And according to Dr. Go.ggle:
How your baby's growing:
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. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.
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.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
How your life's changing:
Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!
And according to Julie:
The words have been uttered this week... it feels like a bowling ball is pressing down between my legs. I laughed when I read that today because I have definitely felt that pressure and the lovely back pain that seems to accompany it.
So... lets see. We moved. We both got a lovely cold. We didn't have Internet for bit so that is why we haven't updated but all is well. Colds are almost gone. We've had many a doctors appointments.... highlights are:
- baby Abby is measuring 36 weeks on the nose
- estimated weight as of yesterday is 6 lbs 9 oz
- fluid level is dropping from an 11 last week to a 7 this week so if it goes lower (below a 5)next week we might end up being induced before we expected - watch for an update Tuesday
- she passes her non stress tests with flying colors - which is twice a week now
- she has moved in position for birth - head down and facing my spine - and she has dropped into the pelvis - hence the bowling ball effect
- blood pressure this week has been the lowest its been in my pregnancy - actually in the normal range
- blood sugar has been excellent the last few weeks
- Cervix is getting ready...moved forward and soft... so at least something is happening!
- her room is ALMOST ready - most everything is washed - the crib is put together (great job Daddy!) just a bit more work
- There can not be one single thing this child needs...seriously we've covered it all! Or it seems like it!
- Mommy might be nesting - organize and make things perfect...is it too late to paint?
- Mommy says Abby LOVES chocolate ice cream and she must have it every day (smores or rocky road are recommended choices)
- Bad news that the cousins can't visit at all at the hospital - thank you h1.n1
- Probably not more than three weeks to go!
- Mommy cries a lot when she thinks about that!
- Both Mommy and Daddy can't wait to see, hold, snuggle, kiss and just love on baby Abby!
- Daddy is still the champ of getting a response from Abby - even better than the buzzer to wake her up at the doctors office...all he has to do is start talking to her and she reacts.
- Mommy's favorite nurse is working tomorrow night...and she likes the idea of a Halloween B-day (what fun b-day parties!) So maybe Abby wants to be born tomorrow?
