24 Weeks Today

I have this strange feeling today, thinking about the fact that Lily was born at this point in my first pregnancy. Ironically, I received my weekly email update about what's going on with the baby's development, and here's an excerpt from a series of questions about preterm labor / delivery:

Will my baby be okay if he's born early?

The closer your baby is to full term at birth, the more likely he is to survive and the less likely he is to have health problems. Premature babies born between 34 and 37 weeks generally do fine, although they are still at higher risk for short- and long-term problems compared to babies born full term. On the other end of the continuum are babies who are extremely premature: These days, some babies born as early as 24 weeks (or even a bit earlier) may survive thanks to advances in neonatal care, but these extremely preterm infants require significant medical interventions and long stays in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and the survivors often have serious long-term problems.

I am constantly reminded of what a miracle Lily is... I try not to take her health for granted.

While there is a sense of victory in reaching 24 weeks with no problems, it will still be awhile before we're "in the clear." That being said, I am enjoying every moment of this pregnancy. I feel great, and I love feeling Dylan kick. I do get tired more easily than usual, but I'm sure that's a result of playing with a two-year-old all day. I am looking forward to experiencing the third trimester! I hope to see my belly move when Dylan moves around, and I cannot wait for his kicks to be strong enough for Lily to feel.