born can its lungs become fully expanded to take in air. Which gets us to the next point.

To create sounds with our vocal cords needs air to move from the lungs through the windpipe past the vocal cords and to the outside air. Even when you make vocal sounds underwater, the sound is made by pushing out air in your lungs through your vocal cords. However, since an unborn baby does not have air in its lungs it cannot make such sounds. Therefore, in the sense of making the usual crying sounds we associate with a bay, while it is in the womb an unborn baby cannot make them.

No doubt, just before it is born a baby tries to make crying sounds. But recall that it is surrounded by amniotic fluid and there is no air in the womb. So until a baby is born and breathes its first lung full of air, it is not likely to make vocal sounds.

Posted by: Frederick Sweet, Ph.D. Ob-Gyn, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO

INTRODUCING BABY GIBSON, Oshawa, Ontario

BabyView is pleased to announce the first winner of our “Baby of the Month” contest for September- introducing Baby Gibson! He is the first baby to be born to Robert and Agnes. Baby Gibson has a large family eagerly awaiting his arrival. For grandparents Mina and Len, baby Gibson is the first grandchild, and for grandparents Grace and Lawrence, he is the third. Baby Gibson even has a great grandma Audrey and great grandpa Alex waiting to welcome him into the family. Also, aunts Shawna and Tracey, uncles Adam and Arthur, and cousins Kassandra and Nikolas, are looking forward to having another little person to play with. Baby Gibson is expected to make his debut on November 20 and if he arrives on time he will share a birthday with Rob’s cousin Jessica. He will be born in Oshawa, at Lakeridge Health Centre where his dad was also born. Many family members work (or have worked) at this hospital, so we are sure the news of baby Gibson’s arrival will spread quickly!

Mom Agnes was 25 weeks along in her pregnancy when she visited BabyView on August 1, 2007. The first time Rob and Agnes saw their baby at BabyView, they experienced an overwhelming sense of joy and love. It was the first time the baby really took shape and the pregnancy became more “real” for them. “Being able to see the features and movements of the baby the two of us had created was something that could have only been captured with the BabyView 3D ultrasound”, said Agnes.

Agnes and Rob are anxiously waiting to meet their baby boy (especially after having had a sneak preview at BabyView!), but for now they are happy to have their priceless DVD and 3D pictures to view while they wait and plan for his arrival. Mom and dad think he looks like daddy, they say he has the ‘Gibson’ nose!

Mom Agnes tells us that there will be a family wedding next June. She and Rob(who is of Scottish heritage) are already planning a little Scottish outfit for the baby to wear, complete with a kilt and a sporran! Agnes is having fun planning the future knowing there will soon be a little one to share it with.

Since this is their first pregnancy, Rob and Agnes are a little new to the idea of a little wonder entering their lives. They do, however, have two dogs- a Golden Retriever ‘Brody’ and a Boston Terrier ‘Betty’ who sense something special is happening with Agnes. Each dog has attached itself to her. Brody watches her every move and will not leave a room unless Agnes goes with him and Betty is always sniffing and kissing Agnes’ belly! Even the dogs know there is a little bundle of joy just waiting to come out and play with them!

Rob and Agnes, on behalf of myself and the girls at BabyView, I would like to offer you my heartfelt congratulations! I am very excited that baby Gibson has been voted as our very first Baby of The Month and I look forward to seeing you for your 3D scan very soon!

INTRODUCING THE SIMPSON BABY, Whitby, Ont.

Meet baby girl Simpson! She is the second baby for Neil and Jennifer and little sister to Mackenzie who is 3 years old. Mackenzie is looking very forward to meeting her baby sister and in her role as “big sister” she is excited and anxious to help mommy and daddy with the feeding and changing of her new baby sister. Mom and dad know that Mackenzie is a little young to fully understand everything that is about to take place but she likes to feel the baby’s movements in her mommy’s tummy and Neil and Jennifer are happy that she has taken such an interest in her little sister.

Baby Simpson has a big family awaiting her arrival on December 20, 2020 at Rouge Valley Hospital in Ajax. Grandma and Grandpa Wray, Nanny and Papa Gummerson and Grandma and Grandpa Simpson are the proud grandparents anxiously waiting to meet their new little granddaughter. Aunts Cheryl, Cathy and Jennifer and Uncles John, Paul and Michael are also eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new little niece to spoil.

Jennifer was 25 weeks pregnant when she came to BabyView for her ultrasound. She and Neil wanted to share this special experience with their family so they invited them to come along and celebrate this once in a lifetime opportunity. While Neil and Jennifer were comfortably settled in the ultrasound room, their family relaxed in a private viewing area next door. They were able to enjoy the baby’s movements and listen to the heartbeat without intruding on the intimacy of Neil and Jennifer. The whole family was amazed and thrilled with the experience!

Before Neil and Jennifer came to BabyView they were told they were having a boy. Cheryl surprised them with some very different news however- in actual fact, their baby was a girl!!! Although the gender of her baby turned out to be a big surprise, Jennifer loved the whole experience. Watching and feeling the baby’s movements together created the most memorable experience for her.

Although picking a name can be difficult for many parents-to-be, Neil and Jennifer have already decided that Baby Simpson will be named Kaitlyn Deanne Simpson (Deanne is Jennifer’s middle name). Jennifer thinks baby Kaitlyn looks like her but with Mackenzie’s mouth!! “My first thought was oh my baby looks like me. I couldn’t believe how clear everything was.”

In her 3D picture baby Kaitlyn is giving us a little smile!

Congratulations Jennifer, Neil and Mackenzie and to all your family! We wish you the best of luck and every happiness a new baby brings!

Jennifer Simpson - She's arrived!!

Hi Cheryl,

So she really was a girl. Here is a picture of her. Thank you so much for 2 great experiences, it was truely amazing. Wishing you and your staff all the best in the new year.

Sincerely,

Jennifer, Neil, MacKenzie and Kaitlyn Simpson