5 weeks to go!

How far along? 35 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 24 pounds....a FOUR pound weight gain this week????  WTF?!?!  I haven't changed my eating at all and have been so busy and active.  I blame this on swelling, but I DON'T like it one bit!

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? There is one little spot on my right hip that I can't tell if it's a stretch mark in the making or not.  Other than that, none.

Sleep:  Not too bad...only getting up 2-3 times per night these days.  I am sleeping for about 3 hour stretches, which seems amazing. 

Best moment this week:  Definitely the acupuncture I had done last Thursday.  It was HEAVEN!  Best thing I've ever done for myself in my life!  I started going last week to try to get this baby girl to turn....yes she's still breech.  No luck after the 1st treatment, so I go back again today and Thursday this week.

Movement: She's always very active, but she's been even more active since my acupuncture session last week.  She will get her head all the way to eat side of my belly, but so far, no flip-a-roo.  Stubborn girl!

Food cravings: Seafood and pretty much anything that doesn't aggravate my heartburn.

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs

  

Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Nothing new to report.  Still contracting a lot during the day, but nothing new.  Still taking Procardia 3-5 times per day, but this is my last week for that.  I'll stop the Procardia at 36 weeks.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but getting pretty flat.

What I miss: Feeling "not swollen."  The swelling has really kicked into high gear this week.  Mostly my feet, ankles and legs, but it's super annoying and uncomfortable.  My maternity jeans started to feel tight in the legs today and I don't approve!

What I am looking forward to: My Pottery Barn piece will be delivered tomorrow, my acupuncture today and Thursday, my doctor's appointment on Thursday, my pregnancy photo shoot on Thursday and my massage on Friday.  Guess it's a bit of a busy, but pampered, week. 

  

Milestones: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

34 weeks

How far along? 34 weeks (and 1 day)

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 20 pounds...oh sweet Lord!!  I'm getting dangerously close to my goal weight gain of 25 pounds.  I don't like that. 

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? Nada.

Sleep:  Not too bad...only getting up 2-3 times per night these days.  I am sleeping for about 3 hour stretches, which seems amazing. 

Best moment this week:  I've been really productive and getting lots of things done in the baby's room and around the house.  It feels good to be getting things together and in order, but I'm still not ready for her to come yet!

Movement: I don't feel as many "kicking" movements now, but more pushing and stretching from both her head and limbs.  She's still breech and I have my 1st acupuncture treatment tomorrow morning to hopefully help her turn to vertex.

Food cravings: Fresh fruit and McDonald's french fries.  Great combo, right?

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs

  

Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Nothing new to report.  Still contracting a lot during the day, but nothing new.  Still taking Procardia 3-5 times per day.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but getting so much more flat. 

What I miss: Walking without waddling AND without my feet swelling.  New development this week....super cankles.  YIKES!

What I am looking forward to: My Pottery Barn piece will be delivered next Wednesday and then I feel like I can really get the nursery together.  My glider and ottoman should be here in the next few days also.  It WILL come together!

  

Milestones: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 18 pounds...at least I didn't gain anything this week!

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? Nada...I adore my BioOil!

Sleep:  Not too bad...only getting up 2-3 times per night these days.  I am sleeping for about 3 hour stretches, which seems amazing. 

Best moment this week:  I had many great moments this week.  I had my work baby shower and I'm always blown away by how sweet and generous all of my amazing co-workers are.  Along with all of the clothes, towels, pacifers, etc. they also got me my ENTIRE Chicco Travel System (carseat, base AND stroller) AND my video monitor!!  I mean, are you kidding me?  How amazing for a new mom to be surrounded by such love and generosity!  Also, my SIL Sarah picked up my crib for me and brought it over yesterday and helped me put it together.  Finally some furniture in the baby's room!!  I'm still waiting on the mattress to get here, but it should arrive on Thursday.  Here's a pic of the crib (sans mattress) with the quilt my sister made me: [pic coming soon]

Movement: Still tons of movement and ninja kicks and punches and hiccups.  But at work on Saturday I talked one of the MFM docs to scan me for fun and this baby girl is BREECH!!  UGH!  Stubborn baby!  Mommy says stand on your head!

Food cravings: Nothing in particular this week.  Still loving avocado, of course.

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs

  

Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Nothing new to report.  Still contracting a lot during the day, but nothing new.  Still taking Procardia 3-5 times per day.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but getting so much more flat. 

What I miss: Walking without waddling and standing up and walking without feeling like I'm going to pee on myself all the time.

What I am looking forward to: My Pottery Barn piece being delivered sometime this week or early next week.  Also, looking forward to the mattress being delivered so maybe I can get ONE thing in that room ready.

  

Milestones: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her 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 her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Oh, my little jicama. (32 weeks!!!!)

How far along? 32 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 18 pounds...eeek!  Better lay off the salt and fast food!

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? Nada...I adore my BioOil!

Sleep:  Not too bad...only getting up 2-3 times per night these days.  I am sleeping for about 3 hour stretches, which seems amazing. 

Best moment this week:  I had my first baby shower this past weekend and it was really fun!  Baby Girl got so many nice things and it was nice to get together with family and friends that I don't get to see all that often.  In other news, I finally decided on a crib last night and purchased it!  This was such a relief!  After stressing about a crib that met all of my "requirements" for the last few months, I feel like the "right one" just fell into my lap.  All my crib shopping/stress was complicated by a few obstacles over the last few months.  First, one custom furniture company went out of business, which sent me back to the drawing board on a crib.  Then after more stress and searching, I settled on a crib I didn't love and didn't meet all my "requirements," but would do.  When I went online a few days ago, I found this crib had been discontinued, which started my process all over again.....for the THIRD TIME!!  I am so glad it's finally over!  Now just to get that crib in my house....

 

Here is the stock picture of the purchased crib.  It's the Vista from Sorelle in French White.

Movement: Still lots of movement.  My doctor agreed with me that she thought she had turned head down last week, but I still haven't had an ultrasound to confirm this, so I'm still a tad nervous that she's still breech.

Food cravings: Salads and fruit this week.  What?!?!  Where did these healthy cravings come from?

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs

  

Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  My cervix was still long and closed and posterior last week and my fetal fibronectin was negative again, so that was all good news.  I did get orders to increase my Procardia as needed (another perk of being a nurse).  So, I'm taking that about 4-5 times a day now. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but getting so much more flat.  If I go my remaining 8 weeks, I think it will definitely get completely flat.

What I miss: Walking without waddling and standing up and walking without feeling like I'm going to pee on myself all the time.

What I am looking forward to: My baby furniture getting delivered soon and my work baby shower on Friday!

  

Milestones: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) 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.