Week 29
Baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.
Week 30
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)
Week 31
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.
Week 32
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Twenty Nine | Thirty | Thirty One | Thirty Two
Week Twenty Nine
August 8,2008
Just returned from a lovely trip to Philadelphia where I grew up. My Mom (on right) and sister, Brooke (on left), still live out there and had planned another baby shower for me while I visited. (The pics below aren't that great...but they were all I had.)
The shower was held at the Talking Teacup in Chalfont, PA and was so fun! We sipped lemon chiffon iced tea while sharing tips for motherhood and guessing the due date and sex of the baby. About 2/3 of the group speculate that it will be a girl, and the dates of arrival vary. We're hoping for October 22 (Mom's birthday)! A special treat was that my good friend from college, Robin, made a surprise visit with her daughter, Aleksey.
Thank you so much, Mom and Brooke, for taking the time to plan a wonderful afternoon. They are special memories that I will cherish.
Week Thirty
August 15,2008
Ten weeks to go! I'm ready. I'm not ready. I'm ready. I'm not ready.
Well, one thing on its way to ready is the nursery. We are going to pick up the remaining items, dresser and rocker, from the furniture store today. The crib has been assembled by Daddy already. Finishing touches on the room such as hanging pictures and curtains, etc. are on the to-do list.
Bought a box of diapers this week: 216 which I'm told will last a little over three weeks (!). Also got a diaper bag, pacifiers, cloth diapers, some other miscellaneous items. The best part about all this is imagining our little one actually sucking on those pacifiers or sleeping in that crib...not so much poopin' in the diapers though.
Week Thirty One
August 22,2008
Someone asked us yesterday how many kids we plan to have and my response was that I can't even think about being pregnant again right now. And they asked, "Oh, have you been real sick?" nodding as if that would be an acceptable reason to not want to take on this amazing responsibility that women are 
blessed with. Well, not sick, but definitely uncomfortable. And I know it sounds somewhat un-motherly, but pregnancy is such a roller coaster ride that it's hard to consider doing it again right now. I know in about 9 weeks, I will get my body back but it's dawned on me that the emotional roller coaster ride may last the rest of my life, now that we've invited someone in who we will never stop thinking about, worrying over or loving. It's all just so much to take in.
One thing that is easy to accept, however, is "Stork Parking." Especially useful when even after peeing just before you leave home, the bladder is once again needing to be emptied NOW only 10 minutes later.
Hmmm, maybe the constant need to pee is just another form of life introducing you to and preparing you for the constant diaper changes and bathroom runs with little ones in the future?
August 25, 2008
I
can't express how much more I am falling in love with my husband through this experience. Knowing and seeing his commitment to taking care of me (us) now and his willingness to be there for me in whatever manner necessary on our labor day is so moving. I feel so blessed to have him as my husband. "I love you, Andrew" seems so inadequate, so...I love you, Andrew times a bajillion.
Week Thirty Two
August 29,2008
Toured Labor and Delivery this week. Were told that while laboring in water is OK, they prefer not to birth in tubs...so that was discouraging. But we'll see how strict they are about it. It may just be a "Whoops! Sorry I birthed in the tub!" situation.
Been reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth which has been reiterating a lot of what I've read in the Birthright Curriculum that I've been going through. The most interesting rule so far: "Sphincter Law." (And referring specifically to the cervical sphincter.) Basically that all sphincters don't obey rules (ie. Push!) and they function best in an atmosphere of familiarity and privacy. These rules seem true enough for helping me understand a little about how to relax during childbirth. But more importantly, Andrew and I agree that, the term 'sphincter law' is simply a good resource for tension relief in and of itself and will provide for some good comic relief during our labor day.
September 1, 2008
Guess I am entering the insecure phase of pregnancy. Not feeling good about how I look at all and needing constant reassurance, but afraid to ask in the event that I do sound insecure. My mind has started to make suggestions or assumptions about things that wouldn't be true in a million years...details aren't necessary but I think anyone who's been pregnant knows what I mean.
September 2, 2008
I've had a couple dreams about labor by now too. Thankfully, they aren't anxiety dreams. The first was about being in the hospital and in labor, but waiting waiting waiting for my body to progress. But I wasn't scared, just hopeful.
The second was last night. I was with my extended family, and we were walking through the city. The baby was coming, but I was trying to mentally tell myself to have it on the 22nd (my Mom's birthday) and visualize myself having it on the 22nd. But the baby came just shortly after - about two hours into - the 23rd. I didn't dream about the labor details, but once the baby came it was 1) a girl 2) had a head of dark hair 3) talking. She told me she'd been trying to get in touch with me and had been sending me messages for a long time. She said she'd even spent $100 at a pay phone trying to call me. Wasn't sure about the logistics of that, but I felt guilty for not hearing her call me. So it begins while the baby's still in the womb: a mother's never-ending guilt.
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