37 weeks

DH calls this, in the "drop zone." Basically, baby could come any time! 37 weeks is considered near-term. No longer pre-term, but not quite full-term. I still feel pretty good. I have had some slight swelling in my right ankle and my hands are a smidge swollen; no more rings for my fingers. It has been pretty warm here, so I am sure that is a contributing factor. And DH seems to think my belly has gotten huge. I tend to want to be offended, but as long as it is just the belly, I AM growing a tiny person, here, sheesh!

 

Hospital bag contents are in one location, though not in a bag quite yet. And I made a list of items that need to be added at the last minute. DD's bag is packed and plans for her care are lined up. We got out, organized and cleaned some infant stuff that T & R can borrow while they are here.

 

My next Dr. appt is May 7th, which will be 38w3d. That is the night I went into labor with DD. My Dr. has hospital duty on the 11th and 16th. With DD, it was Feb 11th that Dr. K had hospital duty and I went in and spent the day in labor, though she was born in the wee hours of the 12th. The guys are scheduled to fly in on the 15th, so I hope we make it til then, but my money would be on the 7th or 11th, if I was a betting woman;) It will be interesting to see what GB has planned:)

 

Instead of a regular bump pic, I have a rather funny bum shot I took on Saturday:o) No, not my bum, GB's bum;o) It is his favorite position!

See it?!:o)

You can kinda see the difference in my ankles

36 weeks

Happy Birthday R!!!!!!!

How am I feeling physically? I am feeling pretty good, finally:o) I have had some very minor swelling in my hands and ankles (no more wedding ring for me). My hip is a bit sore, as the relaxin hormone does its job preparing my joints to relax for birth. The weather has been really nice for the last couple of weeks and I think getting outside with DD has been good for all of us:o) 

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 36 week (35w6d) appointment Friday. Everything looks good. BP-a little higher, but still well within normal range, urine dip-fine, GB's HR-140s, uterus measurement-35 weeks. Cervix-1/2 cm dilated, 0% effaced. GB's head down. Dr. had to bring in the ultrasound to double check because his head was "floating" up away from the cervix. GB has been head down since the 20 wk u/s, so I am pretty confident he will stay that way, but please think head down thoughts for us, just in case he even thinks about turning. My next appointment will be May 7th.

Weight Gain:  10 pounds total!

Sleep: I seem to have settled into a sleep pattern of sort that is working out OK. I seem to wake up to empty my bladder between 12 and 1 and again between 3 and 4. I can live with twice, it isn't too bad.

Mood: I am feeling excited about what is in front of us. R and T seem to be getting excited and making preparations for this little one. The end is in sight!

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. Most of them are higher/in the middle-feet, knees, bottom. Occasionally, I feel punches to my cervix, which is a weird feeling. GB seems to have 3 main active periods, one an hour or so after each meal.

Exciting Moment(s): R & T have had 2 baby showers in the last 2 weeks. Not surrogacy related, but a major exciting moment for my family this past week was DH's completion of his licensing test. He has spent the last 4 months studying and studying and studying and we are soooooo glad that he is done and we have him back:o)

Milestones Achieved:
GB weighs in at about 6 pounds and measures about 18 inches long. He's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his own. His skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid. His liver and kidneys are in working order and circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon (yes, I know I keep saying this, but it seems to be taking forever). Some time in the next few days, maybe even today, I plan to start my hospital bag and make a list of last minute things to add.


I thought it would be fun to look at the progression of my bump:o)

16 weeks



26 weeks



36 weeks

34 weeks

This is going to be a quick one.

Nothing has changed. The extra Zantac has kept the dreadful acid reflux from rearing its ugly head again. Woohoo! Otherwise, I feel good.

Mr. Gummy Bear is busy putting on weight, mostly in the form of fat. The most exciting part about 34 weeks is that, although still considered pre-term, babies born between 34 and 37 weeks gestation have a great chance of no long-term problems (as long as there is not a genetic health issue):o) We are in the "drop zone," as DH would say (though I would say we have, at least, 4 weeks to go).

The guys had a baby shower this weekend, which looked like fun:o)

I have my 36 week OB appointment is on the 19th, so I should have more to update after that.

In exchange for the short post, you get an extra treat in this week's picture;o)