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Week 34
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
Week 35
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
Week 36
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.
Thirty Three | Thirty Four | Thirty Five | Thirty Six
Week Thirty Three
September 5, 2008
Get this: we are in the ninth month of pregnancy, yet I have two months left to go. So that means when Roo arrives I will have been pregnant for 10 months. And I thought that I was bad at math! What is this 'nine month' stuff?
Also, we started childbirth classes last night. This first class was lots of review for us since we've already been reading our eyes out. But usually that is what I need for something to stick with me - to hear it several times. We did enjoy hearing the info together, getting ideas for the big day and how we'll handle it (ie. using affirmations, how to stick to our commitment to birth naturally, etc). I think Andrew's going to be a great coach. (His reaction to class below in blue.)
The class was made up of some pretty funny people too, so it was quite fun. And of course, you have to let your inhibitions down when talking of the birth process among strangers. We talked about orgasmic births (apparently it can happen!), one guy's fear of passing out in the middle of it all, the fear of pooping while laboring, etc. A sense of humor is key!
And, of course, we watched the birthing video. To watch the event is so moving, awe-inspiring, scary, amazing all at one time. I get emotional watching it, so I can't even imagine how it will be on the actual day. I hope I can remember it all clearly...
Note from Andrew
So we had our first birthing class together this week and I must say that we seemed very well-informed and prepared compared to the rest of the class. I attribute a large proportion of this to Alexis - she is so well read and in tune with what is happening to her body. This is very hard for me to relate to since my body remains essentially the same (although not for long as my will power to resist the pregnant woman's chocolate shakes and candy bars is basically non-existent.)
From my perspective, it has been fun to watch Alexis change and grow over the past several months despite how she has been feeling. When I asked her how she slept when we woke up this morning, her reply was "my last comfortable sleeping position is no longer comfortable." I know the next two months will be trying for her as she is trying to cope with discomfort and a general negative self-perception of being huge and unattractive. However, lately it has been so fun to watch and feel her belly move knowing that those strange shapes and contortions are caused by our very own, home-made baby. I am very excited to find out if we will have a little boy or a little girl and can't wait to share the news with our family and friends. Watching the birth videos in class really brought home the reality that we have created a beautiful, helpless, innocent, loving, living thing that will be dependent on us to care for it's well being. I can't wait! Bring on the sleepless nights and dirty diapers.
Now with the serious stuff out of the way, I must comment on our class' overall reaction to our instructor's question, "with the rectum and colon so close to the birth canal, what do you think might happen during delivery?". Alexis and I have discussed the answer to this question many times and are essentially prepared for nature to takes its course in whatever way, shape or form deemed necessary. To other members of our class, this question obviously opened new realizations and possibilities for their "special day" which was quite humorous to observe. No turning back now folks.
Week Thirty Four
September 13, 2008
The perks of pregnancy include being bumped up to first-class when flying! We visited my in-laws last weekend for a quick visit (Bob and Karen, on left respectively in photo) and on the way home we were allowed to move into first-class for "additional comfort" (and since seats were available.) Albeit, these days sitting anywhere for more than 15 minutes is uncomfortable, but somehow being uncomfortable while in first-class makes it easier to deal with.
And last night, while Andrew was feeling the belly, he got into a little game of knock knock with the baby. He would press down, and the baby would kick back. Press, kick. Press, kick. It was fun to have the interaction and see Andrew's suprised, yet joyful, response.
The baby is very active these days. Mostly he likes to explore under my rib cage with his feet, pressing out with as much pressure as he can. He''s pretty strong! And it feels very bizarre. The midwife says he is facing downward, with his feet to my right. So that is good, it means he's getting ready to make his appearance in just about six weeks.
It dawned on me the other day too, that I am no longer concerned with what gender the baby is. When I think about the baby being here, it's all about this little bundle of joy that we will be enamored with and mezmerized by. So, ultimately I am glad that we didn't find out and would do it the same way again.
Week Thirty Five
September 19, 2008
Baby Person or NON-Baby Person
I've come to the conclusion that there are two distinct types of people out there, women in particular.
There are the types who are excited about babies and pregnancies and can't talk enough about them--typically women who already have kids or are pregnant.
Then there are the women who really aren't interested at all about the issue and can't stop talking about it fast enough as if they might fall pregnant just at the mere mention of the word. It's obvious that babies/kids are not their 'thing'.
Of course, not all women fall into these two groups and neither is right or wrong, but it has been interesting to see people's reactions to the topic when it comes up in public.
Pillows
So sleeping has been a progressively harder challenge. As the belly mound grows, there are less and less comfortable positions and eventually you choose the most comfortable position, which is, sadly for those of us who enjoy sleeping, not necessarily comfortable at all. Anyway, I have made some modifications to the bed to make more maximum comfort. Those modifications include a heating pad, a boppy body pillow and 4 additional pillows to my original. The husband still finds room in and around the pillows and from his ability to continue to fall asleep in record time, I know his comfort level hasn't been affected.
#
1 Husbands
I highly recommend the kind of husband who, while unable to feel the discomfort himself, is giving and selfless enough to tell you to remain seated while he gets the dinner prepped or asks if he can bring you yet another chocolate bar from the freezer while he's up. But, if you can find the husband who without prompting of any sort brings you flowers intermittently with a gift card for a massage, you have surely hit "husband paydirt"(like I have.)
Week Thirty Six
September 26, 2008
My Mom was here this past week to watch over me just in case something happened while Andrew was in Europe on business. It was a great peace of mind to have here her. Of course, nothing happened and instead we spent time putting some finishing touches on the nursery and doing lots of last minute shopping. We were pooped! The one event that sounds very dull but was probably the most satisfying was laundering and folding of all the baby clothes and linens.
The nursery is a combination of sentimental and new.That's my Grandpa's handiwork to the left of the glider, he made that stool...antique mirror and cherub lamp for some character...lots of books including many from my own childhood..."growth suits" galore...all that's missing is the Baby!
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