38 Weeks! The end is nigh.

Babycenter:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

How your life's changing:

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.

Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

Week 38

by Amalah of Alphamom

Your Baby:

• Is officially a little chunkin, at well over six pounds and 19 1/2 inches long.
• Is also officially considered “full term.” In other words, he or she is STRAIGHT UP FREELOADING from here on out.
• Is practicing making fists and fetal breathing in anticipation of life outside the womb.

You:

• Have probably had enough of this magical special time, thank you very much.
• Backaches, joint aches, heartburn, indigestion, constipation, Braxton-Hicks contractions, painful kicks, bladder pressure, stretch marks, itchy skin, swollen ankles, fatigue, dry mouth, mood swings, did I miss anything else in this cavalcade of late-pregnancy hilarity?
• Are alternating between crazy excitement about finally meeting your baby and crazy panic about oh my God, you’re finally going to meet your baby and they’re going to expect that you take it home and like, keep it alive and stuff.

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Me: Baby Boy Saltine Cracker Tater Tot Cucumber Pumpkin has been spending (ahem...freeloading) his past few weeks finding every last bone structure of mine within his reach and.... using it as a springboard. Resting his head on my bladder. Testing out possible exits. (HERE! HERE! HERE! AND HERE! but really here) Headbanging/Scratching his nose with my pubic bone. Using my pelvis to practice his cannonballs. Weeeeee.......

The car seat and base has finally been installed in my car. We can bring him home! and we won't even have to strap him to the roof! Spoiled already, sheesh. ;)

Besides the many irritating smug personal comments from current parents I've received, I've also received many compliments about how good I look, how I haven't gained much weight, it's all in my belly, not swelling.....which is so nice to hear (to balance out the contrite 'Just you wait!!' comments).

At my last.weekly.appointment yesterday, Dr.Smiley checked me and I am still at 1.5 cm dilated, 70% effaced, cervix soft, baby low, etc. Which is where I have been for the past 3 weeks. Unless something happens between now and this weekend, we have the Induction scheduled for next Tuesday. NEXT TUESDAY, OMG. I think I would prefer it that way; make it through the holiday weekend, have lunch with my parents on Monday, and then stroll into the hospital at 7am on Tuesday.

Dr. Smiley says the Induction process is as follows: no eating or drinking after midnight, check into L & D, get hooked up to Pitocin, break the bag of water and then wait for contractions and progress. I can have the epidural anytime I want it. Nothing is set in stone, but he expects baby boy to be born by mid-afternoon. Sounds so much nicer than my water breaking in the middle of the night.... or in traffic... or in at work.... and then having to get myself to the hospital.

Oh yeah, and this is me:

37 Weeks. Checking off the boxes.

Babycenter:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

How your life's changing:

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.)

Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.

It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.

While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Alphamom:

Week 37

Your Baby:

• Weighs about six and a half pounds, and is 21 inches long — quite possibly the same length he or she will be at birth.
• Is packing on close to a half-pound of pure, unadulterated baby chub every week.

You:

• Are probably dismayed to realize you are STILL outgrowing your maternity clothes. Your shirts ride up to reveal a couple inches of belly (or elastic waistbands), your pants might bulge and pucker weirdly as your uterus drops lower, and some tops might feel especially tight as your ribcage expands to handle all your pushed-up organs.
• Might be having serious trouble getting a good night’s sleep thanks to your size (my limbs keep falling asleep under my body’s crushing weight), your baby’s jolt-you-awake-caliber kicks, bladder calls, Braxton-Hicks contractions, and your brain’s constant buzz of excitement and anxiety and massive to-do lists.

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Me: Nursery: check. Hospital bag: check. Childbirth and BF-ing Classes: check.. Baby Shower: check. Pre-register at hospital: check. Pick a Pediatrician: check. Maternity Leave paperwork: check.

So much crossed off, but why do I feel like there is so much more left to do??

Maybe it's those nagging baby shower thank-you's that I still have to attend to.

Well, put it this way, nothing is stopping this baby coming, nor would I feel unprepared if he arrives, uh, tomorrow. The foyer decoration can wait. And the fan install. And who knows what else. It's just that the more I cross off the list, the more I add to it. And that's just me.

Weekly doctor's appt last week: Yea no Group B Strep. Measuring normal, if not on the 'smallish' side (as per Dr. Smiley, thank yew I'll take that as a compliment). He's predicting a 6-7 lb babe. (!!) 1.5 cm dilated at last appointment.

Did I mention that we think he's dropped?? There seems to be more room between my rib line and the top curvature of my belly, if that makes any sense. It's been easier to breathe (more or less). And my bipple has disappeared from my gaze, looking down, which has been the most astounding thing of all. It was there, and now it's not... it's lower.

Lots more pain and discomfort.... but hard to tell if it's the real deal quite yet.

36 Weeks. Must Buy All the Things.

Babycenter:

How your baby's growing:

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.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

How your life's changing:

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Week 36

by Amalah of Alphamom

Your Baby:

• Is six pounds. SIX. POUNDS. You probably have clothes in your house that already fit a six-pound baby.
• Is still not fully cooked yet, even though MOST babies born at this point will do just fine. But the lungs are better off with a couple more weeks of maturity.
• The size of your baby will start displacing amniotic fluid over the final few weeks. As the fluid gets reabsorbed into your body, you may notice that your baby’s movements feel “different.” You might not feel as many kicks as you used to, or the sensations are just…well, “different.” It’s mostly because of the cramped quarters in there and less fluid.

You:

• Are not done yet. I am sorry.
• Have gained 25 to 30 pounds, according to the books, which also say that it’s “not unusual” for your weight to remain unchanged between weekly OB appointments. Say it with me: SHUT UP, BOOKS.

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Me: Time is starting to speed up. I will be a Mother by the END OF THIS MONTH, OMG.

Already into the weekly appointments. Work Baby Shower yesterday. Hair Appt today. Birthin' Babies Class Saturday. Next Doctor's Appt Monday. Bring in Breakfast for Everyone at Work also Monday. You Are About to Be a Food Source-Class Tuesday.

Already dilated 1 cm as of my last appt, and am experiencing early Braxton-Hicks (I think). (Owee). Which could mean something. Or nothing.

Nursery is 99.99999% done, with just the odds and ends left to purchase. Like remaining Registry items (and of course Christmas gifts, will it ever end).

I thought I was going to get away with no stretch marks. I was mistaken.