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!