This week's debate: SPORTS. Mommy and Daddy have been debating on what should / shouldn't be considered a "sport." Mommy insists that Dancing, Cheering, and Gymnastics are sports while Daddy disagrees (he insists that I will not take dance lessons because it's "boring," while Mommy insists that I will take dance classes and Daddy will love it because he gets to watch my cute self dance!). Last week at the Labor class the instructor announced that a woman's body needs a lot of water because it goes through the same amount of stress as a marathon runner. Daddy said, "It's still not a sport." Isn't he just hilarious!? The instructor also told them that at the 6-week postpartum check up, Mommy's uterus will be back to it's pre-pregnancy size. Isn't that incredible! I'd like to see a football player do that!
What's going on with Mommy?
More frequent Braxton Hicks contractions... Mommy likes her exercise ball when these suckers hit because it takes the pressure of her hips and back, which helps the contractions go away (or at least not be painful).
Mommy has also been experiencing some pelvic pain, (aka- round ligament pain) coming back now that I am starting to descend. Mommy's body releases hormones that trigger her connective tissue to loosen and soften to make it easier for me to exit (the same reason why my bones and cartilage are soft right now). Mommy finds relief by taking a nice relaxing bath, this also helps with her swollen hands and feet.
With my increase in size comes an increase in size of Mommy's belly... which means stretching. Mommy has felt itchy and like she cannot possibly get any bigger! To help with the itching and help prevent those not-so-lovely stretch marks, she lathers on the lotion... something Daddy likes to help with, too.
She's back to having sleeping issues, mostly due to the tingling in Mommy's hands due to swelling and waking up multiple times a night to potty.
This week Mommy's cervix is starting to prepare for my exit, so it is more sensitive now and may even be starting to dilate a little.
What's going on with Me?
It is my last week as a Honeydew Melon, any guesses on how big I will be next week?? I'll give you a hint: This fruit is packed with vitamin C and is also Mommy's favorite Summer fruit!
Since it is getting SUPER cramped in my house these days, I have not been moving around like I used to. Mommy doesn't feel the cute flutterings of me dancing, rather sharp elbow and knee jabs every once in a while and a lot of squirming around. I think she likes it when my booty makes a big bump in her belly, she always asks Daddy if he wants to give the first spankin'! Of course he says "Absolutely not!"
I am shedding most of my baby fur this week as well as that velveeta cheese stuff (vernix caseosa). This sounds gross, but when this stuff sheds it will go into the amniotic fluid and since I am practicing my breathing and digestive skills, I will swallow it and it will become my first poopy-- a tarry black poop called meconium.
My skin is getting smooth and soft, though I may be a little wrinkly and dry depending on when I arrive -- the stuff that is shedding was protecting me from the fluids in my house, but now that I'm shedding, my skin will be affected by the fluids possibly making it flakey.
My gums have also formed ridges.
As of last week, I am still head down, lowering into Mommy's pelvis. This is both good news and not so good news to Mommy. The good news is she can breathe easier! The not so good news is that she has to potty more because I'm squishing her bladder.
The Dr did not take my weight last week because she was more concerned about the amount of amniotic fluid in Mommy's uterus (which is normal, by the way) since Mommy has been swelling really bad and her blood pressure was a little high over the weekend. The Dr said that everything was fine and dandy at the appointment, but to keep a watch on Mommy's blood pressure and any other sudden symptoms.
This week I am between 17 and 19 inches long and weigh about 4.5 to 5.8 pounds (according to the books Mommy's reading). Mommy is going to guess I'm closer to a little over 5 pounds based on how I have been growing, but maybe we will find out for sure at next week's appointment. My heartbeat is still probably faster than Mommy's, beating between 110 to 160 beats per minute (Mommy's beats about 120 times per minute).
If I were born this week, I could probably breathe on my own since most of my systems have developed (my liver and kidneys are developed and circulation and immune systems are pretty much ready for world outside of Mommy's belly). But Mommy, Daddy, and I would rather me stay put for a few more weeks to make sure I am as developed and healthy as possible (though this is hard for Mommy, since all she wants to do is hold and kiss me after this long journey!). Mommy has been kind of emotional lately. I think it's a mixture of little sleep, getting more and more miserable since she is getting bigger and bigger each day, she feels like all of the pregnancy symptoms bombarded her at once, and she is getting anxious to see me. Don't worry, Mommy... you will get to hold me soon! Only 4 more weeks to go.
See you all next week!
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