Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His 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 he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he'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 he'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.) The last bits of vernix caseosa (the white goo keeping baby's skin moist) and lanugo (downy hair) are slowly shedding into your amniotic fluid. Baby's head is about the same circumference as his abdomen, and his head could be covered in an inch or so of hair.
How far along? 38 weeks 1 day
Pregnancy Symptoms: Miserable! All those women weren't lying about that part. Generally achy all over...hips, legs, feet, back. Contractions that won't quit, but aren't doing a #*&@ thing either. Today is officially Day #1 of "Walk 'til you Drop" Literally :)
I Wish I'd Known...: How many "natural" induction methods there are. I think i've been told at least 20! My first plan is the walking. I'm not going to mess with any of the herbal remedies, not only because they're not regulated and i don't trust them, but mainly because they don't seem to actually work. I've heard that pressure points on your ankles have serious labor-starting potential, so i'm going to look into that and make Jake rub my feet. Next up will be eggplant parmesan, fresh pineapple, and lots and lots of trips to the Mexican restaurant! I had Wendy's Spicy Chicken sandwich three times this week (don't tell mom! i got a lecture last night already), and not even a twitch. You don't think Ryan got those stubborn genes from me do you?
Best moment this week: There was that one hour that i didn't have a single contraction and nothing ached because i didn't move....i think maybe that was the hour i got to sleep.
How far along? 38 weeks 1 day
Pregnancy Symptoms: Miserable! All those women weren't lying about that part. Generally achy all over...hips, legs, feet, back. Contractions that won't quit, but aren't doing a #*&@ thing either. Today is officially Day #1 of "Walk 'til you Drop" Literally :)
I Wish I'd Known...: How many "natural" induction methods there are. I think i've been told at least 20! My first plan is the walking. I'm not going to mess with any of the herbal remedies, not only because they're not regulated and i don't trust them, but mainly because they don't seem to actually work. I've heard that pressure points on your ankles have serious labor-starting potential, so i'm going to look into that and make Jake rub my feet. Next up will be eggplant parmesan, fresh pineapple, and lots and lots of trips to the Mexican restaurant! I had Wendy's Spicy Chicken sandwich three times this week (don't tell mom! i got a lecture last night already), and not even a twitch. You don't think Ryan got those stubborn genes from me do you?
Best moment this week: There was that one hour that i didn't have a single contraction and nothing ached because i didn't move....i think maybe that was the hour i got to sleep.
Worst moment this week: I'm going stir-crazy! Bedrest is not at all like the mini-vacation i had imagined. If only i were skinny, could have a cocktail and could move 5 feet without getting out of breath. Oh well, watching my Buddha belly bounce around while elevating my swollen feet is almost the same. :)
Movement: Loving the cooler nights. I hope it means i'll keep up my Walk 'til You Drop campaign. Peanut bounces around a good bit, especially at 4am or when daddy plays "Kick My Hand and Mommy's Ribs" with him.
Food cravings: I've finally reached the normal pregnancy cravings! Now all i want to eat is fast food and bad-for-me stuff. I'm glad it's so late in the game. You can only gain so much weight in 2 weeks...right? Plus it's totally comfort food so it doesn't count.
What I miss: Sleeeep! My new plan is to pump a million times a day as soon as Ryan is born so that Jake can help with feedings and i can *finally* get some rest. Supposedly it doesn't exactly work like that, but it can't hurt to try!
What I am looking forward to: Worst-case scenario is a little less than 2 weeks, right? I can do it! I'm pretty sure. At least i think i can....and if anyone mentions that overdue word i'll never speak to you again.
In Other News:
Food cravings: I've finally reached the normal pregnancy cravings! Now all i want to eat is fast food and bad-for-me stuff. I'm glad it's so late in the game. You can only gain so much weight in 2 weeks...right? Plus it's totally comfort food so it doesn't count.
What I miss: Sleeeep! My new plan is to pump a million times a day as soon as Ryan is born so that Jake can help with feedings and i can *finally* get some rest. Supposedly it doesn't exactly work like that, but it can't hurt to try!
What I am looking forward to: Worst-case scenario is a little less than 2 weeks, right? I can do it! I'm pretty sure. At least i think i can....and if anyone mentions that overdue word i'll never speak to you again.
In Other News:
Baby Ryan is up to TWENTY-SEVEN burgers now! I'm starting to get a little concerned. Supposedly my baby's birth weight will be similar to how much i weighed....which was nearly 9 pounds. And that's not even counting my twin brothers who tipped the scales at 7.5 and 8 pounds. (That's crazy for twins!) I'm not gonna lie, i'm scared!
Today was our 38 week appointment. This time i was so psyched i was hoping to hear that i'm about to pop and i might as well head straight to the hospital. I even considered taking our hospital bags with us. Instead the doctor just said i was "more favorable" to popping than i was last week. He said i "may or may not" make it to my 39 week appointment. The only thing he'd commit to was that he still doesn't think i'll make it to the 14th. If Ryan is born on September 13th at 11:59pm i'm going to be very aggravated!! I was very disappointed, i thought for sure he'd say i was like 4cm dilated and labor would be starting at any minute. It sure feels that way! Oh well, at least I made it to September! And i've been saying he'll be born on Labor Day, so be prepared for some phone calls on Monday.
Today was our 38 week appointment. This time i was so psyched i was hoping to hear that i'm about to pop and i might as well head straight to the hospital. I even considered taking our hospital bags with us. Instead the doctor just said i was "more favorable" to popping than i was last week. He said i "may or may not" make it to my 39 week appointment. The only thing he'd commit to was that he still doesn't think i'll make it to the 14th. If Ryan is born on September 13th at 11:59pm i'm going to be very aggravated!! I was very disappointed, i thought for sure he'd say i was like 4cm dilated and labor would be starting at any minute. It sure feels that way! Oh well, at least I made it to September! And i've been saying he'll be born on Labor Day, so be prepared for some phone calls on Monday.
We decided to invest in a video baby monitor. It came in the mail yesterday and i just *had* to test it out. It totally doubles as a cat monitor! Now when they go outside I just stick the camera in the window and i don't even have to get up to go check on them. I have a feeling i'm going to love being able to spy on Ryan once he's big enough to crawl around. According to the book i can also purchase a cable to connect it to the tv. How perfect would that be?
Here are some random 38 week pictures. Since i seem to always be in pink or purple (i really do own other colors!) i decided that this week's belly shots would be in Team Blue. Enjoy!
If you expect to get any rest after the baby is born then you are just deluding yourself.
ReplyDeleteEvery 2 hours, wake up, feed the shit-weasel, soothe him back to sleep, collapse.
I never could sleep through that going on. Oh, and it ain't like you'll instantly feel better when the baby pops out. From what I've seen and heard, you'll feel like you went through WW3 even if you have an epidural.
Anyway, the moral of the story is that it doesn't get easier once Ryan escapes the "hole". And you aren't getting any extra sleep without a plan.