I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. The baby's heart rate is 156bpm and he is moving around and growing like crazy. She said everything is progressing well, and let me know the nausea I am having is all perfectly normal (great). We also told her about our pediatrician, and she asked us about what we were thinking for labor. I told her we had taken a natural birth class and were hoping to go that direction. I quizzed her about her thoughts on episiotomies, and she said she rarely does them except when it is the only way to get the baby out (if he gets stuck and is in distress, basically).
I was also happy to hear her tell me to stay at home as LONG as possible while in labor, to let things progress naturally without being "on the clock" so to speak in the hospital. She said first time babies rarely come too early, and the mistake most mom's make is coming in too soon and then waiting around for hours in the hospital when they could have been more comfortable at home. So I am planning on watching a movie, taking a shower, eating, and sleeping as much as I can at home before going in. Hopefully it will give mom time to drive down here as well. :-)
Today we are doing the grocery shopping, which is such a big ordeal for me I can't do it without Eliot's help lifting and pushing the cart. We were in Walmart this morning and I had a nice chat with another pregnant lady due in July while she was waiting with the cart like I was while our husbands went to get something. This afternoon we are hoping to conquer Winco during dinner time when it is less crowded.
Anyway, here is what is happening with our little one this week:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which he'll need to regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his 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.
I also got this with my weekly baby update e-mail and thought it was appropriate:
Kate, I love keeping up on your blog! You are getting so close and your nursery and all of your other creations are so beautiful!! You should seriously consider starting your own "baby planner" business, kind of like a "wedding planner." Seriously. You would be amazing at this and bring comfort to so many other busy soon to be moms!
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