Comments for Pregnancy Tips and Resources | The Pregnancy Diary

Comment on 12 weeks 4 days pregnant and still feeling sick? by Clara

Clara — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:35:28 +0000

With my first child, I had morning (and afternoon and evening) sickness, until I delivered. Lived on popsicles and crackers.
Second child and third child were also the entire pregnancy, but not quite extreme. By then I had learned that extremely icy drinking water was the key to functioning.
Probably not what you wanted to hear, just didn’t want you to think it should end by a certain time.

Comment on 12 weeks 4 days pregnant and still feeling sick? by nicole

nicole — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:54:58 +0000

I felt sick until 15 weeks this time, some ms can go all through, normally it will stop before 18 weeks….

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by LittleFreedom

LittleFreedom — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:10:35 +0000

I have three, my girls were similar and my boy was different

My girls, I was uncomfortable, cranky, bitchy, hated my husband (we fought all the time throughout the whole pregnancies) no cravings, not too much morning sickness….

My son, totally opposite, I was comfortable, happy, I loved my hubby to death, we got along and were all lovey-dovey the whole entire pregnancy, I craved spicy foods and meat, which were not common for me at all because I’m a fruit and carb girl, and I was sick the whole darn time!!!

I’m not saying it’s a boy girl thing, each pregnancy is different!

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by az_showers

az_showers — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:59:51 +0000

The reason for the differance is because the pregnancy isn’t foreign to your body with the second pregnancy anymore. When you are going through your first, everything is new and your body’s reactions are it trying to cope with all of the things going on_ _ with the second, your body (so amazing) is able to remember what happened with your last and knows what to expect in a sense. . .
I had the same experiance – EVERYTHING was differant – no nausea, no more streatch marks, no mood swings or cravings .. it was actually an enjoyable pregnancy : )

Comment on 12 weeks 4 days pregnant and still feeling sick? by Nicola Kahraman

Nicola Kahraman — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:55:26 +0000

Still got it now and I’m nearly 39 weeks… Everyone is different I’m afraid it doesn’t mean that just because you have reached the 12 week milestone that the dreaded morning sickness is going to go away.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by mommyta2boys

mommyta2boys — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:40:39 +0000

My first was a dream no symptoms other than a little breast tenderness. My second … I was sick all 9 months almost everyday. Both were boys so the sex of the baby does not determine your symptoms. My mom had ten and every one of hers was different. It truly just depends on your body and hormones at the time of pregnancy. Good luck I truly hope it stays easy for you.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by momma

momma — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:53:27 +0000

yes i do i am in my second pregnancy almost seven months and my breasts have not really been tender wasn’t nauseous and nothing else really bothered me last time i was sick alot slept alot more than this time etc. i get crazy chocolate cravings lol but i am soo glad bc i don’t think i’d wanna run to the bathroom puking while watching my son lol i think its this way on purpose lol

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by busemomme

busemomme — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:49:30 +0000

Every pregnancy is different the same as every child is different but here is what I expierenced.

1st Pregnancy-nausea (all day and night) mood swings, fatigue, no breast tenderness, lots of heartburn, lots of constipation

2nd Pregnancy- absolutley no nausea, not very moody, extreme fatigue, breast hurt, a little heartburn, lots of constipation, couldn’t stand up without getting lightheaded (had to shop in a wheelchair it was so bad)

3rd Pregnancy- no nausea, no heartburn, very moody, fatigue, breast hurt, no heartburn, lots of constipation, no problems standing up

It will probably be different in ways and the same in some ways. I know I showed sooner with the second one and even sooner with the third one.

Best wishes!

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by Sugarbaby

Sugarbaby — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:28:19 +0000

Every woman is different , each pregnancy is different as well.I went the full term the first time. The second time I only went seven months sick both times.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by Rox

Rox — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:10:30 +0000

I was pregnant 3 times each one was different

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by sapphiregurl424

sapphiregurl424 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 11:11:19 +0000

my second pregnancy symptoms were worse than my first.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by Kara K

Kara K — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:46:04 +0000

I was the same way, it seemed like i breezed through my second pregnancy…the first one not so much…i was ALWAYS sick!! Labor was a whole lot easier the second time around also….i had natural birth, not sure of your method…but definitely easier for me! Hope this helped you!

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by larann78

larann78 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:12:47 +0000

I’m having the SAME thing. I am 5-6 weeks along and have no nausea. i just pee alot and get tired around 3p.m.
It makes me wonder if it’s not a gender difference with the baby. I had a boy last time and was crazy sick. could it be a girl now

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by Ontario_Mom

Ontario_Mom — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 09:29:47 +0000

We have lots of Ladies that are on their second pgs.
Come check us out.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by angelbabydoll82

angelbabydoll82 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 09:25:07 +0000

My second pregnacy was the same way. I just figured it was because I was carrying a boy the second time around.

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by tiger_lilly33186

tiger_lilly33186 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 09:14:14 +0000

My first pregnancy was heaven. This pregnancy is the absolute opposite. My first was very calm, kicked every now and then, I had no nausea, no back pain, a slight aversion to chicken, and the occasional nosebleed. This baby kicks me HARD and kicks me OFTEN, the nausea during my first trimester was horrendous, the nipple tenderness was painful, my back is killing me, and sleep is impossible. Then again, my first was a girl and this one is a boy. Thankfully, the symptoms don’t outlast the trimester and they usually go away.

I will say that in this pregnancy I don’t have to shave as often. My leg hair grows back slowly and very thin.

Good luck

Comment on Question about second pregnancies? by sundragonjess

sundragonjess — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:31:17 +0000

Each pregnancy is different, only God knows that answer.

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by mand

mand — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 19:03:37 +0000

I told my mother and my in-laws by taking a picture of my positive pregnancy tests and photoshopping CONGRATULATIONS! You’re going to be grandparents! on it and got it printed out for them, it was fun to see their reaction when they read it

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Amanda S

Amanda S — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 19:02:44 +0000

I would list all the ideas I found online and from my family but there are too many ^^ So instead I’ll paste these helpful links.

This site had some rather quirky ideas; from personalized gifts to subtle “I’m eating for two these days” comments, it’d be interesting to see how any family members would react to such methods.
http://www.babytalkradio.com/transcripts/creative-ways-to-tell-family-and-friends.htm

On another sites forum I found this cute idea which is much like one of those given on the first site.
“We bought the Hubby’s mom a picture frame that had “grandma” stuff written all over it. It took her a minute to get it. We’re waiting to tell the great grandparents until after the first appt. next week. I think I’ll send them a similar frame with the u/s pic in it if we get one. ”

This ones another simple but effective idea; such shirts are available all over the internet.
“My SIL had her son announce the pregnancy by wearing a shirt that said “I am going to be a big brother. I did something similar and had a shirt that said “I am going to be a mummy”. It took my friends a few minutes to notice.”

This site had one or two nice ideas. My brother did something similar to the one at the very bottom
http://pregnancyandbaby.sheknows.com/pregnancy/baby/Creative-ways-to-say-Im-pregnant-526.htm

You might find some other ideas in this online forum
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/archive/index.php/t-272491.html
I love valeri_vi s idea in particular

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Allison Haven

Allison Haven — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:58:49 +0000

here > ” well mom, dad u kno how u had me it was the greatest thing right? (Yes), well how would you feel if that ever happened to me (well, it would be good)? i mean wouldn’t you be happy that i would to feel the same thing and to be able to hold it right in my hands? (yes, sure). well i can! we can! (…..OMG!)

LOL. that’s my way

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Laura B

Laura B — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:22:39 +0000

I thought it might be cute to get those personalized M&Ms, and get pink and blue ones, and make them say, “Hi Grandma” and “Hi Grandpa” or something like that, and give them to your parents. I wish I could have done something like that, but we had to do fertility, so everyone knew when the procedure was, and when we would know the results, so I had to tell them when it was positive. So boring. Good luck!

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Vet's Daughter

Vet's Daughter — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:19:53 +0000

In the US, the first Sunday (Next Sun. Sept. 12) after Labor Day is National Grandparent’s Day. Have their new unborn grandbaby give them a gift or a card.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Grandparents_Day

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by herdoula

herdoula — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:49:43 +0000

Wrap up a t-shirt that says #1 grandma and give it to her for her birthday.

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Igot Banned

Igot Banned — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:45:13 +0000

You: Mum…Whats cute and can brighten up your day?
Mum: The sun in form of a teddy bear?
You: No…Whats a pain in the arse and hard to get to sleep?
Mum: Your father?
You: No, your grandchild !

Comment on What are some creative ways to tell parents about pregnancy? by Adam B

Adam B — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:35:46 +0000

Short but sweet and it worked for me:

Start by thanking them for having you. I know it sounds odd…”Hey Mom, thanks for having me” but I do it every once in a while on Mother’s Day still.

Comment on Does anyone out there know anything re:fetal acrania or anencephaly? by stillasexymomma

stillasexymomma — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:41:33 +0000

No, sorry I don’t know anything about it. But please use some of the search engines and do as much research as you can. Try WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/hw/brain_nervous_system/nord596.asp

Comment on Does anyone out there know anything re:fetal acrania or anencephaly? by Aim

Aim — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:08:47 +0000

Didn’t your OB give you information about this defect and the prognosis for your baby? I would highly recommend calling your OB today and demanding information. I would also get a second opinion to make sure that you are really dealing with acrania.

I am so sorry you are going through this!

Comment on Does anyone out there know anything re:fetal acrania or anencephaly? by DearDebra

DearDebra — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 07:55:12 +0000

Please donate the organs of the baby.

Comment on did you look sick in your early pregnancy? by bestofit

bestofit — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:07:03 +0000

Maybe i have had a couple people tell i look sick or i look tired

Comment on did you look sick in your early pregnancy? by Josephine C

Josephine C — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:14:34 +0000

I looked like s*** my first trimester and a few people were ballsy enough to tell me. I spent most of my day in the bathroom and felt way to sick in the morning to spend tons of time on my hair or makeup and wore mostly “comfy” clothes like sweats! I was def. pale and clammy, but I am happy to say now I am GLOWING and have never felt better (23 weeks)!

Comment on did you look sick in your early pregnancy? by Aza

Aza — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:41:28 +0000

i’m still in my first trimester but everyone tells me i look like someone that has food poisoning. of course can’t even keep a thing down

Comment on did you look sick in your early pregnancy? by treasures

treasures — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 06:47:23 +0000

because the baby is taking all ur goodness and is lacking vitamins the dr gives u stuff for that u’ll feel better later in ur pregnancy though

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:36:06 +0000

There are creams out there that can help get rid of your stretch marks, but you need to find the right one.

I found this on the site I put in the source box below:

Things to look for in a stretch mark cream

There are a lot of creams and ointments out there that claim to remove stretch marks. The best way to fight stretch marks is to increase your skins flexibility before your stretch marks start appearing by using a topical cream on the area before the skin starts to show stretch marks. If you already have stretch marks, hope is not lost. There are creams out there that contain ingredients that help heal the skin while minimizing scar tissue.

Some of the key ingredients that you will want to make sure your cream contains are:

Vitamin A Palmitate

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin and is best known for having positive effects on vision. However Vitamin A is just as important to the largest organ; the skin.

Clinical studies have shown vitamin A to have properties that block the absorption of harmful UVA and UVB rays, as well as a stimulating effect on cell regeneration. It has been clinically shown to improve the appearance of striae (stretch marks) and regulate epidermal (skin) cell growth.

Aloe Vera Extract

Aloe vera has been shown in clinical studies to have a positive effect on wound healing and holds anti-inflammatory properties.

As stretch marks start out as microscopic tears in skin layers due to overstretching of the dermis, aloe vera helps heal these small wounds without causing scar tissue to form, effectively preventing the appearance of stretch marks. Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Indians and Chinese to decrease the appearance of scars and to moisturize and heal skin.

This extract from the aloe leaf protects skin from environmental factors and promotes skin regeneration.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit seed extract is a natural antibiotic used for many different types of skin ailments. It is a powerful ingredient to aid in the healing of skin damage. Grapefruit seed extract helps to restore damaged collagen and elastin, which strengthens and retextures the skin.

As collagen and elastin are responsible for the skins elasticity, improving and stimulating production of the connective tissue cells will prevent skin from tearing and thus prevent the formation of stretch marks. The condition of the skins connective tissue also dictates how well the skin contracts after pregnancy. So not only does this compound improve the condition of your stretching skin, after the delivery it will also aid in the contraction of your skin to its previous appearance.

DL-Penthenol

DL-Penthenol is the scientific name for pro-vitamin B5. It has healing properties on damaged skin as it works to improve the structure of both the lower and upper skin layers. DL-Panthenol soothes skin while stimulating cell growth and differentiation.

This ingredient aids in the regeneration of the skin, therefore aiding in reducing the appearance of existing stretch marks by replacing the scar tissue with new skin cells. It also acts to prevent stretch marks by promoting collagen and elastin production, which allows your skin to stretch without rupturing and causing stretch marks.

A cream that has shown to be highly effective at preventing stretch marks as well as healing stretch marks that you already have is Stretch Mark Prevention by Revitol.

Whether you are afraid that stretch marks may be in your future of if they are already a part of your life, the Stretch Mark Prevention cream is the product you will want on your side!

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by Amy Due 4/28/10 with baby Carter

Amy Due 4/28/10 with baby Carter — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:06:15 +0000

1. They can determine it at your 20 week ultrasound as long as the baby cooperates. Sometimes babies get stubborn and won’t open those little legs and let us see. I was 19 weeks 5 days when I had my ultrasound and found out what I was having.
2. Sounds like stretching to me. If you ever have bleeding or really sever cramping call your doc, they would prolly just have to go get monitored to make sure everything was ok
3. As far as weight goes, it’s really general they say between 25-35 lbs if you were average, more if you were small and less if you are big. I didn’t even gain weight until I was 28 weeks, and so far (just weighted myself like 10 min ago) I only gained about 20lbs.
4. Those are old wives tales, just like the heart beat thing.
5. Showing is really just person to person. I started to show about 16 weeks. Some are 20 weeks and still not showing. If you are smaller I think you tend to show earlier.
6. You can’t get rid of them, you can’t even really prevent them. You can use lotion to help prevent them but if you are going to get them, its gonna happen. They say look at your mom. If your mom has them, chances are you will get them. I haven’t gotten them yet, and my mom didn’t ever get them.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by Ree

Ree — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:06:08 +0000

I just lost my baby at 20 weeks in early May of this year. I did not know the sex of my baby until he was born. My baby was alive when he was born, so in my case his birth was considered a spontaneous abortion (trust me, I know that the name sounds awful). I delivered the placenta and that was thrown away. While in the hospital I was told that in the state of California once a baby is 20 weeks or older you must bury or cremate your baby.It was the hardest thing that I ever had to do. My son was my first baby, and as you can imagine since it just happened last month it is still very hard for me. I chose to cremate him. The hospital gave me a box with is footprints and handprints, as well as a picture of my little angel. You can definitely tell that your child is a baby at 20 weeks. He had clearly visible eyes, ears, nose, toes and fingers with nails, ribs that could be felt, etc.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by pamela w

pamela w — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:56:13 +0000

i think the baby would be recognisable as a baby,

i had a friend who lost a baby at 19 weeks and she brought him home and they had a funeral but i think before 24 weeks gstation its entirely up to the parents whats done , after that im pretty sure its termed as a stillbirth and not a miscarriage and a funeral would be held and perhaps a post mortem although im not entirely sure about that but the docs would prob want to know what caused the death

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by LeannAxMurder

LeannAxMurder — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:42:03 +0000

hmmm ill help as much as i can…

1) gender can be detected as early as 16 weeks. i found out i was having a girl at 18 weeks
2)i would say yes, your uterus is growing :] baby needs more room lol
3)ive read that throughout a whole pregnancy some women gain like 15 pounds overall, but some gain up to as much as 60, i think it would really depends on your diet

4)wives tales are very lol… fun… but not reliable
5)in most cases women start really showing anywhere from 3-5 months, some sooner, some later.
6)ive been using maderma on my belly since being pregnant on omg it works so amazing. i mean im broke so i use the drug store brand maderma but it works jus as well, and is a lot cheaper. i recommend it :]

i hope i helped and as far as i kno, i got all my info right, but im in my first pregnancy so i dont kno EVERYTHING lol

good luck and congrats :]

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by missjellybaby

missjellybaby — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:21:48 +0000

I’m so sorry to hear about your friends loss… i know how she feels- i delivered my son at 23 weeks and he didnt survive, but it was called a neonatal death. YES- there is a baby in there, i got to hold my son- he was 15 inches long and weighed 1 lb 9 oz, he had hand and footprints and they even let me keep his little outfit and blanket they delivered him to me in. as far as if the baby dies before 20 weeks… i dont know what they do with them. im sure they dont just throw them out. but yes, you can definatley tell its a baby. i had my son cremated and the hospital took care of everything else for me (not expenses of course) but you have a chaplin come in and ask you whether you want a burial or a cremation.. and the decision is yours. my son had a cirtificate of life and death (he lived for 14 hours).

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by Expecting a little pumpkin 10/7

Expecting a little pumpkin 10/7 — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:02:19 +0000

1. You can tell the sex as early as 16 weeks, though most docs want you to wait until the 18th week.

2. The cramping is your uterus stretching, do not worry, esp if you are not bleeding.

3. The average expected weight gain for a woman is 20-25 lbs

4. There is no correlation between how much weight you gain and the sex of the baby

5. Not sure if height affects how/when you show. Every woman is different and I have known petite women who never looked pregnant until well into their third trimester.

6. Stretch marks can fade away, use cocoa butter daily to help prevent the bad ones.

Good luck!

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by due in october!!

due in october!! — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:54:44 +0000

after 20weeks of pregnancy there should be a funeral. the baby is definitely recognisable as a human being but is still very small (12-15cm) in length. I am so sorry for your relative to have to go through this, i really am. My friend went to her 20week scan and found the baby had a major heart defect so she was adviced to terminate the pregnancy. They had to give a lethal injection to the baby’s heart and then she had to give birth. she found out is was a girl, shes having the funeral soon after tests are carried out at the hospital. it makes me think about abortion at 24weeks as it stands? I think this is so wrong as it is a baby with fingers,toes etc. I don’t think women need 24 weeks to decide whether or not they want this baby? I’m so sorry for your family. x x

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by mommyclark

mommyclark — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:20:57 +0000

1. I found out at 19 weeks. Usually most docs schedule the u/s somewhere around 20 weeks.
2 Could be. Make sure you tell your doc about it.
3. Im not really sure. Docs have their own opinions about weight gain. I was 114 when I got pregnant and I gained 26 pounds, my doc told me my weight gain was good, but I also had the flu when I was 8-12 weeks pregnant and dropped down to 105 lbs…
4. My cousin was pregnant at the same time as me, she gained more weight than I did, she had a girl, I had a boy…
5. I dont think it would effect things too much.
6. Start using coco lotion right now. My husband rubbed it on my sides and stomache all during my pregnancy and now I ony have two to three lilttle tiny stretch marks.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by Kathryn M

Kathryn M — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:17:04 +0000

I had a “miscarriage” at 16 weeks. My baby looked like a miniature fully formed (as it would look at 16 weeks) baby.

I had to pass the baby. So it didn’t feel like a miscarriage to me. It felt like a still birth. It was horrible.

We didn’t bury our baby, but we had a small service and we are still grieving over him.

Comment on A Couple Questions About My Pregnancy….?!?!?!? by Sherrir3152

Sherrir3152 — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 01:24:51 +0000

1. you’ll def be able to get an ultra sound. Usually they determine sex at an ultrasound between 18 and 22 weeks. But, sex can sometimes be determined before that. With my first we knew he was a boy at 12 weeks.
2. ? Maybe you should check with your doctor.
3. I believe in the second trimester it’s something like 2 pounds a week. Whole pregnancy, depends on your prepregnancy weight. 25-35 pounds for a target weight person.
4. Probably not
5. Yes, it will have an effect, probably won’t show as early.
6. If you can, I want to know!!! But if you lotion your belly every day, sometimes twice a day, while pregnant you can prevent stretch marks there.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by rizing

rizing — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 01:23:49 +0000

My condolences to your relative. It is heartbreaking to read these posts.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by sammywammy

sammywammy — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:39:54 +0000

I think before 24 weeks its called a miscarriage and after that, once the baby is viable they call it a stillbirth. Most hospitals take care of the arrangements of dealing with the fetus, they normally have a funeral company who come and collect all of the miscarried babies etc and they are cremated. then the hospital may hold a ceremony once a year for parents to go and grieve. I do think however, the parents also have a choice and can have their own funeral too. Very sorry to hear of the loss, it must be terrible. I lost a baby at 16 weeks and I dont think Ive ever really gotten over it. x

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by sarajmtz08

sarajmtz08 — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:58:30 +0000

Well when you get pregnant there is a baby. From conception til it’s born in my opinion. so it was a baby regardless. yes it probably started developing fingers and toes, but not really much like bones, and hair, it probably had a gender already. i am not sure, but i think when it is stillborn at 20 weeks, it gets crushed like an abortion. i know it sounds bad, but it happens, if you are at full term and the baby comes out dead i think they let you have it and let you have a funeral and clippings of the hair and the outfit it wore. it will be a grieving process and depression, so if you feel like your friend is sleeping a lot and not doing things normally for too long, i would tell her to see a doctor and get therapy. it is a loss of a child. but i think she can get through it, most people do. sorry about what happened. i hope you and her feel better soon.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by MyBabyGirlJuly2

MyBabyGirlJuly2 — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:14:44 +0000

the reason why they make the difference in terms—miscarriage ebfore week 20 and 20 weeks plus stillborn/birth—is because of viability, the ability of the baby to live outside the womb, including with intensive medcial care, and even if only for a few hours or even seconds. Thouhg it is rare, there have been babies born at say 21 weeks gestation, and with serious and prolonged medical care in neonatal icu, have survived. But a baby born before 20 weeks wouldnt have a chance, so thats why they make that distinction in terms. It has nothing to do with how much “more a real baby” one was over the other.
Between weeks 19 and 20, there really isnt that much of a difference in physical appearance, both would look like tiny tiny babies smaller than a penicl, with transparent-like skin that you could put your finger through. They do look like babies, but they are just very very small and sometimes you won’t even see them unless you looked really close, and their skin is not solid.
though I’ve never experienced a “late miscarriage” a miscarriage from 12-19 weeks, I have heard that the babies actually look like real babies, but just incredibly small with transparent (poke-through) skin.
When a woman has a stillborn, that is when she goes into labor after 19 weeks, and delivers a dead baby, or the baby died during delivery, whether full-term or only 20 weeks, the hopsital would allow her and the father and whoever else to take pictures of the baby and would preserve the body for them to have a real funeral ceremony if they opted. This is supposed to help with the grieving process. It may sound very morbid, but the hospitals do it to help the parents mourn and acknowledge the loss was real and come to grips with it.
The placenta would be thrown out, everything else would be thrown out. The baby though would be photographed for memories and be taken to a funeral home to be prepared for a funeral or ceremony if the parents opted.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by bishbashbosh

bishbashbosh — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:38:27 +0000

I lost my little brother in 2005 at 20 weeks (give or take a few days) and my step-mum had to give birth to him and then we had a funeral a few days later. We had just close family present and it was just a way of saying goodbye. He was cremated and he now has a plaque in the children’s section of the local graveyard.

At 20 weeks a baby is around 16cm long (head to bottom- not legs) and so is very recognisable as a baby. They won’t be fully developed but will look like a very small curled up baby with fingers, fingernails and toes.

my little brother was cremated with a small soft toy and my step-mum, dad, brothers, sister and i also received the same toy so we could remember him. It was a really nice idea and it really comforted my parents.

best wishes to you and your relative.

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by lighting goddess

lighting goddess — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:34:51 +0000

you can tell the sex much earlier than 20 weeks. 20 weeks is the halfway point.

all the garbage about “miscarriage” and “stillborn” and all that really doesn’t matter…its just that they have to have some standard.

your relative lost a baby….at 22 weeks babies have been known to survive…if that helps put it into perspective.

it doesn’t matter if she lost it at 2 weeks or 20 i am sure she is in a lot of pain.

at this point they would have let her decide to see it or not and tell her what the sex was and all of that…in some hospitals they give them footprints.

my sister is a neonatal ICU nurse and they make actually hand and foot impressions when a baby dies. (like little versions of the real things)

i hope that she is doing as well as she can be. i am 37 weeks and couldn’t imagine what losing a baby at 20 weeks would have been like.

i remember feeling a weight lift off of me when i hit 28 weeks…from that point on the survival rate goes WAY up.

as far as a funeral…i think that would be up to them. they would not throw it away though…

Comment on Question about losing a baby in second trimester? by ProudMommy

ProudMommy — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:39:07 +0000

that vvould be so hard to have to go through! I heard of someone vvho lost there baby at 22 vvks, she actually vvent to the hospital because she felt like something is vvrong and the baby vvas dead, they had to do a c-section to remove the baby and they had a funeral for it. If you are so far along then you have to actually name your baby and fill out a certificate and then you can choose to bury or cremate. It vvas really hard for her and took her a couple years to get over.