37 Weeks and Dr's Appointment

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.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.
I had a doctor's appointment today. I gained two pounds- now 25 total, his heart rate was 161 which is good and high for a boy! I hadn't dilated at all, but I was 50% effaced which is a good sign that things are now progressing! We go back next week. Three weeks left....

36 weeks- and dr's appointment!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his 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 his 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 he's in a head-down position. But if he 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 him from the outside of your belly.
We went to the doctor today. I had gained one more pound which takes me to 141 pounds with a weight gain of 23 pounds. My uterus measured 35 centimeters, and his heart rate was 154. My blood pressure was good. She checked to see if the cervix had opened yet or not- and so far not at all. It is still closed. So he is enjoying life in the uterus as of now....He is in a head down position which is good. We go back next week and she is going to wait to give the ultrasound until she thinks labor is getting closer. Mommy and baby are both very healthy and progressing well, but as of now no labor signs!
We also finished up all of our baby showers. We were VERY blessed and humbled by people's generosity, and Brayden has everything he needs and more! Our registry was literally cleared off. Our last shower was a tea party that friends from my parent's church threw for us, and it was SO neat. Brayden's nursery is ready for him to come!
4 weeks to go.....

35 Weeks!

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). (Brayden is bigger than this!) 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.
We go back to the doctor on Tuesday, and will know more then....now he is moving all the time, and I am pretty tired. The doctor did call the other day and said I needed to be taking iron, because the blood work came back that I was anemic. So now I'm on the Zofran, and iron! 5 Weeks left!

34 Weeks & dr's appointment

We are now 8 1/2 months! Your baby's fat layers — which will help regulate him body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his 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.
We had a doctor's appointment today, and everything looked good! I gained one more pound to make me 140 and have gained 22 pounds overall! Brayden's heart rate was 148, and my uterus measured 34 centimeters which is right on. Feeling tired after a day's work, but I am hanging in there. I would rather be at work and get my mind off of waiting- so I am sticking it out. We go back to the doctor in two weeks for another check-up! 6 weeks left!