33/40! 7 weeks to go ..or maybe 4, 5, 6...

photo credit

photo credit

Your baby weighs about 4.4 pounds at this point. The crown-to-rump length of your baby is approximately 12 inches and the total length is around 19.4 inches. Measuring from the top of your uterus to your bellybutton is 5.2 inches. Total weight gain at this point of pregnancy is usually 22 to 28 pounds.

• had another midwife appointment today ...next one dec 28
• got my hemoglobin redone as part of routine follow up (not sure what the results are, but I doubt it's low as I don't feel majorly any different from previous history)
• blood pressure 112/78
• baby's head is down, and definitely most of the body is on my right side
• baby's heart rate 150 bpm (im pretty sure the tim hortons hot chocolate I had 15 minutes prior had something to do with this rate! woops)
• fundus measuring at 34cm or is it inches?! anyhow, all she said was "34, good" and it should match up with your gestational period +/- a week or so
• my weight this week is at 173.6lbs (last checkup 172.2lbs)...for the way i've been eating, this is not only awesome, but also detrimental as this makes me somewhat less worried about how much im stuffing my face. but, WHATEVER
• and basically, i got the impression that my midwife was a little worried about my lack of questions about the steps coming up ...i think she's getting the idea that im one of those people that will just "wing it" LOL ...so she gave me a binder of stuff i should read, baby's best chance, as well as recommended I take a prenatal class or get a doula.  Im going to read all this stuff for sure, but she's somewhat right...i'm just going to wing it, but with some sort background education.  Really, do i need to wrap myself around all the info and get super paranoid and worried? nurses who took the prenatal course said it was stuff they already knew...and more for the layman. oh well...i really should think of Gene (I guess) and tell him what to expect. Can't be doing L&D alone! Or can I? as really, it's me and my coping skills right? or no, "no man's an island!" hmmmmm.... things to think about

With the exception of crying, your baby is capable of doing everything that a newborn baby will do. Your baby is restricted now inside of the uterus, but still can kick and move. Your baby sleeps a lot of the time, just as newborn babies do. Your baby's eyes move in the manner of REM sleep and researchers believe that babies can dream vividly in uterus. When your baby is awake, she is listening, feeling and learning. There are billions of neurons in the brain that make trillions of connections. Your baby will probably have settled into the birth position by now and your caregiver can most likely tell which way your baby is presenting. If your baby were to be born now, the lungs would probably be strong enough to function properly, but your baby may still need extra care from specially trained doctors and nurses.

• ok so i had one paranoid moment this week when i didn't feel the baby move/kick first thing in the morning, which is really a standard pattern now. i did a lot of poking, shaking, drinking of cold fluids, and eating sugar to wake the baby up. which of course he did...later on the afternoon.  I wonder if a baby that doesn't move constantly in the belly makes for a chill/relaxed newborn?
• baby's movements are definitely strong though not frequent. it is what it is! I can definitely feel the baby higher up in the abdomen like in my diaphragm area, rib cage, and ive actually felt and realized that im quite winded every now and then.  The heartburn though isn't anything significant...i dont think i had any major food related heartburn episodes this week ....sweet!
• maybe it's getting tighter in this belly but im not feeling and seeing some more frequent movements on my upper abdomen, right side of my abdomen, and of course feeling it in the lower abdomen. i think it's getting tight in there!

During these last few weeks of pregnancy, most women experience an increased urge to urinate. The uterus puts a lot of pressure on the bladder and can send you to the restroom frequently. Your uterus has actually grown 500 times throughout your pregnancy! Red blood cell production catches up with the production of plasma and physiological anemia may begin to fade at this time.

• i dont think i need to urinate more than usual...or maybe i'm just used having to urinate frequently in general that it doesn't seem significant?!

Your baby's eyes open during alert times and close during sleep. The eye color is usually blue, regardless of the permanent color as pigmentation is not fully developed. The final formation of eye pigmentation requires exposure to light and usually happens a few weeks after birth.

• i wonder what my baby's eye color will be?!?!?!?!?!
• if i turn to a direction where you can see my left side...there's unfortunately stretchmarks...mildly worse than last week and i can even see it near my navel. can't really be seen though if you look at my belly head on. again, i'll just have to say, WHATEVER!!
• no major linea nigra changes
• since it's Christmas shopping time, ive been out and about for long periods...guess what that does? Sore back at the end of the day! it doesnt linger forever though as after a good nights sleep, back pain is gone, and ready for another day of shopping!
• havent been doing any yoga this week...oops! womp womp

• i've been taking SIPS of coke every day. well, really i blame this on 1) me- for buying that case of coke, and 2) gene for having a float every night where then i allow myself to be tempted to take a sip of coke. Is this a craving? i used to drink diet pepsi pre-pregnancy but because im trying to stay away from the whole aspertame thing while pregnant, i've been going for the real deal pop. im drinking it because it's there...and thus i want it. again, WHATEVER. it tastes good and feels so good down the throat! i think i even close my eyes as it goes down my throat...it just feels that good! LOL!

• as for BABY HAUL: my mom came to visit and told her i was going to sleep in my room, and baby in the other room and she FREAKED out. her reaction really made me feel aggravated.  I made the mistake of saying, "i didn't want to be attached to the baby." which of  course she interpreted in every wrong way possible ...when I really meant, im not going to feel paranoid about this baby and i'll be vigilant/diligent in my own way but still maintaining some sort of normalcy in my life. Again, all my mom heard was "not attached" and became one of those people that talk over you in their high pitched voices and cannot be reasoned with. I continue to be really annoyed actually to this day...and even now as i feel my upper body tighten! argh! anyhow, this freak out of hers really makes me wonder how much I want to discuss with my mom in terms of parenting style. i think im just going to do what im going to do and ask for advice if i need it, but take the unsolicited ones through the edit/critical thinking machine. of course, there is the point of her knowing more, and "good intentions," and "motherly instincts" as she obviously went through all this before and obviously raised us...but there are some things that are old school, outdated, and really depends on the individual mom right?! anyhow, i HAD to buy a bassinet so my mom can sleep at night or prevent her from having a coronary.  I emailed the fact to my parents just so I can be left alone! Argh!
• because i didnt want to dismantle the crib and put it in my room, i bought this jolly jumper moses basket and bassinet stand from craigslist. it was an awesome deal considering it's in excellent shape, and will probably be used for less than 6 months depending on the size/length growth of the baby (my mom expects me to sleep with the baby in my room for at least a year! WTF!)
• on another note though, again, i don't know what ill be like after birth...maybe i WILL be that paranoid person? and then ill be thanking my mom for FREAKING OUT as well as take back my angry response at her reaction hahaha. we'll see...
• and last but not least, i hauled OUT about 10+ garbage bags full of stuff to the garbage or donation bins this week. some major major nesting happening! It feels great...didn't know I had so much room in the house!

How your life's changing:

As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

• im not sure if im waddling, but my walk is definitely different at times. and yes, the belly is protruding and it's hard to reach and or bend down for things!

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.  Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

• no issues with carpal tunnel. but when ive been walking around for a bit, i do feel my hands are more swollen nearing the end of the day. of course, i attribute this to gravity as my hands are obviously dangling on my sides. i have no problems putting my rings/watch on or anything like that
• it's been a great week!