What's up with baby in week 36: she is preparing for birth. She has moved into the head down position. I can tell because I have noticed more pressure on my bladder and feet kicking me in the ribs.
What's up with mom: sorry if this is gross, but I am happy to report that I am 1 cm dilated. At my doctor's appointment this week, my pelvic exam revealed that my body is getting ready down there for birth. I am also 25% effaced. I learned what thse things mean recently, so I'll share that info with you. Again, sorry if this is gross...think of it like an anatomy and physiology lesson. Dilation referes to how large the opening of the cervix is. For most of the pregnancy, the cervix is not dilated....so it's at zero. As contractions begin (even the Braxton Hicks ones I've been having the last 6 weeks or so) the cervix will feel pressure to open. That starts it down the path of going from zero (not open) to 10. At 10 centimeters dilated, the cervix is open enough for the baby to be pushed out. See my comments on Stage 2 of Labor in week 34. The cervix also goes through a shortening process. The cervix is already a short tunnel between the utereus and the vagina. Effacement is the process of it getting even shorter as the baby pushes down against it. 25% effaced means my cervix is about 1/4 of the way thinned out. When the baby is ready to come, it will be 100% effaced (as short as possible) to allow the baby through. I think it's pretty amazing that the female body is so well equipped to build another person and prepare to bring her into the world without the owner of that body (me!) having to think anything about it.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Week 35 - Baby Wise
What's up with baby in week 35: she is getting close to the 5 lb weight mark and will continue to put on about a half a pound a week for the rest of the pregnancy. She continues to be, what I would consider, very active in the womb. I guess she hasn't run out of room to move around.
What's up with mom: I'm continuing to read about labor and what to expect with a newborn. Have I mentioned the book Baby Wise yet? The full title is 'On Becoming Baby Wise' by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. It's the self proclaimed classic sleep reference guide utilized by over 1 million parents worldwide. I hope to find that the book's advice on how to synchronize an infant's feeding, waketime and sleep cycles will result in a healthy and happy baby and give my husband and I the best chance at sleep ourselves. The book espouses a parent directed feeding plan where the parent uses her best judgement to find the right balance between feeding when the baby seems to wants to be fed and feeding on a strict clock schedule. It is helpful in breaking out different phases over the baby's first year to year and a half.
What's up with mom: I'm continuing to read about labor and what to expect with a newborn. Have I mentioned the book Baby Wise yet? The full title is 'On Becoming Baby Wise' by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. It's the self proclaimed classic sleep reference guide utilized by over 1 million parents worldwide. I hope to find that the book's advice on how to synchronize an infant's feeding, waketime and sleep cycles will result in a healthy and happy baby and give my husband and I the best chance at sleep ourselves. The book espouses a parent directed feeding plan where the parent uses her best judgement to find the right balance between feeding when the baby seems to wants to be fed and feeding on a strict clock schedule. It is helpful in breaking out different phases over the baby's first year to year and a half.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Week 34 - Learning About Labor
What's up with baby in week 34: she just continues to get bigger and bigger. She now weights about 4 lbs 7 oz. She is about 16.8 inches in length.
What's up with mom: my abdomen also continues to get bigger and bigger. I have been reading about labor. There are three major stages. Stage 1 is when mom starts to have contractions that are regular and increasing in frequency and intensity. As the contractions intensify, mom moves to the "active" phase of stage 1. At this point, I will know I'm really in labor and will probably plan to get a move on to the hospital. The end of the first stage of labor is called "transition." During transition (which some resources say is a short but challenging part of labor), contractions become very close together but compare in intensity to the contractions from the active phase of stage 1. The end of the transition phase marks the end of stage 1 of labor. Mom is now fully dilated.
Stage 2 of labor is the pushing phase. Contractions will get further apart and will feel different (let's hope that with an epidural, they don't feel like very much at all) and mom will be instructed on how to actively participate in pushing the baby out. Stage 2 ends with the birth of the baby! Hopefully this stage will not also involve an episiotomy or a C-section.
Stage 3 of labor almost seems to be an after thought. Hopefully by now, mom is gleefully holding the new baby. In stage 3, mom will be instructed to give several small pushes to deliver the placenta. Nursing the baby right away will help speed up this stage.
Baby shower #2. Our small group threw us a couple baby shower. This was really fun since my husband was able to attend along with our friends and their husbands. The guys seemed to enjoy the games as much as we did. Who doesn't want to sniff baby diapers "soiled" with melted candy bars in a Name That Poo game. Like any good shower, we had wonderful food and received more gifts that we would ever have hoped for. We have great friends!
What's up with mom: my abdomen also continues to get bigger and bigger. I have been reading about labor. There are three major stages. Stage 1 is when mom starts to have contractions that are regular and increasing in frequency and intensity. As the contractions intensify, mom moves to the "active" phase of stage 1. At this point, I will know I'm really in labor and will probably plan to get a move on to the hospital. The end of the first stage of labor is called "transition." During transition (which some resources say is a short but challenging part of labor), contractions become very close together but compare in intensity to the contractions from the active phase of stage 1. The end of the transition phase marks the end of stage 1 of labor. Mom is now fully dilated.
Stage 2 of labor is the pushing phase. Contractions will get further apart and will feel different (let's hope that with an epidural, they don't feel like very much at all) and mom will be instructed on how to actively participate in pushing the baby out. Stage 2 ends with the birth of the baby! Hopefully this stage will not also involve an episiotomy or a C-section.
Stage 3 of labor almost seems to be an after thought. Hopefully by now, mom is gleefully holding the new baby. In stage 3, mom will be instructed to give several small pushes to deliver the placenta. Nursing the baby right away will help speed up this stage.
Baby shower #2. Our small group threw us a couple baby shower. This was really fun since my husband was able to attend along with our friends and their husbands. The guys seemed to enjoy the games as much as we did. Who doesn't want to sniff baby diapers "soiled" with melted candy bars in a Name That Poo game. Like any good shower, we had wonderful food and received more gifts that we would ever have hoped for. We have great friends!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Week 33 - Hiccups
What's up with baby in week 33: she is getting so big! She weights about 4 lbs. The amount of amniotic fluid measures 2 pints. The baby's lungs have a coating of surfactant on the aveoli which helps her breathe after birth. After this week, if I went into labor my doctors wouldn't do anything to stop it, since the baby has a good chance of being just fine.
What's up with mom: I am still amused at how active my baby is. I like to watch the distortions of my abdomen as she pushes and kicks and stretches. For many weeks now, she has also been having the hiccups. This results in a rhythmic pulsing that is much more frequent than the hiccups people get. I've read that they don't bother the baby, and I guess they don't bother me that much either.
I'm looking at list of classes provided by my hospital: Childbirth Education, Refresher Prenatal, Cesarean Birth, Infant and Child CPR, Breastfeeding, Siblings, and Tours of Labor and Delivery. I will probably go to the Breastfeeding class and the take the Tour of Labor and Delivery with my husband.
What's up with mom: I am still amused at how active my baby is. I like to watch the distortions of my abdomen as she pushes and kicks and stretches. For many weeks now, she has also been having the hiccups. This results in a rhythmic pulsing that is much more frequent than the hiccups people get. I've read that they don't bother the baby, and I guess they don't bother me that much either.
I'm looking at list of classes provided by my hospital: Childbirth Education, Refresher Prenatal, Cesarean Birth, Infant and Child CPR, Breastfeeding, Siblings, and Tours of Labor and Delivery. I will probably go to the Breastfeeding class and the take the Tour of Labor and Delivery with my husband.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Week 32 - Baby Shower
What's up with baby in week 32: her movements will peak this week (and let me tell you, she is quite a mover and shaker). She has put on a lot of weight since last month, mostly in fat and muscle tissue, so now she weighs about 3 lbs 11 oz and measures 15.8 inches in length.
What's up with mom: My friends threw me a baby shower this past weekend. It was a wonderful event. We did an afternoon tea with games like try to identify the baby food flavor (some baby food doesn't taste very good) and guess how big around my belly is. Each guest had to cut a piece of ribbon that they thought represented my circumference. Some folks were way off, but my mom ended up being the winner, only off by about an inch and a half. Everyone wrote advice for me on a 3x5 card and I tried to guess who gave me each piece of advice. One of my friends mom's made a really cute diaper cake. The two tired "cake" was made of rolled up newborn diapers and was decorated by baby toys, socks and pacifiers. It was really cute. I felt very honored by all the work that went into the event...it was so much fun and the cute baby gifts will all be much used.
This week marks the turning point where we start going to the doctor every two weeks. It's a long story, but we were there two weeks ago for an ultrasound but couldn't meet with our doctor. So we were back this week, and will be back two weeks from today. After that the frequency bumps up to once a week. Luckily my hospital is easily accessible from work or home so it's not so bad to go more often. But I joked with my husband that it would be nice if I could just pee in a cup at home and mail it to them.
What's up with mom: My friends threw me a baby shower this past weekend. It was a wonderful event. We did an afternoon tea with games like try to identify the baby food flavor (some baby food doesn't taste very good) and guess how big around my belly is. Each guest had to cut a piece of ribbon that they thought represented my circumference. Some folks were way off, but my mom ended up being the winner, only off by about an inch and a half. Everyone wrote advice for me on a 3x5 card and I tried to guess who gave me each piece of advice. One of my friends mom's made a really cute diaper cake. The two tired "cake" was made of rolled up newborn diapers and was decorated by baby toys, socks and pacifiers. It was really cute. I felt very honored by all the work that went into the event...it was so much fun and the cute baby gifts will all be much used.
This week marks the turning point where we start going to the doctor every two weeks. It's a long story, but we were there two weeks ago for an ultrasound but couldn't meet with our doctor. So we were back this week, and will be back two weeks from today. After that the frequency bumps up to once a week. Luckily my hospital is easily accessible from work or home so it's not so bad to go more often. But I joked with my husband that it would be nice if I could just pee in a cup at home and mail it to them.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)