Week 41? Week 41? I thought that babies were "done" after only 40 weeks. Well it turns out that the first rule about pregnancy is that there are no rules. Today, Alyssa is now officially 1 week overdue or as we like to think of it, "balancing out the average".
We went to our midwife appointment today and are happy to report that the baby got a clean bill of health. So now we continue to wait again, still.
Today is Alyssa's due date! Let me repeat that… TODAY IS ALYSSA'S DUE DATE! It's weeks 40 and the little man cub has yet to show his face.
BTW, this week's BIG BELLY TUESDAY theme is because a few weeks ago Alyssa joked saying "what's next, are you going to put me in space"? With this possibly being the last week, I just had to. :)
We're almost reached our goal. There's just one week to go until Alyssa's expected due date of December 16th. Mom and Dad are counting the hours.
It's week 38 and there are just two weeks to go! Well, I guessed December 8th, so according to my estimation, there's only one week. In any case, today we went out and got our Christmas tree (hence the "Christmas Tree Edition").
In other news, Alyssa's getting BIG and Merle doesn't know what to think of it. Woof!
This week's Big Belly Tuesday comes to you from the Land of Enchantment.
Today marks week 36 or in other words, only 4 more weeks! And to celebrate, this week's Big Belly Tuesday also includes a video for your viewing pleasure.
The midwife and assistant came to the house today for a home visit. They did the normal checkup - urine dip all normal, blood pressure 108/60, heart tones good (150s) and the baby is head down, still. They also checked out the supply kit I had ordered and got the layout of the house for when the big day comes. (Homebirth "supplies" includes things like an umbilical clamp, newborn hats and various things that absorb stuff...you can get ANYTHING on the internet.) My fundal height (i.e. baby containing portion of belly) is measuring 37.5 cm which translates to 37.5 weeks, which could mean he is a little big or it could mean nothing...he is likely not small though. I asked if they thought I might go early, considering size and the fact that I have lots of contractions now. The old wives' tale she used to see how long I would go said that it would be 3 more weeks, which would be early but within full term. (The test is how many of the mother's fingers fit between the xyphoid process and the top of the uterus. I fit 3.) We'll see! Overall, it was pretty exciting to finally have the home visit. From now on I have weekly visits at the office.
Also, as of today, here is the assortment of evening pills. In addition to taking a daily prenatal, nutribiotics (basically grapefruit seed extract) and DHA supplement, it's time to add alfalfa and evening primrose oil to the line up. Alfalfa contains vitamin K, which is important for coagulation, thus limiting bleeding after birth. Evening primrose oil prepares the cervix to let the kid through nice and easy. It is used more aggressively to induce labor if one gets to 41 weeks or so. In addition, I'm drinking as much red raspberry leaf tea as humanly possible, which is supposed to support all over uterine health. When not drinking tea, I'm to drink as much water as humanly possible. Dehydration is the most preventable problem that can occur during labor and birth, so I'm on that one.
From babycenter.com:
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. 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.
This Tuesday we are in New Jersey visiting Peter, Kristen and the kids. This will be our last trip before our self imposed travel embargo.
This week, Tuesday falls on election day. So I present to you this Big Belly Tuesday Election Day "Special Edition".
(click to view larger)
It's week 32 and the belly is getting bigger than ever! Little Sparky is moving around more and more with Alien-like acrobatics.
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
We're a little late with last week's belly shot,so this week we're posting weeks 30 and 31 together. The side by side format is kinda nice, actually.
Standard morning jammies shot.
Because maternity jeans are HOT if you know how to work 'em.
Full frontal.
And the popular profile shots.
This is already the preferred state of things according to the furry children. I guess we'll lump the kid on the lap somewhere.
I've grown a lot in the last few weeks. I can't sit on the floor anymore without my feet falling asleep within minutes. I finally NEED to wear maternity clothes. I am starting to be uncomfortable sleeping - lots of waking up to toss and turn during the night. Still don't have a huge appetite. I'm hungry in the morning when I wake up and I eat cereal and eggs and sausage right away. Otherwise, I eat because I know I have to. I do crave sweets now, though (finally!). Baby is kicking and punching and squirming with even more strength just in the last week. Still getting used to calling him a 'he'! Having a hard time imagining 15 more weeks of this growing...although the way it's been going I'm also afraid it will fly by.
The nursery is fully painted - Donavon finished it yesterday. I've measured for curtains and am still plotting which fabric from my stash to use.
The baby party is October 11 and plans are in motion! Exciting.
It's getting bigger...
23 weeks - How your baby is growing: Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.
