"They" say if you hold your elbows to your sides and make a little box with your hands (fingers) meeting in front of your stomach, that is how big you can expect to get when you're pregnant. I have no idea if there is any scientific evidence to back this, but I have officially hit that point now!
- Whaaat 36 weeks?! That means one more week until baby is "term" and likely won't even go to the nursery if he is born early.
- Baby is 19-20 inches long (probably), and weighs in at 6 lb. I think maybe we have a long baby. I feel like his legs are long... David and I both have long legs, so that's not too much of a stretch!
- Not many developmental changes with baby this week. He can hear better and may recognize voices and sounds/songs/stories after birth now. His bones are flexible to allow for easier travel through the birth canal.
- Baby is descending/dropping for sure. I have to pee MUCH more frequently, and sometimes it feels like I have a bowling ball between my legs I'm trying to hold up there. I feel like he still comes back up at times, but I don't know if that's actually possible...This is all foreign to me!
- I have the pregnancy waddle happening now. I move slowly and feel like a turtle on its back trying to get out of our memory foam bed.
- Baby's movements have changed. He is so cramped in there now so there is significantly less movement. More squirming than anything, but enough for me to feel! Also the hiccups are still a daily occurrence. I like to point out to people when he gets the hiccups. It feels so human :)
- I am getting a couple more stretch marks which is the only thing that makes me think it's okay for baby to come early... Oh well. I have been mentally preparing to be a stretch mark-y person, so might as well practice embracing it!
- We had another midwife appointment and prenatal class on Monday. Well... we were supposed to! The class turned into Q&A time instead because so many people got caught up in the snow and traffic.
- My Weight: 147 lb (oops... too many Christmas treats?) Total gain: 24 lb. (5 lb since last appointment though!)
- My Blood Pressure: 116/70
- Belly Measurement: 36 cm
- Baby Heart Rate: 142-150 BPM (started out at 142, and then he got excited and it went up to 150! haha
- I mentioned to the midwife that I felt like baby had dropped and... she confirmed this with an, "Oh wow. Yes... He's way down there!" I told her about the contractions last week, and she got excited saying baby could come soon... Um. NO?! She encouraged me to try to keep baby in until at least 37 weeks with no more walking or encouraging labour. What?! Then she said to aim for 38 weeks if possible so that breast-feeding is less likely to be an issue. No more walking, no more sex... take it easy... rest... I was not prepared for this sort of news (although the "rules" should be fine... no more walks is going to be difficult haha). I knew baby had dropped, but I thought that was just a thing... I didn't realize it meant labor was likely impending in the next 0-21 days! I know labor is never a predictable thing, but this threw me for a loop. I had all these plans! I'm still working this week! Baby is happy and healthy. That's not the concern. I just always assumed I would carry the baby past his due date and he would be born in January. Have to brace myself for a December baby!
- This will sink in. It was just a shock to hear initially. The other moms in our midwife group are at least 2 weeks behind us, so they aren't at this stage yet. We're as ready as we'll ever be for this baby to come. Time to start getting excited! Could happen literally any time in the next 4-5 weeks! Could be tomorrow, could be January 9th! This little guy is keeping us on our toes! :) I just have to keep
- We met our Doula, Joss, on Wednesday evening as well! She seems really cool and relaxed and laid back. She has 7 year old triplets and still manages to do a job as unpredictable as being a doula! Amazing! She will be available via text for me from now until labour begins. Once labour starts, she will be with us, wherever we need, until baby is born! If we get diverted to another hospital our midwife cannot come with us, but at least one familiar face can!
- This week work was a bit of a struggle for me. I was training the new girl, but she was very self-sufficient by this time. So really my days were spent on a laptop across the desk from her answering any questions that did come up. I feel very confident in her abilities to take over my position! That being said, After our appointment on Monday, I worked a half day Tuesday, and a half day Wednesday, and then decided it would be best for me to stop working all together!! Didn't help that I was coming down with a cold all week... I am officially off work until at least January 2, 2018. Let's give that a while to sink in!! I haven't not worked or been in school or something since... summer vacation before Grade 11?? 8-9 years? Going to be an adjustment!
- At the end of this week things are feeling much better! I am more relaxed, baby seems more relaxed (less eager to make an early exit), and I am enjoying being able to take the breaks I need!
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