Baby Jensen | Week 38

3/3/2015
38 WEEKS

Trimester: Third.
Baby: Size of a swiss chard [19-22 inches, 6.5 lbs.]. Baby is tending to a few last minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. She's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in her lungs from sticking to one another once she starts to breathe. She's continuing to add fat and fine-tuning her brain and nervous system. Baby girl's skull is still soft to allow for the trip through the birth canal. Some of the tiny bones on her body won't fuse together until after birth. Baby is ingesting a lot of amniotic fluid, which is resulting in the build-up of meconium [the first bowl movement after birth]. Her fingernails continue to grow but are kept soft inside my uterus. Baby is gaining about one ounce every day. The lubricant that will keep the lungs from sticking together during breathing is being readily produced. 
Movement: On the left side of my belly I often feel what I'm assuming are her hands or feet poking out. Occasionally it's quite uncomfortable so I try and communicate that by giving those limbs a little nudge. I'm feeling her hiccups multiple times a day, and I always feel it closer to the right side of my belly near my pelvis, which makes sense since we know thats where her head is. Braxton hicks are increasing in intensity. There have been a few strong enough where I felt the need to pause whatever I was doing and sit down. But the contractions are still not regular, or painful. 
Symptoms: VERY frequent trips to the bathroom, occasional heartburn, colostrum production, moodiness, occasional shortness of breath, braxton hicks contractions, heightened sense of smell, and always thirsty and hungry. New this week: lots of pelvic pressure. 
Cravings: Nothing in particular. Thankfully, eating has been great since week 27.
Sleep: Not great. I'm getting up at least three times during the night to use the restroom, which I think is due to all the pelvic pressure. The other night I woke up feeling a pretty intense amount of pressure which made it very difficult to get comfortable. Thank goodness for my heat pad... After 10 minutes I was able to fall back asleep. And on another night, I had the most horrendous case of heartburn yet, even after taking medicine it took a long time to subside enough for me to go back to sleep.
Exercise: Walking.
Stretch Marks: None.
Total Weight Gain: 25 pounds. 
Swelling: None.
Maternity Clothes: We've pretty much been staying inside due to the freezing weather. So I spend most days wearing leggings and sweatshirts, which is all that really fits right now anyways.
Belly Button: Out.
Doctor's Visit: Baby's heartbeat was 136, I am dilated to 1 centimeter, my cervix is thinning, and baby's head is still very low. Technically baby girl is measuring closer to 36 weeks, but the doctor said that's just because she is so low, it's hard to get a good measurement. The doctor also informed us that if baby doesn't come by her due date [the 17th] we have 10 days after baby's due date before they will induce labor.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Next doctor's appointment.
Best Moment of the Week: Installing the car seat base in the car, and receiving the last of our orders for baby girl in the mail. We could not be more ready!