My Growing Baby
My growing baby is in the last month now and is measuring between 16 ½ to 19 ½ inches long and weighing 6 to 7 pounds.*
My Pregnancy - Changes for me
Ideally, my baby will stay inside and continue maturing and completing the development process, but the good news is that even if my baby were delivered today, it is considered full-term. All expectations if my baby came out today would be for it to be healthy and normal.
If my baby is not in the head down position, the I should expect to have a discussion with my healthcare provider about options. There are both natural and assisted techniques that can help increase the chances of my baby turning. My healthcare provider can discuss each of these with me.
My Pregnancy - Changes for me
Your total weight gain is somewhere between 25 to 35 pounds. Your amniotic fluid levels will begin to decrease while the Braxton Hicks contractions may increase. Your body is making changes to get ready for the birth of your baby. Your cervix will begin to dilate and efface and sometime soon you will pass your mucus plug. When you pass your mucus plug you can take that as a sign that your cervix is dilating. Labor could be anytime now ranging from hours, to days to even weeks.
My Pregnancy - Planning this week
For the most part you should be good to go. Childbirth classes you be concluding, your bags should be packed, and all plans should be in place for going to the hospital or birth center. If you are using a doula she is talking to you and keeping up to speed with your progress. She will give you her pager or cell phone number so that you can call her to join you when labor begins.
My Pregnancy - Health Tips
Now is the time to try and wrap up any last minute details or tasks. Take advantage of this time to make sure the house is picked up, clean and ready for your new baby to arrive. Things will be kind of crazy after the baby arrives, so it is best to get ready now if you can. Outside of wrapping up these types of details, it is basically just a waiting game. Although you may have family and friends who help you with meals, it is not a bad idea to go ahead and make some ready to eat meals that can be stored in the freezer. You will thank youself later if you take advantage of this sanity tip.
My Pregnancy - Tips for my partner
Your partner is close to her maximum pregnancy weight and is pretty uncomfortable overall. Help her get the house ready with cleaning and moving things around. If you are handy in the kitchen, it wouldn’t hurt to help make some ready to eat meals that can be stored in the freezer ready to go. If you haven’t put together the crib do that now. Make sure you build it “IN” the room where it goes. It won’t fit through the door. Take these last couple of weeks to check off any honey-dos if you can.
* All measurements are provided as a general guide for common pregnancy development which may vary depending on the nutrition, mother’s health or accurate dating of conception. Every pregnancy is unique and may be experienced differently even for the same woman. It is important to undertand that babies develop at a different rate even before they are born. The purpose of this developmental information is to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing, and you must remember that your baby’s growth may vary from that which is outlined.