Its that time again!! It has been four weeks and we are growing by the day! Here are a few pics....one silly pic with Baby Hume's "going home from the hospital" outfit on my belly.(which I must say is very cute...it is hard to see in this pic but it has pleats in the top of it down to the middle of it....beautiful fabric as well...the top with the ribbon goes over the jumper which also has a yellow duck on it-the only thing that would make it better would be monogramming which I may have done before his arrival) Brian thought it was very odd that I took this pic (lol) and I was taking him away from his TV time! (as you can tell from they way the crib looks like it is sliding down the room...he wasn't in a hurry-was he?)
Baby’s Development
The baby keeps maturing as weeks go by. The baby can change its position to a head down position at this time getting ready for the delivery. The baby’s length is around 16 inches and the weight about 4 ½ pounds. The skin is red and wrinkly with less of downy hair and more of vernix which is the protective layer covering your baby. The baby’s brain is developing well so be sure that you eat well at this stage. The baby will gain at least two pounds before the end of the eight month. The movements of the baby might reduce because of its increasing size and its tight fit in the uterus. The baby’s lungs are still developing though the rest of the body is pretty well formed by now. The eyes start functioning and are able to focus and blink by now. The umbilical cord is coated with a gelatinous substance so even if the baby turns and twists the cord is protected from kinks and knots. The baby’s skeleton is completely formed by now but the bones are soft and flexible and will harden later. The baby’s toenails and fingernails have formed and the baby might even scratch itself. Experts have found that the baby now develops sensitivity to temperature and you can a swift kick if you place a hot pad on your growing belly.
Changes with your body
You will feel the Braxton Hicks contractions quite regularly now but there is no reason to worry as the uterus muscles are exercising to get stronger for the actual delivery. The baby might have dropped into the pelvis in preparation for the birth. This could cause the pelvis to stretch and increase the pressure in the lower abdomen. The increasing size of the baby might be pushing it in your ribcage making you rather uncomfortable. Your estrogen levels keep rising making your uterus more sensitive to oxytocin which is the hormone needed by your body to cause contractions. The top of the uterus will be about 5 inches above the belly and this can cause difficulty in breathing due the pressure of the uterus on the diaphragm and can even create heartburn. The most common symptoms of pregnancy felt by women by this stage would be fatigue, breathlessness, backache, constipation, faintness, leg cramps, insomnia, and mood changes, swelling in breasts, leaking breasts, bleeding gums, contractions, vaginal discharge, nosebleeds, stretch marks, frequent urination, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, heartburn and indigestion. You will mostly be gaining about a pound per week and your blood volume must have increased by 40% to 50% by now to allow your body to accommodate your baby and you. This increased volume of blood is important at this stage considering the amount of blood you will be losing during delivery. You will also be concerned about the oncoming labor and start reading or finding out more about labor skills and the method of dealing with them.
What to expect
You can expect to find out more about the signs to look out for in case of true labor. Your body might already be going through periods of contractions that can be regular or irregular. These contractions can be mild or strong and some women might not even notice them. The major difference is that true labor contractions will not slow down or space out when you change activities and will in fact increase with a change in activity. In true labor the contractions will build in intensity and length and will become shorter in durations or frequency. There are some self tests which can be done by you to find out if you are experiencing true labor. Sometimes hunger or dehydration tends to increase the intensity of contractions so you can try drinking water or eating food to see if the symptoms reduce. Try to change your activities to see if there is a change in the intensity of the contractions. Try and watch the contraction pattern and if the patterns are not regular or getting closer then there is no reason to panic as yet. You can follow several techniques to keep you relaxed for the oncoming delivery. Meditation, breathing techniques, aromatherapy, basic gentle massage, pedicure and manicure can help you feel relaxed as well as give you the chance to pamper yourself before the due date arrive.
