Length: 17.2 inches (43.7cm) Weight: 4.23 pounds (1918gm)
What's going on with us:
On Wednesday of this past week, we had another ultrasound. The two moms joined us for the appointment! It was great to get to see him again. We found out that he weighted approximately 3 lbs 15 ounces (almost 4 lbs!!!). There is plenty of amniotic fluid for him to float in. AND.......he's HEAD DOWN!!! Yea!!! It is not for sure that he will stay this way, but it's a good thing! The pictures that you get this late in the game aren't nearly as good as the pictures that we had from his 20 week ultrasound. He's getting pretty cramped in there. He was pretty cute though. He had his hand resting underneath his chin---looked very peaceful in there. We'll try to scan and post the pictures soon.
He's been doing a lot of kicking this week on my left ribs. The movements definitely feel stronger than than have in the past (which I've read is because there is less amniotic fluid than there has been in the past because he is getting so big). I've also felt a lot of pressure where his head is.
There were a few days this week where I was especially tired and run down, but other than that I'm doing well. I'm still really enjoying my daily elliptical runs and weight lifting routine! Check out my belly this week:
This weekend, my parents came over. My dad and J.D. spent the day working on several home improvement projects all over the house. My mom and I ran some baby errands, washed almost all of the clothes we have (Thanks Torrey and Jay for giving us so many!), put them in the dresser, and put the sheets on the crib! Everything is coming together and looks incredible! I want to do a few more things and then I'll post updated pictures!
Our childbirth class is continuing to go well. We practice the different breathing techniques while holding an ice cube in our hand or on our wrist for two minutes (which if you haven't ever tried it is very painful). We did guided imagery last week, which seemed to be very helpful. I have figured out that Charlottesville is by far one of my favorite relaxing places to day dream about!
Today we had a breastfeeding class, which did seem informative, but also very overwhelming. Thank you to Mom and J.D. for your support in coming to parts of the class!
On a non-pregnancy related note: J.D. and Ryan have been coaching a 6th grade basketball team this past season. Their team has really improved tremendously (thanks to their brilliant coaching!). They got 2nd place in the regular season and 2nd place in the tournament! Way to go guys! I have loved going to every game (with the exception of today due to the breastfeeding class) and watching them coach! Thanks to Joel, Suz, Mom, and Dad for coming to some games to support them also! I can't wait until the day when J.D. can coach our little guy.....
Information about the baby:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
Your baby's crown-to-rump length is about 11 1/2 inches. She weighs about 4 1/2 pounds and gains about eight ounces every week. Your baby has probably moved to the head-down position and may descend into your pelvis at any time in the next six weeks and begin to press into your cervix. This position not only prepares her for birth but allows blood to flow to her developing brain. The dark quiet of your womb is perfect for this activity. Right now, your baby is also in the process of receiving your antibodies. If she were born right now, her immune system would be immature, and extra care would need to be taken to keep her in a sterile environment.
- Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.
- Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
- Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give him the skills he needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, he may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
- While most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
- You baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
- If your baby is a boy, his testicles will be descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Sometimes one or both testicles won't move into position until after birth.
- Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).
What's going on with me:
With midnight bathroom runs, leg cramps, heartburn, and your basketball-sized belly, it's no wonder sleep is elusive. Third-trimester insomnia strikes about three-quarters of pregnant women (who may also be coping with a mind that races all night long). But your body needs rest, so do your best to get comfy. Grab a pile of pillows, wedge them where you need to, and look on the bright side: Pregnancy insomnia is great training for those sleepless nights to come! Your baby is still gaining weight (about half a pound a week), and she could grow up to another full inch this week. With that much baby inside your uterus, your amniotic fluid level has maxed out, which explains why some of her pokes and kicks feel pretty sharp these days. (There's less fluid to cushion the blows.) Antibodies are being passed from you to your little one as she continues to develop her own fetal immune system, which will come in handy once she's outside the womb and fending off all sorts of germs.
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