Beginning Week 31!

Baby Growth in Week 31

Your baby is continuing to grow and has reached 15 inches in length and weighs anywhere from 3 ½ to 4 pounds.

Your baby is continuing to develop a layer of fat under his/her skin. This is in preparation for his/her arrival into the world and gives the baby more of a newborn appearance. During the next several weeks your baby will really begin to put on the weight. Remember the average size of a newborn is about 7 ½ pounds and 19 to 21 inches long.

Childbirth Class

We spent most of yesterday in our childbirth class with eight other expecting women! The class was actually taught by one of the RN's who works on the labor and delivery floor at Mount Carmel East where I will be delivering (apparently it was my Dr. who asked her to start teaching these classes). It was nice to learn about what to expect at the hospital, and it's what I appreciated most about the class. It sounds like they work hard to accomodate one's delivery expectations, while also reminding us to stay open-minded and flexible. Everyone's goal is a healthy baby and mom. We also learned and practiced some breathing techniques to control the pain of the contractions, and Brian learned how to take care of me while I go through them! This will be the one time I actually get him to give me massages! We got to see all the different kinds of cords I could potentially have hanging out of me, as well as the epidural needle, and Brian has decided that he's glad he just gets to be the "support." We also watched a video that showed 3 different births, but honestly I have seen almost as much from watching the birthing shows on the Discovery channel. Brian and I got the biggest surprise and laugh when our instructor pulled out the GIGANTIC maxi pad that I will be so lucky to wear after I give birth. Brian thought the disposable panties that go over the pad were especially "hot." I honestly could not believe how big this thing was, and wondered why they didn't just puts tabs on the sides like they do baby diapers to help keep it in place. It was funny to watch all of the men in the class curl up into their own fetal positions when the instructor explained to us how a baby boy is circumcised. Brian and I were also entertained by the young girl next to us who seemed overly concerend about her tatoo being cut into if she ended up with a C-section. All in all, it was nice day and several of the questions I'd had about the delivery aspect were answered. Mount Carmel also has two delivery rooms with tubs, which is something I could definitely see myself relaxing in, so I will be talking to my Dr. about this at the next appointment!

Doctor Appointment

Good news... NO diabetes for me! I figured as much since I hadn't heard anything about my glucose test, but it was nice to hear that I had passed with "flying colors." I have only gained a total of 16 pounds (only 1 pound in the last 2 weeks), so more good news! I was actually a little worried about it, but my Dr. said my weight was great for being this far along. I am measuring exactly where I should be (1 cm for each week), so that puts me at 29-30 cm. When we listened to the heartbeat this time, the Dr. also mentioned that it sounded like the baby had the hiccups. She hasn't really talked much about the baby's position, as I'm sure it will change 100 more times between now and delivery, but he has seemed to become a little more adventurous. I now feel him all over the place, but at night he does seem to settle low and I feel him best when it feels like he is lying sideways under my belly button. I head back in another 2 weeks!

Beginning Week 30!

Baby Growth in Week 30

Your baby has now grown to be 14 ¾ inches long and weighs about 3 pounds.

As your baby continues to grow, he/she takes up a larger portion of your uterus. You may not feel that your body can handle your growing baby, but it will compensate by allowing your uterus to extend underneath your rib cage.
Your baby’s eyes are becoming more mature, and now he/she can tell the difference between light and dark. Babies at 30 weeks can even follow a light source with their eyes. Once your baby is born, he/she will spend a great deal of time with their eyes closed. This is completely normal. Newborns only have the ability to focus on objects a few inches from their face. While “normal” adult vision is 20/20, a newborn’s vision is 20/400.

New Belly Pics!

I wasn't going to take new pictures for another week or two, but Katie requested these! Here I am at 28 weeks and 4 days. I don't know why, but for some reason I thought I hadn't really grown much since my last belly pics, but I about fainted when I saw these! I can't believe how much my belly has grown in just 3 weeks!

The baby's position can be felt from the outside now. I feel definite hard spots when his head or butt is pressed against my belly. He seems to be lying sideways most of the time. Grandma Bonnie also got to see him move for the first time last night (thanks for bringing your camera so we could take pictures).

Baby Room Update!

We have finished painting the baby room! I'm not sure we will ever do this many strips again (took two rolls of painters tape, and the laser level that sticks to the wall was a life-saver), but we are very happy with the way it turned out. Thanks to Grandpa Joe for helping us get the rest of the chair-rail up (we had a tricky spot). We just have a few spots to touch up where Brian and I painted outside the lines, and one more coat of blue to put on a nightstand we are re-painting. After that, I am not touching a paintbrush for a very long time!

AHHHH! Stretch Marks!

As much as I hate to admit it, I woke up yesterday morning and for the first time noticed stretch marks on the lower part of my belly! I actaully screamed when I saw them, which made Brian wake up thinking something was seriously wrong. They are quite small and not that noticeable yet, but I know they will only get worse (so much for the cocoa butter, which I am now applying twice a day instead of once). Here's to one of the many joys of being pregnant!

Beginning Week 29!

Well, I am exhausted as I write this. Woke up every 20-30 minutes last night starting at midnight. Finally took a Benadryl at 2:30 knowing I would be groggy when I had to get up. My child likes to sit really "low." I have yet to feel him move much above my belly button.

I am getting excited about our upcoming "baby" events: childbirth class on Jan. 20th (we are doing a 1-day, all day course), hospital tour on Feb. 3rd, meeting our pediatrician on Feb. 19th, and 3 showers planned over the next two months! Will let you know how it all goes!

Baby Growth in Week 29

Your baby now measures 14 ½ inches and weighs 2 ¾ pounds.

Your baby is rapidly growing at this point. Obviously your baby is continuing to gain weight, and his/her head is also growing. This is due to the rapid brain development that began in week 28. Muscles and lungs are also continuing to develop and mature.

Beginning Week 28!

When I read in my book this past week that I was now in my third, and FINAL, trimester, I sort of did a double-take! It's gone by so quick and yet the end already can't seem to get here soon enough (although I still need to motivate myself to put together sub plans for my classroom). I'm sad we don't have our camera (it's being repaired) to document how the baby's room is coming along, but I will post pictures as soon as we get it back. The room should mostly be finished by then!

The baby has been moving like crazy tonight! I now have my own belly-show entertainment. It cracks me up to watch my belly wobble around as the baby makes his presence known!

At the Dr's this past Tuesday the scale showed that I have gained a total of 15 pounds (yea! can't complain about that). My uterus is measuring normal, no swelling to make mention of, blood pressure good, baby's hearbeat good, and no heartburn, although I do burp sour if I eat too much at any one time. I have some pressure and of course back pain (I go for my massage next Tuesday), but I really can't complain! I now have to be aware of the baby's movements each day, and I am waiting to find out if I passed my orange-soda glucose test.

Baby Growth in Week 28

Your baby is about 14 ¼ inches long and weighs in at 2 ½ pounds. This still seems very small, but remember that during the last several weeks of pregnancy your baby will gain a significant amount of weight.

Your baby’s brain is really beginning to develop into a more complex organ. Up until this point, your baby’s brain has been relatively smooth, but beginning this week his/her brain will develop grooves and indentions along its surface. The amount of brain tissue also begins to increase during the 28th week.
The development of hair also continues. Eyebrows and eyelashes are visible, while the hair on your baby’s head grows even longer. Your baby is also starting to look a little rounder as the fat storage under the skin continues to develop. This is an important part of development that will continue through the remainder of your pregnancy.