39 Weeks

A healthy range of weight is between 5 pounds and 11 ounces and 8 pounds 5 ounces. Your baby is probably somewhere in this range now. The umbilical cord doesn’t have any nerve endings (this means that you and your baby will not feel any pain when it is cut!) and is about 20 inches long and about ½ inch thick. It’s pretty common for the umbilical cord to get knotted at this point, because things are so crowded inside the uterus.

All of your baby’s organs, including the lungs are ready for birth now. Your baby’s immune system is gaining strength at this point. Right now, you are probably very uncomfortable and can hardly stand the wait. Try to take it easy and rest when you can, long naps and reading can help you through the last few days of your pregnancy. Remember that very few babies are born on their due date.

I am blessed to not be uncomfortable, swollen or impatient about baby's arrival. I feel pretty much prepared and I am excited, but not increasingly desperate for the time to come. So far!

My energy levels are good, my sleep is interrupted more by the other kids than by being so pregnant, and while I do get some aches and pains they are intermittent and not overly bothersome.

Baby is moving well. I notice movement after most meals/snacks, and generally between 11-11:30pm. This baby seems to like to stretch his or her legs which makes for fun belly shapes. Wee3 also likes to punch. The punching doesn't feel so great.

I seem to have a pattern of getting a series of stronger contractions in the evenings. I like them because it makes me feel like things are happening behind the scenes.

I have been doing some emotional/spiritual preparation. Today I spent some time with A Celebration of Pregnancy booklet. I got it through a wonderful ministry called Blessing God's Way. The booklet lists a whole bunch of scripture which is particularly encouraging for pregnancy and childbirth. I have also been imagining how I see the birth going and how I see myself coping with the unexpected. I have also been talking to the baby about the birth and how a nice anterior position would be most comfortable for both of us.

Napping has been a bit tricky. Micah is starting to grow out of naps, so in the interest of a decent bedtime experience we have been taking power snoozes of about 30 minutes. I get a glimpse of teen-Micah when I try to wake him up after only half an hour.

Did I mention that Dr. Lopez said he and Lucia are not expecting a big baby? He figures long, but not "big". We will see shortly!!

Speaking of expecting, Andrew and I realized last night that we would both be very surprised if this baby were a girl. That said, we were convinced that Eva would be a boy, too. Got talked into it by people's predictions. I'm getting really excited to learn all about Wee3!!

38 Weeks

Your baby now weighs 6.8 pounds and measures about 21 inches long. This is what many babies weigh when they are born, and your little one is just around the corner from arriving. Baby is gaining about an ounce each day.

Since your baby is using their lungs to practice breathing they may get hiccups occasionally and you will be able to notice these little jumps. The head and abdomen are about the same circumference at this point. The abdomen is large because of the liver, which is producing red blood cells.

Tear ducts will not appear until a few weeks after birth. The brain and the lungs are the last of the organs to develop, but both are nearly ready now. The lungs are developing surfactant now, which helps the alveoli expand. Baby can turn their head, react to sounds and lights and blink their eyes.

Vernix, the waxy substance that protects your baby’s skin while in the womb, is mostly gone now. There is a small amount left to help the trip through the birth canal go smoothly.

Your appetite may decrease now, as you have less room for everything, including your stomach, as the baby has grown larger. Remember to rest often because many sleepless nights are ahead!

There have been lots of hiccups lately, some of them very annoying!! But that's good that Wee3 is practicing breathing, because he or she will need to do that very soon!

Interesting about the tear ducts, because Micah cried big crocodile tears the day he was born.

My energy levels are good! It doesn't feel like a nesting frenzy yet, I just feel good.

Micah almost always crawls into bed with us in the middle of the night and it usually doesn't bother me, but last night it drove me nuts. He had his knees wedged right into my kidneys, gahhh. When came back from a pee, I moved him way over to Andrew's side of the bed, but he immediately rolled back toward me and then welded himself to me again. Then as it got to be almost morning, he started to demand that I roll over so that he could put his hand on "you baby". His comfort thing. I wonder how he will cope once that belly has become a baby who usurps his spot in our bed.

I think we actually have names picked out. For boy and girl. I think.

37 Weeks- Officially Full Term!

Your baby now weighs about 6 ½ pounds and measures about 21 inches long. You are now considered a full term pregnancy, if you go into labor now, your health practitioner would not try to stop your labor!

Baby is gaining lots of weight now, about ½ an ounce each day. Typically, boys will weigh more than girls at birth. Right now, your baby is practicing their breathing and getting stronger.

Every baby is different, but some are born with as much as 1 ½ inches of hair already grown. You probably can’t wait to see your little one at this point, but you are very close to the end of your waiting.

Lungs are almost completely mature now; in a few days they will be done maturing. Your baby is becoming more coordinated now and can grasp things with their little fingers.

You may have a pelvic exam this week to see how your cervix is progressing. Don’t forget to pack your bag and get together all the things you’ll need at the hospital or birthing center, including the camera and car seat.

Wow, wow... we are within days or weeks of meeting this new little one! I wonder who he or she will look like? I would be shocked if this baby had lots of hair, since both Eva and Micah had very little. Whether a little or a lot, it's entirely possible that this one could be a redhead... my Mom's sister and brother and two of my cousins are redheads. I think both Eva and Micah looked more like Baby Andrew than Baby Dana. (What do you think?) Maybe this one will look like me!

Andrew

Dana

Eva

Micah

On the topic of looks, I remember that the one of first things our midwife said about Micah was that he had a dimple. Took me a couple of days to find it!

I'm pretty much physically prepared for Wee3's arrival, but I'm not sure that I'm completely emotionally prepared just yet. Mostly because I've been concentrating on just about everything but that part. I need to spend a little time readying myself for the intensity of giving birth. Hopefully it will build gradually like my first two labours did, but of course there's no guarantee.

Baby has been nice and active. I have been tired the last couple of days but I think it is just me recovering from stressing out about the meeting yesterday. Tired, but still very motivated to get my nest in order. Today I did a whack of laundry and cleaned out my closet shelves. Still a few more things on my list of things to do and get but it is getting nice and short.

Check out this cool product! I'd like to try to find a bucket that would do the same job. My mom has been very accommodating of my requests of things to bring with her, but I'm pretty sure she'd draw the line at carrying on a Tummy Tub. ;)

I guess I'll have to get to the lab this week to do the blood and urine tests the doc ordered.

And finally, WHOOHOO! I don't have to pack a bag for the hospital!

36 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 6 pounds and measures about 20.7 inches long. You’ve almost made it to the end now. Keep this in mind as you continue to grow increasingly uncomfortable. Your health practitioner will probably want to see you weekly now.

Fat is deposited in the baby’s cheeks this week and the muscles that help your baby suck are helping to fill out their little faces. Your baby’s bones are very strong, but the skull is going to stay soft, so that it can pass through the birth canal.

Baby’s immune system is continuing to develop and now they are receiving your antibodies. Liver and kidneys are now fully developed and functional, allowing baby to process some of their own waste. Meconium is accumulating rapidly now. This first bowel movement is normally voided soon after birth, but some babies will void while they are still waiting to be born.

Your baby is now a plump, round little person. All the extra weight and fat accumulation over the last few weeks has filled out their little bodies.

If you haven’t already had a GBS, or Group B Strep test, now is the time to ask your doctor or midwife about this test.

Hm, "increasingly uncomfortable". I'm actually not uncomfortable at all. I am finding I need to rock a bit to get up from the sofa, out of bed, or out of the car these days, but it's not because I'm uncomfortable. My hand swelling comes and goes depending on how hot I am. Comes down nicely after swimming in the pool or a cool shower.

I'm feeling quite confident that baby is head down now. I am getting some kicks in the ribs and that is comforting because I never felt movement up that high before it seems the baby turned.

We're getting close to the end of our preparations. I have a couple more things to wash, we'll have the support team meeting this weekend hopefully, and I need to get new tubes for the stroller tires. Now that our streets have been hardtopped and the empty lots have mostly been cleaned up, hopefully I won't have the same flat tire problem I did way back when (it was caused by tiny thorns).

Either I'm getting used to the heat or it's slightly cooler but I don't feel the heat nearly as much lately. I am sure it helps that I keep my shower water temperature cool, and avoid the blow dryer. My normal routine would be to blow dry and then straighten my hair and I would end up wiped out for hours. We have been swimming lots and I know that also helps keep my body temperature in check.

35 Weeks!

Your baby weighs about 5 ½ pounds now and measures about 18.9 inches long. As you know each baby has a different weight and length at birth, so these measurements are just an average. Now your baby will start it’s most rapid weight gain, adding ½ to ¾ of a pound every week until they are born.

You may be able to distinguish body parts such as a head, hand or foot now that your baby is getting larger and your uterus is getting thinner. Baby’s hearing has completely developed now and the lungs are very close to being complete and ready for birth.

The kidneys are fully developed and the liver is able to process waste products. Fat is continues to accumulate at a rapid pace now, which will help your baby stay warm after they are born.

When you visit your health practitioner now they may begin to exam your cervix to see how ready it is for delivery. If you are not having a home birth, have your overnight bag packed and ready so that when your labor starts you have everything you want and need ready to go to the hospital or birthing center.

WOW! I am only two weeks from full term!! My word.

Gotta get the birth attendant stuff figured out. I think my main question mark is just about the pediatrician. I would like to meet the person I'll be dealing with, work out any points we disagree on, and understand what exactly the pediatrician's role is at this birth! I am also curious to know whether someone will be doing home visits after the birth or if I'm going to have to haul baby and me down to an office somewhere. I'm not overly worried about this one; even our vet did home visits so I'm sure that baby doctors would be willing. But still, I just want to know.

HA! Sure I should be able to distinguish baby parts! I am completely useless at that. Not that it stops me from trying. But I can't make heads nor tails of it [pun very intended].

There will be no pre-labour cervical checks going on here. I'm not sure why they get done anyway; a woman could walk around 3cm dilated for weeks, or efface and dilate like crazy in a the blink of an eye. If I get my way, there will be no checks. I might consent to one but honestly I'd just rather not. They are uncomfortable, and I don't care to take the risk of infection when I don't see an overwhelming benefit. I'm ok with being in the dark about my progress, dilation-wise. I think there are plenty of other signs to indicate how labour is coming along.

I've been thinking about getting a few things together for the birth. I have a plastic sheet which could work on the bed, though it's only a double and it's fitted so that might be annoying. I should pull it out and figure out whether it will work or not, and buy a cheap shower curtain if it doesn't seem good. I think we will then cover that with a set of Eva's sheets which have gotten holes in them. That way if they don't wash clean I can just throw them out without worrying about it. I guess I'll have to buy some pads too. And I plan to bind my belly after birth- I should buy whatever it is I'm going to use to do that. Maybe Lucia can offer a suggestion. I did a little research on the belly binding thing and there don't seem to be any drawbacks (except perhaps feeling hot!). I asked Tara's midwife about it and she was all for it. I remember how I kind of craved some kind of abdominal support after my babies were born; felt like everything was floating all free in there. And of course there's the added aesthetic benefit.

Anyway I'm still feeling great. Hot, but great. I was reading The Pregnancy Book by Sears and Sears, and it said that this month I may be feeling sore and tired of dragging my big body around. But I really don't. I'm slow, sure, but I'm comfortable. Sleeping isn't a problem, and I don't have any discomfort anywhere. I'm thinking part of it is luck of the draw, and the other part is the good eating and exercise. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. I know that pregnancy can be very difficult and uncomfortable for some women.

34 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4.9 pounds and measures about 18.4 inches long. Your baby is fully developed at this point, but is growing and gaining weight now. Baby’s chances of survival outside of the womb are very good now, with only the lungs needing further development.

Baby is probably in the head down position now and the skull is soft so that baby can move down the birth canal during birth. Pressure from the baby being head down can make you have to urinate frequently.

The immune system is continuing to mature now and preparing to fight infections.
Because your baby is rapidly building up fat, little dimples are forming at the elbows and knees. Creases are forming around the wrists and neck. Bones are continuing to harden now and the waxy substance covering your baby’s skin, vernix, is thickening.

There are several prenatal tests that your health practitioner may recommend at this point. One that you need to ask for, if your doctor or midwife doesn’t suggest is, is the GBS (or Group B Step) test. This test screens for harmful bacteria that you can pass to the baby at birth.

Still battling the heat but feeling otherwise good. Getting into a bit of a routine now. It includes spending time every day with my feet and lower legs immersed in the kids' pool, The Body Shop Peppermint Foot Spray, a rest in the afternoon, daily after dark 30 minute walk (it's still hot out, but at least it's not blazing hot). Twice a week instead of the walk I go to yoga from 8:30-10:00pm. I found the right class for me- nice and slow and gentle, mostly stretching and balance positions. I love balance positions. I feel like I make up for my lack of flexibility with my great balance. But can you believe they turn off the A/C during classes?!? Talk about Hot Yoga. So I just take it easy, don't push it, and fan myself a lot. My face must get so red. The advantage to doing yoga when it's hot, I must admit, is it gets the muscles and joints nice and loosey-goosey. I come out of there feeling quite relaxed.

Dr. Lopez didn't order a GBS test, but I suppose he might at our next appt (~37 wks). Maybe it's not standard here in Mexico? Part of me doesn't want to open the can of worms if it's not standard, but part of me thinks it would be wise to request it. Well I have a month to think about it and research it.

Micah told me today that he wants the baby to be a girl and so does Eva. Eva usually refers to the baby as "she", though if you ask her she will say she thinks it's a boy. I asked Eva the other day why she had changed her tune about the baby being a girl. She said because I told her that when the belly sticks out to the front it's a boy, and when it sticks out to the sides it's a girl. I took the opportunity to explain about old wives tales and how that might not be true.

I'm feeling good about this home stretch. I am glad to be more disciplined about eating and exercise again and most of me is looking forward to how this birth will unfold. Sometimes I wonder if I realize/remember just how intense active labour is. I know so much more now! So I think I will be able to relax all that much more than my first two births, and that will make a big difference. But who knows what will happen?? God may have other plans for this birth. Maybe even to give me insight into what it's like to experience complications. So we have been praying more than ever about this birth. God knows my/our hearts' desire, but we surrender it to Him and accept what may come.

Still agonizing over names. Nothing new there. We never had "aha!" moments with Eva and Micah's names either.

33 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4.4 pounds and measures about 17.8 inches. Baby will gain one third to one half of their weight during the final weeks of your pregnancy. The amniotic fluid is now at it’s highest level and will stay at this level until your delivery. Your little one may have now settled into the head down position; however, some babies do not do this until later in pregnancy.

The baby’s skull is not joined and is very pliable. The brain is rapidly growing now and increasing in size. Fat is rapidly accumulating and changing the color of your baby’s skin from red to pink, the skin appears less wrinkly as they continue to accumulate this white fat.

Because your baby is rapidly gaining white fat and weight at this point you may be gaining weight more rapidly than in the past as well. Continue to eat right and exercise as you can to help your baby grow and develop at a normal pace. Now may be the time to decide if you will circumcise your little boy after his birth. Continue to plan the details of your baby’s arrival including your birth plan the details of the nursery for when they come home.

Can you believe how much weight this baby will put on before he or she is born?

The nursery, AKA our room, doesn't need much work. I will wash and organize all of my marvellous new diapers. I will wash up a few newborn outfits, gender neutral and maybe a couple of each gender specific. I've asked my Mom if she would wash up the whole bin of appropriate clothing after baby arrives. We will pull out the change table, Amby Baby and set up the playpen with bassinet. I don't expect to use the crib for quite some time. I'll do most of that stuff in about a month. Most of it. The diapers I will do very soon, because I am SO EXCITED about them!

Regarding circumcision, if we have a boy he will remain intact. Check out this quite comprehensive blog post on the topic.

I am feeling good! Any complaints I have are fleeting- like yesterday while we were grocery shopping my hips were sore. By later in the day that wasn't a problem. Last night I had restless legs but after I got up and had a glass of water they settled down.

Emotionally I'm feeling good as well. I have had peace about this baby for quite some time now and I am grateful. Every once in a while I find myself considering getting stressed about potential undesirable situations (like breech baby) but I have been able to give those thoughts and the future over to God and regain my peace.

It's kind of entertaining to guess what position the baby is in... Lately there have been hiccups almost every day and mostly they are down low so I think baby is usually head down, but not always. There still seems to be quite a bit of room in there because I can feel big movements from time to time.

I think we may have settled on a girls name- first and middle- and there is one boy middle name that we agree on. But we're still at a loss for a boy first name.

Micah tells my belly, "I love you baby!" many times a day. When he feels sad he likes to hug my belly. He likes it best when it's uncovered so people occasionally get a glimpse of its full glory when Micah is sad in public.

I know seven weeks is going to pass quickly! I am consciously enjoying and appreciating the current status of our family. It will be forever different once there are five of us. This is a wonderful time of anticipation for all of us.

32 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 pounds and measures about 17 inches. If you’re feeling kicks in your ribcage it probably means that baby has finally moved into the head down position that 96% of babies are born in. Don’t worry if this hasn’t happened yet, you still have a few weeks left for baby to move.

During baby’s awake times their eyes are open and looking around. When they are sleeping their eyes are closed. Eye color is usually blue right now, but this will change with exposure to light, and then it can change again a few months after birth.

Little boys testicles are descending into the scrotum now. Sometimes this doesn’t happen until after birth, but this condition usually corrects itself. Baby’s immune system is starting to develop now and sometimes the fingernails are so long that they will scratch themselves.

White fat is continuing to accumulate now. This helps baby’s skin appear more pink and diminishes the wrinkly appearance of your little one’s skin.

If you haven’t already gotten a list together of the things you need to take with you to the hospital you should start now. Ask your health practitioner what signs to watch for to indicate you are in labor and when they would like for you to call their office. Be sure and ask what the procedure for contacting them is once you think you are in labor.

Whoohoo, I don't have to pack a labour bag or worry about that uncomfortable drive to the hospital!

I am slowing down lots! Still feeling good, but definitely feeling more "pregnant" than even a few weeks ago. I walk so slowly! It's not hurting or even uncomfortable, it's just that my body doesn't work the same. It's been quite hot here and I am feeling it. I'm glad to report that I haven't noticed any edema though.

I had my first uncomfortable baby movements the other night. The ole feet-in-the-ribs trick, and a bunch of weird kicking on the side. I was trying to sleep so I just rolled over onto that side and that took care of it.

We still haven't decided on any names. We'll have to make that a priority soon.

31 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 3.3 pounds and measures about 17 inches. Growth will begin to slow down now, but the average weight of babies at birth is around 7 pounds.

Baby is opening and closing their eyes this week. A brain scan would show that your baby is probably having dreams now. Lungs are quickly developing now, getting ready for full time work after birth. White fat is now being deposited beneath the skin, which helps make baby’s skin look pink.

By now you should be seeing your health practitioner every two weeks. Your doctor or midwife will be checking your blood pressure and any swelling in your arms and legs, measuring the baby, asking you about how the baby is moving around and keeping close tabs on you and the baby in general. They’ll start paying attention to what position the baby is in now, as the birth gets closer. About 96% of babies born are born head first. The rest are born breech with the buttocks or feet coming first. Having a breech birth does not mean an automatic cesarean section, but be sure and talk with your doctor or midwife if you are concerned. It’s probably time for you to remove your rings, if you have not already done so, because with swelling it can become very hard to remove these later.

I am feeling a lot more Third Trimestery now. Part of it is probably all the fun we're having- it's awesome but also takes a lot of energy. I'm not sleeping really well, and rolling over is becoming more work. Today we did some driving, and sitting in the car might have something to do with it, but my hips don't feel as comfortable as they have been. I'm slowing down.

I got three new maternity tops! I love them, in good part because they reach my pants with room to spare.

Funny that this week's information says that I should be seeing my care provider every two weeks now, because I'm taking this six week hiatus. I'll go see him the week I get back.

I don't know whether this baby is head up or down, but it seems to be in a vertical position as I feel movements at about 11'o'clock (if you're looking at me) and 6'o'clock. I think baby has the hiccups right now. I feel them at about 5'o'clock so hopefully that means baby is head down.

So far I haven't noticed any swelling. I wouldn't be surprised if I gain some weight while I'm here though because I've been indulging in treats more than usual. My belly is gigantic, seriously. The other day someone told me I'll never make it to September. I told him I plan to!! Or at least get closer than July ;)

I got my book yesterday! I'm starting to read about the Anti-D vaccine, which is meant to protect future pregnancies in the case that this baby is Rh+ and his or her blood somehow gets into my bloodstream. Once I've read it I'll post my comments.

30 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 3 pounds and measures 16.2 inches. Things are started to get cramped inside the uterus at this point, and the baby is really in the fetal position – with knees bent and their chin touching the chest. Soon baby will move into the head down position getting ready for their delivery.

Babies do not usually have 20/20 vision when they are born. Their eyes are well developed and they are reacting to light, but most children do not have 20/20 vision until they are between seven and nine years old.

The brain is continuing to grow and make connections between nerve cells. Baby’s digestive tract is nearly complete now and the lungs are nearly fully developed as well. Lanugo continues to disappear now and the hair on their little heads is coming in. Some babies are born with a full head of hair!

Sleeping on your left side is probably the most comfortable position for you now, as it will help remove some of the pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in your back. It may seem as if everyone has a horror story to tell you now about her labor and birth. Just remember that every birth is different and don’t feel shy about asking people to keep the stories to themselves if they bother you. You might also find that complete strangers feel the need to touch your belly – everyone gets excited as the birth of your little one grows closer.

Into the 30's!! About ten weeks to go. Sounds near, until you consider that's still two and a half months.

Things are still great. My main complaint is clothing-related. I only have about 4 tops that actually fit so there is always laundry to be done. My body feels great and I have good energy. Baby still moves around a lot. The other day when I was holding newborn Seylah WOW did baby move a lot. Maybe my body released a hormone that got the baby going. It was something else.

I am pretty sure baby is head up and facing forward, and sometimes diagonal. I know there's still lots of time for him or her to turn so I'm not thinking too much about it. Though it is always comforting once baby settles into a nice head down position.

After my last chiropractic appointment last week I felt like my hips straightened out so hopefully I can stay loose and in alignment through to the end of my pregnancy. I also had one last massage and there were fewer tender spots so to me that confirmed that my body has responded well to the treatments.

29 Weeks

This week your baby weighs in at 2.6 pounds and measures at about 16 inches. To help with the discomforts of pregnancy that you may be having at this time you should get plenty of rest, wear comfortable, supportive shoes and continue to eat a healthy balanced diet. If you haven’t started working on your birth plan, now is the time to get started! Be sure to get your partner’s input on this important document that will help guide everyone during your labor and birth.

Baby’s head is no longer disproportionate to the rest of the body. The senses are functioning and the eyes can move around inside the eye sockets. Little boy’s testicles are now moving toward their scrotum and little girls will have a prominent clitoris because it is not yet covered by the small labia, as this happens in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Baby’s skin is becoming less wrinkly as they continue to add fat and gain weight. The uterus is becoming more cramped now and the kicks and punches that you have felt will probably feel less pronounced at this point. You’ll definitely still be able to tell that baby is there, though!

All is well. I have a cold and that is very annoying, but pregnancy-wise I still feel really great. No complaints at all. I have been going for chiropractic adjustments and he has noticed that my right hip is a little bit forward so that is what he has been working on. I think it's probably because of my somewhat heavy and low hanging purse so I've been shopping for a short handled purse which I think will be more comfortable. Yesterday I went shopping for walking shoes (couldn't make a decision) but I still wear my flip-flops daily, and very comfortably.

Everywhere I go people say I must be due really soon. I just smile and answer "not as soon as you think!" Mostly I feel pretty comfortable with it, but I do have a small worry that there might be something undesirable going on to cause me to be so big. I'm meeting with our midwife from Eva's birth today so hopefully she wouldn't mind logging an opinion. I saw our midwife from Micah's birth yesterday and she was kind of rushed so I didn't get her opinion on that. She did say a number of times how good I looked which made me feel happy.

Baby is moving around more than ever! Lots of twitching, rolling around, and kicking. So far nothing uncomfortable at all.

Yesterday I ordered Sara Wickham's book "Anti-D in Midwifery: Panacea or Paradox?". I agonized about it because it's quite expensive. Apparently it is THE go-to book for Rh negative expectant mothers. Decisions surrounding my Rh status are very important and I don't just want to rely on internet research since there isn't a huge amount of information available on it. Yesterday when I asked Sari about delayed cord clamping she said that she generally doesn't rush to clamp, unless the mother is Rh negative. According to her research there could be danger to the baby as the placenta comes away from the uterine wall. I was alarmed at first but the more I think about it the more it doesn't make sense. It is I who would be sensitized by exposure to the baby's Rh+ blood, but my blood has no Rh factor in it so exposure to my blood wouldn't be dangerous to the baby unless I had already been sensitized and started to produce antibodies. At least that's the way I understand it. I've done some further internet research with Google Scholar and the study abstracts that I found which addressed Rh- mothers and delayed cord clamping showed that it is especially important to delay clamping with Rh- mothers because early clamping could actually cause infant and maternal blood to mix as blood "backs up" through the umbilical cord to the mother's bloodstream.

28 Weeks

This week your baby weighs about 2 ½ pounds and measures around 15 inches long. During the last four weeks the weight of your baby has nearly doubled. The baby is moving around a lot these days, but soon this will slow down as the baby starts to run out of room inside your uterus.

The smooth brain tissue continues to develop folds and wrinkles as it increases in mass. Brain functions include breathing and maintaining body temperature. Lanugo hair is starting to disappear over the body, but eyebrows, eyelashes and the hair on their head is growing. Bone marrow has taken over the production of red blood cells from the liver at this point. Muscle tone is improving and the baby’s body is filling out with warming body fat.

The third trimester is filled is aches and pains and general discomfort for many women. Some of the complaints you might suffer from include heartburn, varicose veins, hemorrhoids and indigestion. Knowing that you are closely approaching the birth of your baby can help you make it through these trying last few weeks.

Your health practitioner may order blood work at twenty-eight weeks and if you haven’t had a blood glucose screening done yet this may be done. Blood glucose screening helps determine if you have gestational diabetes.

Still feeling great! No complaints (except for this cold but I seem to be getting better). I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment yesterday and I'll go about 3 more times while I'm here- to make sure that my spine and pelvis are nicely aligned so this baby can just cruise on out when it's time. I also have a pregnancy massage booked for this afternoon, and I'll go again next week.

Wee3 has been moving a lot the last few days. Rolling around and twitching, mostly. I see limbs going by and poking out quite a bit. But nothing uncomfortable, and I'm grateful for that. Never wakes me up at night either. Mom got to feel some movements the other day.

I weighed myself yesterday at the chiropractor and according to that scale I have gained 25lbs! That must be why my belly is so big, because I don't really see it anywhere else. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself... ;)

27 Weeks

I'm quite late on this one! But here it is:

You’ve made it to the final trimester now, only 10 weeks to go! Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds and is about 14 inches long. They look like a fully formed baby at this point, only smaller and very thin. Survival, if born now, is around the 85% chance rate. Baby will go through another growth spurt now and may have predictable periods of sleep now.

The ears are covered the waxy substance called vernix which may muffle the sounds that they hear. Some experts believe that babies begin to dream at week 28, because the brain is so very active now. Brain tissue is developing rapidly.

It’s possible to hear the baby’s heartbeat by just placing an ear on your abdomen at this point! Lungs have developed enough that they could function outside of the womb and the central nervous system is well formed.

Amniotic fluid and the absence of fat on your baby’s body makes their skin appear wrinkly at this time. Baby will continue to fill out after they are born and begin to gain newborn weight.

The third trimester has begun!! Ten to 13 weeks doesn't sound all that far away: three full months definitely does. Especially looking down at this belly and wondering how it could possibly get bigger still.

I'm still feeling great. Did the ALS walk this morning and though I'm slow it felt good. By the end my hips and lower back were complaining a little, but not too much. I'm sleeping well. I feel fairly energetic.

Did some shopping here in Winnipeg because already most of my maternity tops don't reach my pants. Had to stock up on some longer tops. I don't remember "Homering" until maybe the last month with the other two. Ah well, it's my third baby, I suppose that's my excuse. Though when I meet with Abigail and Sari in a week or so to debrief about Eva and Micah's births I will ask if they can do a quick check to see if my size concerns them for any reason. I did a self fundal measurement the other day and came up about 3 cms big, which is on the outside edge of normal. But who knows if I was measuring properly either.

Baby is moving well and yesterday the kids got to see and feel it for the first time. Wee3 rolled over and Eva saw the movement of limbs under my skin. It was pretty cool. You should have seen how wide her eyes got, and how excited she was. Then both kids got a chance to feel some movement as well. My mom has been hoping to feel or see something too but the movements in her presence so far have been more furtive and random.

It's exciting to know that baby would have a very good chance at survival if born now. This little one is so close to ready to join us on the outside! (Not before your time, Wee, please!) I wonder what she looks like, or what kind of temperment he will have? What colour hair will she have? It's not unlikely that we could have a redhead! How big will he be? Such fun to wonder and I am enjoying the anticipation of finding out. I love this baby so much already. When we go for walks and the two kids run ahead, or when the kids are playing together, I often sketch in this third child in my mind's eye. It is beautiful. I am abundantly blessed!

26 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds and is about 13 inches long. You’ve reached the end of your second trimester and now time may seem to crawl along as you wait through these final weeks. Just remember that soon you will have a new little one to hold and love!

This week the eyes are opening and beginning to blink. Before now, the eyes have been sealed shut so that they can continue to develop the retina. Baby’s eye color, depending on their coloring and ethnic background, may be dark or brown, or they could be grayish blue. Depending on your baby their eyes may change colors during the first few months after birth. Eyelashes are growing now, as is the hair on their head.

Taste buds are continuing to develop and they are improving their sucking and swallowing motions. Brain waves become stronger this week, which affects the vision and hearing. The smooth brain is now forming grooves and valleys.

The bronchial tract develops this week and the lungs are growing. If your baby were born now, it would have an 85% chance of survival, but the lungs are still very immature. Little boy’s testes have completely descended at this point and although your baby is rapidly putting fat on their body, the skin is still very thin and the veins are visible.

Almost finished the second trimester! Belly continues to expand at a rapid pace. The weather has been relatively cool and I have been feeling pretty great. On the weekend my hips started to feel a bit sticky and today I was almost limping. I have been using the birth ball and hopefully that will work it out. I just feel like I have to find the right stretch or something and they'll unlock. I'm glad for yoga and for the childbirth classes because both do movements that are so beneficial to the pregnant bod.

Starting to get comments about baby's gender. Pretty much universally declared a boy. The other night baby was moving around so I put Andrew's hand on my belly. The baby put on a show for Daddy! I have not felt this baby move so much as she or he did while Andrew's big warm hand was on there. It was fun. All the activity made him think it was a boy. It's true I'm carrying basketball-style, just like I did with Micah. (But I'm also not as heavy as I was with Eva and my hips haven't opened up yet like they did with her the moment I conceived). The timing of conception leans toward boy. But we both thought that Eva was a girl and let ourselves get talked out of it by other people. I'm going to go with Eva's declaration and continue to assume it is a girl, but not be surprised if it's a boy.

We have been kicking around names a lot more lately. Haven't settled on anything but it feels good to get serious about the names.

Yesterday in class we heard that one of the students had her baby that morning. A three hour painless labour. Her husband didn't even make it- he was still putting on his scrubs when the baby emerged. She was hoping for a waterbirth but there was no time for that. She was very pleased with how her birth went. Faster isn't always better (it can be harder on Mom and baby) but this one went really well.

We saw a number of water birth videos today. I think it opened some students' eyes to the possibilities. Most of the women moved around quite a bit according to what their bodies were telling them. All of the women held their babies immediately. The births felt so... simple. Straightforward. No bustling around, no special tools. Just Mom working hard, Dad supporting, and baby finding its way to the outside world. Sometimes the midwife/doctor would pass the baby to Mom, sometimes Mom and/or Dad would catch the baby.

Lucia did go over some of the benefits. I wished that she would have provided a little more information. The other students and husbands sometimes ask questions, but I wonder how many questions are left unasked and unanswered. That said, maybe Lucia's mission is not to provide all the answers but rather to expose people to the possibilities. And hopefully the couples pursue the options that speak to them. It's tough, because many of these couples have doctors who are not very open to changing the ways that they have traditionally managed birth. And it is hard to change your OB partway through a pregnancy. But I'm sure the classes have a positive impact on the experience of some couples and that is awesome.

25 Weeks

Your baby is now about 1 ½ pounds and measures around 12 inches long. You are closely approaching your third trimester and the final stretch of your pregnancy. Now is a great time to investigate and start birthing classes if you haven’t already done so. By now, people may be noticing that you are pregnant. Maternity clothes may be a necessity, although you may still fit into some of your pre-pregnancy, looser clothing.


[So... can you notice I'm pregnant? Ha hahahahaha]

Taste buds are developing at this point and the baby even is able to distinguish sweet tastes. Blood vessels are developing in the lungs to prepare for their vital function after birth, but for now they are filled with amniotic fluid and are practicing breathing movements. Breathing is controlled by the nervous system.

If you were to shine a flashlight on your abdomen, the baby will turn their head toward the light because the optic nerve is now working. Fingerprints, toenails and fingernails are fully formed and the spine is straightening out. Bones are continuing to harden at this time.

Vernix, the waxy substance that covers your baby, is forming at a rapid pace. This protects their skin and helps regulate body temperature.

I started attending my midwife's childbirth education classes this week. It is very interesting, as it is very unlike a class I'd expect to take in Canada. But I think it's very worthwhile for building my relationship with her and also to learn about the birthing culture in Mexico!

The classes are twice a week for 2.5 hours per classs. I'm unclear how many weeks there are in total. Four? Nine? I can only make two weeks/four classes. The first hour and a half is light exercise, breathing exercises (hee hee hee haw lamaze type breathing), massage and relaxation. The last hour is the talk. Yesterday she covered the reproductive systems and typical traditional hospital birth. It creeped me out to see the images of women flat on their backs, legs in stirrups, fully draped, only betadine-scrubbed perineum visible. Um, doctors, there's a woman attached to that vagina!

Tomorrow we'll cover a natural birth and note the contrast.

I asked Lucia how many births here in Mexico are like the traditional hospital birth she discussed. She said the majority! Then she said well actually, most of them are c-section. She looked back in her log and probably 75% of recent students ended up with c-sections. The WHO guideline is about 10% c-section rate.

I appreciated how she took a holistic approach to discussing pregnancy; instead of isolating it as a condition, she also discussed anatomy, menstruation, conception, and sterilization. I didn't agree with her assertion that you need to do 'retraction exercises' to an uncircumcized boy's foreskin. She was very pro-breastfeeding which I appreciated, though she did state that women need to toughen up their nipples leading up to birth (the source of any pain during nursing is actually an incorrect latch, not sensitive nipples).

There was some discussion of ultrasound; she mentioned that I had declined because of my concerns about risk to the baby. She asked one of the Dads, who is a doctor, what his opinion was about that. He said that there are no conclusive studies of risk/damage to the baby (true) but that there is some evidence of a link between ultrasounds and reflux. Lucia told me later that she's believed that all along and was gratified to hear a doctor acknowledge it.

I just wrote my birth plan and emailed it off to Lucia. It will be very interesting to see what kind of objections and debate it raises with the OB and pediatrician (whom I haven't yet met). I'm not going to stress about it... I'm not going to stress about it.... ;) I'm actually glad for the opportunity to get everything out in the open and work out any conflicts well ahead of time. All of my requests are evidence-based and I can provide them with studies and papers to back it up.

Now that the weather has cooled off a bit, I am feeling fantastic. Sleeping great, good energy, good attitude.

Clothing is a bit of a problem right now. Almost all of my maternity pants are baggy and/or unflattering. Many of my tops either don't cover my whole belly or are baggy and unflattering. I did buy a cheap t-shirt to cut off and use as a shirt extender which works quite nicely. I have some one-size-up regular pants which I wore post-partum last time which look good but start feeling pinchy in the waist after a few hours. I have some extremely comfortable but pilly goucho sweats which I wear a lot around the house, and I have a couple of maternity skirts which are quite comfortable but not appropriate for every occasion. All that said, I'm grateful to have a collection of mat clothing at all, and it's only a short time more that I'll need them, really.

24 Weeks

(oops, I'm a day late on this one)

Your baby now weighs a little over a pound is about 11 inches long. They fully fill the uterus now, but there is still plenty of room for growth. Over the next three months your baby will have the biggest weight gain.

Brain waves are beginning to activate the auditory and visual systems, causing the baby’s mouth and lips to become sensitive. Eyes will respond to light and the ears are reactive to sounds from outside of the uterus. Your baby may be able to tell when they are upside down now because their inner ear is completely developed. The brain is very active now and is regulating all other body functions.

Toenails and fingernails are growing now and may need trimmed when they are born. Blood vessels in the lungs are developing and will exchange oxygen after birth. The alveoli (the very tiny final branches of the respiratory tree) and air sacs have developed completely.

You may start to get stretch marks now. This is a normal part of pregnancy. Your health practitioner may order a blood test now to check for anemia and infection. You may also have a glucose screen between now and week twenty-eight to help rule out gestational diabetes.

No stretch marks to date. I was lucky with Eva and Micah, here's hoping my luck continues.

As of this morning, I have gained 14.5 lbs. I don't want to obsess about it, but I do not want it to go beyond a healthy gain. I would be so disappointed if, despite my yoga and vastly cleaned up eating habits, I still gained a significant amount.

I will have one more prenatal appointment before I leave for vacation in Canada. I don't know if he'll want to do any tests. He did talk about giving me the Rhogam injection at that time but I am heavily leaning toward declining it. I would still get it after the birth if the baby is Rh+, or if a high risk event took place (something that could lead to the baby's blood entering my bloodstream). I will put together a blog entry on this topic.

Lately I have been feeling vaguely uncomfortable, mostly when trying to sleep. I blame it on the heat, and perhaps I need a little more exercise. I only got to yoga once last week because Andrew had to work last Saturday. He is working again this Saturday and I got smart and called in Bertha to babysit so I can go to my class. I'm glad I did, because the Friday class I usually go to is cancelled this week. I'm also glad that I decided to go to today's 8:30 class even though I am tired and it is late. It was quite good! Different instructor than I've had before, and I like her style. She only made us do the position I despise once. The other two instructors I have do that one repeatedly. Like a billion times per class. It challenges me but I just dread it.

I am hoping that the exercise/stretching will do the trick to help me sleep better. Between the heat (which I keep telling myself to stop complaining about but is beating me down huge) and this semi-restless-leg-general-uncomfortable feeling I have been getting a little down.

That said, I don't have any pain anywhere and in every other aspect I feel great.

I have been consciously relaxing when I have Braxton-Hicks contractions and it is really interesting! BH are not painful in the least; however relaxing really changes the way they feel! Through this exercise I am gaining a better understanding of how relaxation can reduce the intensity of labour. I notice that when I feel the tightening inside I automatically tense my abdominal muscles against it. When I release my abdominal muscles, then the tightness inside becomes more like something I am observing than something I am experiencing. I think that's the way to describe it.

6 Months Pregnant

I've been thinking I was five months pregnant, assuming four weeks for every month. Which made me feel like my "five month" belly was really quite big. (Sorry there are no new belly photos! Soon, soon...) But it turns out I'm actually six months pregnant, which makes me feel like my belly is more appropriately shaped.

This method of counting weeks and months is so confusing. Starting with the fact that we start counting weeks two full weeks before the baby is even conceived! So though I'm just about 24 weeks pregnant, the baby has only been growing for 22 weeks.

Anyway so I'll be six months until 26 weeks, then my third trimester and seventh month begins at 27 weeks- the day we fly to Winnipeg!

23 Weeks

Your baby has now reached the 1-pound mark and measures about 11 inches long. You may be smaller or larger than other people that are 23 weeks pregnant, but what is important is that you have steady growth and that you are taking care of yourself.

This week your baby’s nostrils will open and the enamel that will cover baby’s teeth is forming. Surfactant, which is a substance that helps the lungs expand after birth, has begun to develop and the air sacs inside the lungs are growing.

All the nerve cells are all in place now and will begin to join together to fully form a nervous system. Baby is moving around a lot now, and you’re probably feeling the full force of their movements. This daily movement helps them work out their developing muscles.

Keep eating a healthy diet, including calcium and iron. Your baby’s bones are absorbing calcium as quickly as they can so they can be strong and healthy at birth. Fat is continuing to accumulate, but the skin still appears very wrinkly. Once your baby has filled out a little the skin will appear less loose.

Wee3 is moving around quite a lot these days. Nobody has had patience to wait with a hand on my belly long enough to feel the movements yet. We can feel harder head- or -bum shaped areas from time to time which really brings into perspective how big this baby is getting!

That said, it's hard to imagine that baby and belly have a full four months of growing left to do! I am on the brink of losing sight of my feet. Soon the personal grooming is going to start to go downhill.

With it being so hot, and therefore a narrow window for walking outside, and the yoga studio being closed because of the flu, my exercising has been minimal this week. Gotta get back at it!

22 Weeks

Your baby weighs about 13 ounces now and measures about 9 inches long. They are very thin, but completely developed at this point! Fat will continue to accumulate from here on out as your baby packs on the pounds getting ready for birth.

The bones inside the ears are hardening and so their hearing becomes more clear. They can distinguish between different sounds such as your voice and heartbeat. Eyes are developed now, but there isn’t any pigment in the colored part. Teeth buds appear beneath the gum line and the lips are completely developed and distinct from the rest of the face.

Lungs are developing. Right now, the lungs cannot transfer oxygen to the bloodstream, but by birth the lungs will be ready. The senses continue to develop at this time and your baby may experiment with touch by stroking their own face. White blood cells are forming now so that your baby can help fight illness and infections.

The pancreas and liver are developing now. The pancreas produces hormones and the liver breaks down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells. Hand strength is very good now and the skin is pink and wrinkly. As the baby gains more weight the skin will become less transparent and wrinkled.

Things are going well. No real complaints. For some reason I don't need extra pillows for sleeping anymore. Sleep is generally pretty good. I'm quite adept at sleepwalking to the bathroom. I've been napping in the afternoons, but it's because I've been going to bed a little too late.

My belly is starting to peek out of the bottom of some of my shirts! I don't remember that happening until later in my other pregnancies. I guess Andrew and I should put together another belly photo shoot!

This morning I woke up feeling quite well rested and energetic. Then after I got out of the shower I felt completely drained, heavy, short of breath, desperate to sit or lay down. This happened once before a few weeks ago. I am guessing it was a low blood pressure moment? They both passed after a short while.

I took out my navel piercing the other day. My belly button is starting to become an outie. The kids are fascinated.

I'm still hungry a lot. We eat supper around 6:30, then I have a healthy snack or two at about 8:30 or 9:00. But often when I get into bed my stomach is growling! At that point I feel like I need sleep more than food so I just push through, though I have been known to get up and make toast.

I don't feel or feel like I look any fatter, but the scale says about 11 lbs now.

We have made some progress on names. I don't know if we've found "the one", but we have found a girl name that we all like. But it's a secret ;)

A blogger I follow, Rixa, had her second baby on Sunday. He was born at home, in water. She has just posted photos, no real details yet, but the photos tell the story of the hopes I have for our upcoming birth. Undisturbed by medical interventions or hustle and bustle, mother catching baby, everything allowed to proceed at its own pace. Doesn't she look beautiful in the closeup of her face when the baby is emerging?

20 Weeks

Your baby now weighs about 9 ½ ounces and measures about 6 ½ inches long. You’re halfway through your pregnancy and baby is very active by now! Over the next few weeks the baby will move so much that it may be hard to sleep. This will continue until it gets very crowded for the baby. Babies that are born at 20 weeks have a 50% chance of survival.

From now until your little one is about five years old the brain is developing very quickly. Nerve cells that have already developed are making complex connections and sensory perception development peaks this week.

Little boy’s testes will begin dropping from the pelvis into the scrotum. Legs have getting close to the final length and are very proportionate at this point. The skeleton is getting harder and the hands are getting stronger. Babies will blink more now and the lunago (fine hair that covers the body) is very thick around the head, neck and face. Hair on the scalp is growing as well.


My belly is definitely getting bigger and my pelvis seems to be adjusting accordingly as I have been having some lower back discomfort and some pain on the inside of my legs when I move certain ways. I have to organize myself more carefully now when I sit or lie down. When I am sleeping I have an extra pillow propping up the side of my belly and supporting my upper leg. My slouching days are over when I am seated. I am starting to use the balance ball to sit on or lean over while I watch tv and I may soon start using it as an office chair while I'm at the computer. I can still see my toes though!

I am wearing almost all maternity clothes now, though I do also wear some larger sizes of pants which I bought after Micah was born to take me through that awkward postnatal period before I found my way back to prepregnancy size and weight. I also have some too-big maternity clothes waiting in the wings.

I am feeling more hungry now, which also tells me that the baby is gaining weight.

Eva told me the other day that God told her the baby would be born on Sunday. I said, "Hopefully not THIS Sunday!". It will be very interesting to see whether a baby girl is indeed born to us on a Sunday.