Can you say FULL TERM baby?

37 WEEKS = FULL TERM

Any day now we could meet our baby.

(Realistically it will probably be 18 more days or so.)

What happens this month?

This month, I will no longer have a baby in my belly.
This month, I will give birth.
This month, I will be so scared and yet so brave.
This month, I will officially be a mom.
This month, I will shed happy tears.
This month, I will see Shea cry.
This month, I will see Shea become a father.
This month, I will hold my son.
This month, I will here his cries.
This month, I will learn to care for all his needs.
This month, I will lose sleep, as I wake to every tiny breath.
So much will happen THIS MONTH!

When I say it that way, it sounds so close...this month....
(Considering he is due the last day of this month, May 31st, he could very well make me wait till the beginning of next month. Oh please don't make me wait BABY!!)

I am now considered full term, 37 weeks. On Saturday we had a Hospital Tour and a Birth class. It was a lot of fun, and a little disturbing. But Shea and I are ready for this baby to come, no backing out now. We are really excited, the hospital seems very nice and we were pleased with everything we saw. Hopefully our next experience there is even better, and a little more eventful. We got a free diaper bag that is perfect for Shea to use, black and very manly. We learned all about the delivery and the options that our hospital has.

Fortunately, no one was giving birth at the time we

were touring the birthing center. All was very calm, and

I like to think that's what it will be like when I am there :)

At my doctor's visit this week we talked a lot about the signs of labor and when to come to the hospital. It was exciting to finally be talking about delivery, it is getting so close. Baby's head is still down but he hasn't dropped yet. Our doctor estimated that our baby is around 6 lbs right now. We will see if he is right in just a few weeks. Next week he starts checking me to see if I am dilated, cross your fingers that I will be. I am tired of waiting...

37 weeks and two days

Looking Back ...

 

... 18 weeks

Wondering what baby is up to at 37 weeks?
- Full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world, his growth slows down dramatically this week.
- Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines.
- The fat is getting deposited on the cheeks, knees and elbows and these are becoming dimpled due to fat deposition.
- The skin is fast losing its wrinkled appearance and the skin color is becoming pinker
- At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds. And my uterus has expanded considerably, becoming nearly a thousand times of the original volume.

Wondering how pregnancy is?
- How far along: 37 weeks
- Total weight gain/loss: +24 pounds
- Maternity clothes: I am in sweats most days.
- Stretch marks: Haven't seen any...
- Sleep: I am more fatigued now. So I enjoy my daytime naps as well as a good long nights sleep, and the only thing that keeps me up now is the excitement for this little guy to come.
- Nausea: Not too bad lately.
- Movement: This baby can't make up his mind, he has been very high at night and it kills my ribs. And then he will be pressing down low again the next day. I hope he drops soon so that I am able to breath again (I also heard that once he drops my heartburn should go away, which is a bonus).
- Food cravings: Soda, anything bubbly (and I am not a huge soda drinker so it's a little unusual). I can only drink a little before I get sick of it but we haven't had soda in our house for awhile and I man I have missed it. So it was a real treat to get some this week, it was gone in a day.
- What I miss: Having an empty bladder, mine seems full ALL the time now. I also miss being able to move around easily, whether I am getting off the couch or bending down to put laundry in the dryer (or running to the bathroom every ten minutes).
- What I am enjoying: Shea is so excited, everyday he comes home and asks if I have had any contractions. He keeps his phone ringer on (very high) all the time now, so that he is ready whether he is at work or in class. If I ever call/text him I get a frantic call, "Is everything okay? Did something happen? Do you need me to come home?" I love that he is on the edge of his seat, eager to meet our baby, it makes me so happy.