No Rest for the Weary
Well here it is, another week. They're really starting to drag, now! But there was something rather exciting at the beginning of my newsletter. It said, "If you've given birth since receiving your last e-newsletter, congratulations and please click here. If you haven't had your baby yet, please continue reading." That means we're getting close, people! And thank God. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take while still maintaining my sanity (can't you just see the hormones raging from there?).
This is day number 249 and you're 36 weeks pregnant!
You have 31 days or 4 weeks left, and are 90.0% of the way there.
Baby's age since conception is 235 days or 34 weeks. You are due on 6/9/2006.
Beginning this week, you will visit your doctor on a weekly basis. He or she will monitor your progress - as well as your baby's - and watch for early signs of labor. In some situations, a woman and her doctor may decide to induce labor. There are several reasons your doctor may suggest induction: if continuing the pregnancy poses a significant risk to you or your baby, or if your water breaks but you do not start laboring within 24-48 hours. Induction may also be considered later, if you have not given birth by your 42nd week. Some women also ask to be induced for reasons of convenience or comfort. However, there are significant risks to you and your baby if labor is induced. For example, if the induction fails, you may have to deliver by emergency c-section, which is associated with higher rates of complications, longer hospital stays, and longer recoveries. In addition, certain induction techniques can cause strong contractions; hyperstimulate the uterus, which can stress your baby; and cause placental abruption and uterine rupture. In any situation, you should discuss all the options with your doctor, ask questions, and weigh the risks and benefits to determine what is best for you and your baby.
Your baby has added another half pound and now weighs about 6 pounds, measures around 20.7 inches in length, and is almost ready to check out of "Hotel Mom." Your baby has moved downward towards your vagina; hopefully headfirst. However, at this stage it is very common for babies to be feet first, or breech. It is not until labor begins that you can know for sure if your doctor will need to manually turn the baby (ECV), or if you will have to consider a cesarean delivery.
I have no idea if Matthew is head down or breech, but I'm hoping that they will tell me tomorrow at my appointment. I know that he was head down 6 weeks ago, but that means next to nothing. He could very easily have turned since then - several times! I do know that he feels HUGE now. Sometimes I'll feel him kicking me in the ribs and the hipbones at the same time, and when I stand up after lying down for a while he hits my bladder like a ton of bricks. He hasn't "dropped" yet, though. I've read and been told that when he does, I will feel like his head is about ready to pop out and I'll have to pee even more often, but I'll be able to breathe more easily and my heartburn might get better. I don't feel much pressure at all "down there" usually (although I've had my moments), and I still have constant heartburn and episodes of feeling like I can't quite catch my breath. So I'm pretty sure he's still floating around quite freely in there. Although I know he doesn't have much room. Every picture I've seen of a fetus in the last month of pregnancy has the poor little guy/girl with their knees and arms pressed up against their little chests (when they aren't kicking or punching something). I know that he gets tired of it, because sometimes it feels like he's trying to stretch out in places that my body just won't allow him to! I get little knobs (I think they're his knees) on my sides and sharp pains in internal organs when he's pressing against them too hard. While I am glad that he's moving around and seemingly doing well in there, I've just about had it with pregnancy. I'm ready to get my reward in the form of a cute, chubby little boy that looks like his daddy did, because I was an ugly baby. I keep picturing the moment of his birth and hearing that first cry. And then I get tears in my eyes, so I know that I'll be crying worse than him when I hear it. But I still can't wait!
Anyway, I know that I've gone on and on (and on). There's just been so much to say about this whole experience. And it's not over! Pregnancy has been so hard, and so cool, and so tiring, and so wonderful. But I'm ready to move on to the next stage. I'll give it 4 more weeks before I completely lose my patience and start to get nasty. Which nobody wants! Mean pregnant women are scary. Talk to you all later - I'll report in tomorrow if the doctor tells me anything interesting. If not, then I'll have another update next week!
This is day number 249 and you're 36 weeks pregnant!
You have 31 days or 4 weeks left, and are 90.0% of the way there.
Baby's age since conception is 235 days or 34 weeks. You are due on 6/9/2006.
Beginning this week, you will visit your doctor on a weekly basis. He or she will monitor your progress - as well as your baby's - and watch for early signs of labor. In some situations, a woman and her doctor may decide to induce labor. There are several reasons your doctor may suggest induction: if continuing the pregnancy poses a significant risk to you or your baby, or if your water breaks but you do not start laboring within 24-48 hours. Induction may also be considered later, if you have not given birth by your 42nd week. Some women also ask to be induced for reasons of convenience or comfort. However, there are significant risks to you and your baby if labor is induced. For example, if the induction fails, you may have to deliver by emergency c-section, which is associated with higher rates of complications, longer hospital stays, and longer recoveries. In addition, certain induction techniques can cause strong contractions; hyperstimulate the uterus, which can stress your baby; and cause placental abruption and uterine rupture. In any situation, you should discuss all the options with your doctor, ask questions, and weigh the risks and benefits to determine what is best for you and your baby.
Your baby has added another half pound and now weighs about 6 pounds, measures around 20.7 inches in length, and is almost ready to check out of "Hotel Mom." Your baby has moved downward towards your vagina; hopefully headfirst. However, at this stage it is very common for babies to be feet first, or breech. It is not until labor begins that you can know for sure if your doctor will need to manually turn the baby (ECV), or if you will have to consider a cesarean delivery.
I have no idea if Matthew is head down or breech, but I'm hoping that they will tell me tomorrow at my appointment. I know that he was head down 6 weeks ago, but that means next to nothing. He could very easily have turned since then - several times! I do know that he feels HUGE now. Sometimes I'll feel him kicking me in the ribs and the hipbones at the same time, and when I stand up after lying down for a while he hits my bladder like a ton of bricks. He hasn't "dropped" yet, though. I've read and been told that when he does, I will feel like his head is about ready to pop out and I'll have to pee even more often, but I'll be able to breathe more easily and my heartburn might get better. I don't feel much pressure at all "down there" usually (although I've had my moments), and I still have constant heartburn and episodes of feeling like I can't quite catch my breath. So I'm pretty sure he's still floating around quite freely in there. Although I know he doesn't have much room. Every picture I've seen of a fetus in the last month of pregnancy has the poor little guy/girl with their knees and arms pressed up against their little chests (when they aren't kicking or punching something). I know that he gets tired of it, because sometimes it feels like he's trying to stretch out in places that my body just won't allow him to! I get little knobs (I think they're his knees) on my sides and sharp pains in internal organs when he's pressing against them too hard. While I am glad that he's moving around and seemingly doing well in there, I've just about had it with pregnancy. I'm ready to get my reward in the form of a cute, chubby little boy that looks like his daddy did, because I was an ugly baby. I keep picturing the moment of his birth and hearing that first cry. And then I get tears in my eyes, so I know that I'll be crying worse than him when I hear it. But I still can't wait!
Anyway, I know that I've gone on and on (and on). There's just been so much to say about this whole experience. And it's not over! Pregnancy has been so hard, and so cool, and so tiring, and so wonderful. But I'm ready to move on to the next stage. I'll give it 4 more weeks before I completely lose my patience and start to get nasty. Which nobody wants! Mean pregnant women are scary. Talk to you all later - I'll report in tomorrow if the doctor tells me anything interesting. If not, then I'll have another update next week!
posted by flannel04 @ 9:23 AM
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