Why This Week's Update is Late

Yesterday I had an ultrasound in the OB/GYN's office to check on the baby's growth (the doctor had been saying I was measuring large). Well, come to find out, she is HUGE, not just large- she is measuring 38 weeks instead of 35, but all in proportion (her head is 38 weeks, her tummy is, her femur bone is). Her weight is calculated to be 7 lbs 9 ounces ALREADY (they said the margin of error is about a pound, which is still crazy because either way she is on track to be at least 10 pounds at 40 weeks). They will NEVER let me (or her) get that far though, so it is much more likely that we are looking at a July baby instead of an August baby.

But we did see her labia, so it's definite that she's still a girl, and also that she's not bald! She has hair! Which I never knew you could see with an ultrasound, but that was so cool. She is also really low, her head is right THERE and she seems like she is ready to come out sooner rather than later. So I really have been getting kicked in the lungs, just as I thought. Also I found out why people have been saying "I look so small for August 2"-even though she is a giant- apparently I have a long abdomen and I hide it really well. She has lots of room in there- so yay for me being a big girl, for once, lol.

Afterwards, I had an appointment with the OB and my blood pressure was high (they took it 3 separate times) and it HAS been steadily climbing the past couple check-ups. But yesterday I guess it was TOO high because she sent me to the hospital right from the doctor's office. But after all the blood work and everything, I was totally fine, and actually, my blood pressure was absolutely fine as soon as they tested me there. The baby got monitored the entire time I was there, and she was fine too. I did have a little bacteria in my urine but they gave me antibiotics to ward off any infections. SO 3 hours later all we had a prescription for a generic antibiotic and nothing to be worried about.

My doctor wants me to come in once a week from now on (although my next appointment isn't until next Thursday- earliest she can fit me in, go figure...) and I will probably have ultrasounds every 2 weeks for as long as they let me go... but this is me saying I know I will never be allowed to get to 40 weeks.

So it's just wait & see time, although as soon as I got home last night, I DID start having my first braxton hicks contractions... my body just loved me yesterday and decided to kick me while I was down I guess! Even though I have enjoyed being pregnant I am thinking that I'm okay with her coming sooner rather than later... we both seem to be ready and willing. Not to say that I won't miss it, but both of our bodies are telling us time is almost up I think.

35 Weeks, 1 day

Now that D-day (that's delivery day) is sneaking up on you, you may start to get nervous about what a literal pain in the you-know-what it'll be. But instead of focusing on the "ouch!" of it all, focus on the "oooh!" of it: meeting your baby for the very first time.

Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...

What You're Thinking

"Should I bring my cute bathrobe to the hospital with the matching furry slippers or is that just crazy talk?"

Your Body
As Patrick Swayze put it, "Nobody puts baby in a corner!" Doubly true for your little tenant. Your baby has pretty much taken over your entire torso by now. Over the past few months, he's squished and mushed all of your organs out of the way. Any day now, he'll make a final move and shove your heart up and to the left to make more room for himself. (See, he's got your heart in his hands already.)

Before all this pregnancy stuff, your uterus was a small ball the size of your fist and was tucked neatly away behind your pelvis. Today your uterus is the size of a small watermelon and reaches all the way up to your ribs.

At this point in your pregnancy all the blood has gone to your belly ... literally. Nearly 1/6 of your body's total blood volume is chugging around in the vessels in your uterus. So that's why you feel so lightheaded all the time!

Starting this week you'll visit your OB or midwife weekly. Every time you go you'll probably beg her to tell you when she thinks your babe is coming. Unfortunately, her guess is about as good as yours. Even if you're dilated, there's no telling exactly when baby will make his appearance (unless you have a scheduled C-section, of course.)

Your Baby
This week the final touches are being added to your mini-masterpiece and most of his development is going to packing on the pounds. While baby's movements may be becoming less jerky, he may do his final somersault in the womb soon—to put himself into the head-down position for birth. Other fascinating facts:

Your little Karate Kid can't quite pack the punch he used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. You're likely to feel more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat your baby is adding will create those cute dimples on your baby's elbows and knees. His liver has begun processing his waste products, so you know which organ to thank when he has his first blowout up the back of his onesie.

Baby's nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of his tiny fingers and toes before he sees a pair of clippers. He'll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once he's born (as will you).

Your baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

35 Weeks Pregnant

Pediatrician Appt

Yesterday, Bruce and I went to our pre-natal appointment to meet the pediatrician that the Ellis family so enthusiastically recommended, and we LOVE them. We are so happy, we don't even need to go to interview any others. It was really cool, kinda like the first real thing of Baby Girl's that we totally feel like she's a real person, and going to be here SOOOOOON!

34 Weeks!

The nursery is almost done. You've stocked up on diapers. You're ready. And you're waiting. And waiting. And hopefully, if all goes well, you'll be waiting for another six weeks. So don't drive yourself crazy, use this time to enjoy being alone, with friends and with your partner. Because soon it'll be all about baby for a couple of weeks (months, years, whatever), and you'll wish you had this downtime back.

Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...

What You're Thinking:
"It's a good thing there is a Starbucks every two blocks because that's how often I need to pee."

Your Body
You are exhausted from hauling your bod around all day, so why can't you sleep at night? Is it because your bladder keeps crying out to be emptied every 30 minutes? Is it because you haven't been able to find a comfortable sleeping position since week 27? Is it because your mind can't stop making lists of things to do or replaying that shocking video you saw in your birthing classes? Yes, yes, and yes. It might comfort you to know you're not alone. Seventy-five percent of women in their third trimester have trouble sleeping.

Certain sleep positions will help you to be more comfortable and sleep better when you're pregnant. If lying on your back is making you dizzy or lightheaded try
sleeping on your side.

If you feel like bugs are crawling all over your legs in the middle of the night, get your partner to change the sheets. Just kidding. You might have restless leg syndrome, which commonly affects pregnant women. But it's still a good idea to have your mate do some laundry.

Your Baby
Your baby kind of looks like she's coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she's born you'll probably see some vernix lingering in her "hard-to-reach" places like under her arms, behind her ears and around her va-jay-jay, if she's a she.. Other news from the womb this week:

The soft fur, lanugo, that covered your baby's body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Your baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first.

This week, your baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll (!) and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar, minus the cup you put in your decaf this morning.

34 Weeks Pregnant

33 Weeks

You're large, but you most definitely don't feel in charge, since the baby seems to be completely taking over your body. Up several times a night to go to the bathroom? It's all just practice for getting up in the wee hours for feedings, changings and general fussiness. The one difference: Cuddling that babe in your arms for a feeding is way better than heaving yourself to the bathroom for the sixth time—in the dark.

Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...


What You're Thinking:

"Isn't there anywhere you could stand besides on my bladder, baby?"

Your Body
At about this point you have probably begun to obsess over labor and delivery. You may have a vision of how you'd like the whole event to go: contractions are brief and painless and in one push out pops your baby to the background music of "Chariots of Fire." That fantasy is all well and good but it's important to be flexible and brace yourself for little surprises that may occur. Also, keep an open mind as far as medication and labor support go once you're in the thick of things.

Research your pain relief options. There are countless natural options in addition to medicinal options for managing labor pain. Now would be a good time to decide who you want in the labor and delivery room with you. We advise against inviting someone you may be embarrassed to see what's going on "down there."

You also might want to start thinking about what you are going to pack in your hospital bag. Don't forget your lip-gloss! When everyone wants to take a picture of you and the new babe, you'll thank us.

Your Baby
The big news this week is lung development—baby's respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if your baby was born this week, odds are he'd be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from his friends (aka, the NICU). Some of the specifics are:

Your baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once he's born and up all night screaming). His pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may shy away from the light as if to say, "Cut it out, Ma. You're soooo annoying."

The bones in your baby's skull are soft and are not yet fused together. In other words, now is not the time to teach him how to do a headspin while breakdancing. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible (and resulting in that surprising cone head look your baby will sport for the first few days post-birth. Don't worry, it's totally normal and that's what hats are for.)

Your baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

Your baby weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long, about the same as a collarbone-length pearl necklace. (Did somebody say push present?)

33 Weeks Pregnant

haha, this picture reminds me of a cute story I'll want to remember later: Last night the baby was head-butting me and I said "Look! You can see her head, or maybe a butt" and Jack felt it and said "It's a head, there's no crack." 

hahaha!!

 

A little surprised that the doc asked for another ultrasound- didn't think I was gonna get to see her again until she was out and about, but they want to check on her growth. It's supposed to be a 32 week u/s but I'll be 35 weeks. Wondering if she'll still be breech or move south by then? 

32 Weeks

Up until now, you've been seeing your doctor about once a month. Now you'll start seeing her every two weeks, until the final month when you'll kick it up to once a week. We're not suggesting you have "mommy brain" just yet ... but be sure to write down any questions you want to ask her about the delivery. Things are moving rapidly. You're going to want to be as informed as possible.

Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...

What You're Thinking:

"I'm either having David Beckham's love child or a future member of the Rockettes." <----- TOTALLY TRUE!!!!!!!!!

Your Body
There is something surreal about watching a tiny foot move across your belly (and something uncomfortable about getting jabbed by a tiny elbow in the dead of night). Now that your baby is nice and big and mobile, you'll be getting kicked and prodded in all sorts of unexpected places. Oooof! Did you feel that one in the ribs?

If you're feeling sudden, jerking movements, then your baby probably has the hiccups. Or he could be practicing his routine for So You Think You Can Dance. Changing positions, taking a walk, or drinking a cold glass of water or juice can sometimes get a very active baby to chill with the kidney shots for a while. You could also try telling the baby if he kicks you one more time you're going to come in there and give him a time-out. OK, that won't help ease the discomfort, but mentally it'll make you feel like you're still in control.

You can also take heart in the fact that in a few more weeks, your Karate Kid will be running out of room for the kind of athletic displays he's so fond of these days. In other words, he'll be too cramped in there to haul his foot back 6 or 7 inches to give you a swift kick in the ribs.

Your Baby
Although your baby will still remain active, his days of trying out for Cirque du Soleil are nearly over. About this time your baby will settle into the head-down position in preparation for birth. Other fascinating facts:

Both you and baby are putting on some serious weight at this point. You'll probably gain about a pound a week for the next few weeks, with half of that poundage bulking up baby. He'll likely double his weight in the next eight weeks.

Ever wonder what your baby is doing in there these days? He's busy blinking, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, practicing his breathing, peeing and listening to everything around him—pretty much exactly what he'll be doing for the first three months of his life, sans the adoring audience and the flashing camera.

Your baby may (or may not) have a full head of hair now. If she's a baldy, don't worry. You can always buy a Baby Toupee or some adhesive barrettes.

By the end of this week, your baby will weigh about 4 pounds and measure over 17 inches long—about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots. Christian Louboutin? Manolo Blahnik? We're thinking Isaac Mizrahi for Target—you've got a nursery to furnish!

32 Weeks Pregnant