32 Weeks

This week your baby weighs almost four pounds and could be up to 19 inches long. And though that's a head-to-toe length, your baby is actually back to a curled-up position (you try standing up in those cramped quarters!). At 32 weeks pregnant, you're likely feeling tapping and squirming instead of your baby's signature rocking and rolling. That's because, while comfy, your baby is a bit tight for exercise space right now. Your baby has also probably settled into the head-down, bottoms-up position in your pelvis in prepartion for birth. That's because the fetus's head fits better at the bottom of your inverted, pear-shaped uterus. It also makes it easier during childbirth if your baby comes out head first. Fewer than five percent of babies prefer the bottom-down (or breech) position by full-term. Don't worry if your baby hasn't assumed the head-down position yet. There's still a good chance he or she will flip head-side-down before birth — even in the tight confines of your uterus.

While your baby is still getting nourishment through the umbilical cord, it won't be long before you'll be bringing on the breast milk or formula (and soon after, the mashed carrots and peas). In anticipation of that momentous transition to mouth feeding, your baby's digestive system is all set and ready to go.

And because your baby is accumulating more fat, his or her skin is finally turning opaque (like yours), which means those see-through days are over. Though weeks away from D-day, your baby's looking more and more like a newborn.

And speaking of that big day, hope you're resting up for it — because your bambino certainly is. In preparation for that big first date with you, your baby is sleeping like a baby — with sleep cycles of 20 to 40 minutes long (which would also account for the decrease in movement you're likely feeling these days). ~Information from whattoexpect.com

My Symptoms (Side Effects?)

• Swollen ankles. Last night my left ankle was so swollen, it looked like a cankle. Ouch!
• My midwife says I've gained 31 pounds. Personally, I think that's after I lost almost 10 pounds, so it's really around 21 pounds. In any case, it's more than I thought it would be as I don't look like I've gained any weight except where the baby is.
• Cramping (which I think might be Braxton Hicks contractions) have been coming mainly when I'm really tired, worn out, or have just done a lot of physical activity.
• Miles' movement seriously hurts. Apparently his head is down now so his legs are kicking me in the ribs or just kicking out and staying there.

What Miles Might Look Like

I found this picture online today of a 32 week baby. I thought it was pretty cool, so I thought I'd share. I will be back later with a 32 week update after my appointment this afternoon.

Bubble Bath

My view during a bath. 31 week belly bump.

31 Weeks

As far as growth goes, your baby's still on a roll, measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing in at more than three pounds. At 31 weeks pregnant, you can still expect your baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before you two meet.

Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells are growing at a frenetic clip, and your baby can now perceive information from all five senses. Sure, your baby can't smell anything right now, but that's only because he or she is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything. Lucky for you — and your baby — yours will be one of the very first scents your baby breathes in, a scent that will quickly become his or her very favorite.

So what's your little dove doing all day while you're busy feathering your nest for his or her arrival? Making faces, hiccupping, swallowing, breathing, pedaling with little hands and feet along your uterine wall, and even sucking his or her thumb. In fact, some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously while in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb (what a little sucker!). ~Information from whattoexpect.com

My Symptoms (Side Effects?)

• Still exhausted.
• Heartburn. Ugh. Thank god for acid reducer meds.

30 Weeks

Your baby's height and weight haven't changed much in the past week, but the big news is your baby's brain gain. Until now, the surface of your baby's brain was smooth. Now, your fetus's brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations. The reason for this change in appearance? Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of brain tissue — a necessary change as your developing baby prepares for life outside your womb, and the street smarts he or she will need.

Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby's bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for your baby, because it means he or she is better able to thrive on his or her own once born (with a little TLC from you, of course).

So it's in with the new (brain cells, red blood cells) and out with the old (lanugo). Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering your baby's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating your baby's body temperature (so no need for that furry coat anymore). But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn's back and shoulders. ~Information from whattoexpect.com

My Symptoms (Side Effects?)

• Miles' "kicks" have become painful as he tries to stretch out in what little room he has left.  He will stick a body part out and leave it there, but sometimes I can slowly coax him back in by pushing him back in.
• The pain in/on my ribs is getting worse. It feels like a burning on the skin but goes down further. It's hard to explain, but there's nothing that can be done about it.
• Still exhausted. It's so hard to make it through the whole work day.

Passed

I passed my three hour glucose test. They said the results would take 2-3 business days, but they called me this morning to say I passed. This means I don't have gestational diabetes. Which is good cause the solution for that is usually diet and exercise. And you know I don't do either of those two things.

29 Weeks

At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby is almost 17 inches tall now (nearly as tall as he or she will be at birth), and close to three pounds (a weight that will likely more than double — and may even come close to tripling — by delivery time). His or her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your developing fetus accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, Mom) actually serves as an energy source.

Which explains why your energizer baby feels so…well…energized! Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli — movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar you ate half an hour ago.

Luckily, your baby doesn't have teeth yet that would need a brushing after that sugary treat, but it won't be long before you'll need to buy that first baby toothbrush! You'll recall that your baby's baby-teeth buds formed weeks ago, but now the buds for permanent teeth are forming in his or her gums as well.

And back to those kicks, who's counting? Actually, you should be. Now's a good time to start doing a kick count twice a day to make sure baby's doing just fine (plus, it's a good excuse for a rest). Lie down (preferably after a snack) and keep track of your baby's movements. You're looking for at least ten movements in an hour's time (don't forget to count movements of any kind — kicks, flutters, swishes, rolls, and so on). whattoexpect.com

My Symptoms (Side Effects?)

• I was four points over the maximum for my one hour glucose test, which means I have to go in tomorrow for a three hour glucose test in order to check for gestational diabetes. It's a pain in the ass, because I have to take a half day off of work.
• This third trimester is kicking my ass. I am exhausted from after lunch on. My body feels like it can no longer work at full capacity after a few hours of being up. This is going to be a problem.