Alrighty, welcome to week 36! People, the countdown is nearly over. Can you believe it?! We are honeydew melon status this week and only getting bigger, so hear goes!
The Facts – Baby’s head is specially designed to travel through the cervix and pelvis. The bones in the skull aren’t fused together yet; this loose construction makes baby’s head very shapeable so it can squeeze through the birth canal without harming them or myself. The bones will gradually fuse over the first year of life. Little one weighs approximately between 4.2- to 5.8- pounds this week and measures nearly 19-21inches. Baby will continue to develop about a half ounce of fat a day. Baby has a few final developments taking place in week 37:
- Immune system. It continues to strengthen and will continue to get stronger after birth yet will not be completely functional until early adulthood.
- Dexterity. Your baby can now grasp with her fingers as dexterity improves.
Baby’s shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his or her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected little one’s skin during the nine-month amniotic bath. Fun fact: baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his or her first bowel movement. – I guess that’s where all those hiccups come from!
The Baby – The baby is doing everything! I’m convinced its trying to break right out of my belly, lol! Again, as I say every week this kid is STRONG! Baby is head down according to my PA, so that means I get head butts to the bladder and kicks to my upper stomach and ribs. I’m certain that baby saved up all its energy for now, versus in earlier times, because it is extremely active. They say baby’s movements slow this late in the third trimester, because they run out of room. Well this little guy or girl is quite clever, because he or she finds a way to move sooo much from the same position. Baby hasn’t changed positions in weeks, but sure does a lot of movement from that position. I’m loving all the strong movements, including the hiccups in my butt, lol! Yep, that’s right, that’s where I feel them…well there and in my lower pelvis. It’s the funniest, weirdest feeling, but it’s a good thing, because it means that baby is practicing breathing. – Preparing even more for life outside the womb.
Me – Can we say that my hips are just gonna fall off! I get sharp pains to my hips several times a day due to baby descending down and my pelvis widening for this to take place. It literally makes me gasp, because the sensation is so intense. Sleeping has actually gotten a little more comfortable, my appetite is returning to its fullness, and the insomnia is wearing off. I am in partial nesting mode too, but not full, because with working full-time its hard to really nest. Fortunately, no crazy symptoms of pre-term labor, but I’m still have the Braxton Hicks throughout the day. The tend to last longer, but I’m not sure if they are any more intense than they were last week. I start weekly appointments going forward, so I’m excited to see where I’m at on a weekly basis now. Last appointment my PA said I wasn’t dilated or effaced yet, but that baby was at a –3 station and that my cervix was soft. I have baby’s bag packed, I just need to do my own, so if things start to pop off I’m pretty much ready to go.
Hubs – He’s such a trooper, but he’s ready for me to not be pregnant anymore. Hubs did an excellent job putting together our pack n’ play and swinger (we just need to put batteries in it!) last weekend. We went and took maternity pics today, which was really fun and relieving for the both of us that we beat the clock and took them before baby decides to come. All hubs (& I) have to do is install the carseat and we are good to go for having things ready for the baby.
Its on to 37 weeks pregnant next week everyone! Although many consider 37 weeks full-term, I feel more comfortable saying that 38 weeks in full-term. If for some reason baby decides to want to come earlier than 38 weeks or my due date, although I don’t anticipate it, I’ll update via Twitter and/or Facebook.
That’s all for now folks!
Happy bumping!
xxoo,
You’re almost there!!!! I hope you have a very relaxing last couple of weeks of pregnancy!!
Thx so much! I’m trying! 🙂
I LOVE the melon picture, how creative.
Best of luck! I can’t even imagine how many emotions are going on in your head!
All the best,
Hannah
The Lemon Hive
—Making the best of the small moments, creatively.–
http://www.thelemonhive.com
Thanks so much! I take a weekly picture of my belly in comparison to what fruit my pregnancy apps say the baby is the size of. Its crazy I have something as big as a melon in my body, lol! And yes…I got through a plethora of emotions throughout the day, most of them are good, but every so often reality hits and I get a little anxious.
If your little one is hard on your hips, best advice I can give you is to find the very best chiropractor in your area and get adjusted a few times in the first week or two after birth. You want to do it while the hormone relaxin is still circulating in your bloodstream and keep doing it until it’s gone (takes 2-3 weeks or so). Otherwise, you may find yourself with hip pain for a long time. I didn’t get adjusted after baby #6 and I couldn’t walk properly until after #7 when the hormones let me get adjusted back into place.
Wow, its amazing you have 7, I’m just working on getting #1 out! Hats off to you! 🙂 Fortunately, the hip pain is on and off, and as long as I keep my legs elevated that seems to help. I’ll have to check out a chiropractor for sure, sounds like an excellent idea getting adjusted and realigned.