32 weeks.

Just FYI- Tomorrow morning is my appt. with the neurologist regarding delivery. Due to being diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation and Papilledema as a teenager, there were concerns regarding a vaginal delivery, due to the increased inter-cranial pressure during delivery. I've been crossing my fingers this entire pregnancy for an o-k on a vaginal birth and definitely have my heart set on it. Obviously I'll do whatever it takes to get my little one here safely, but we'll find out tomorrow what the neurologist has to say. Because I've felt great and had very little problems for several years, I am certainly hoping for an expecting the best! I'll keep you posted!

Now... here's what the lil' guy is up to this week!!
By week 32, your baby weighs nearly 4 pounds! The crown-to-rump length of your baby is approximately 11.7 inches and the total length is about 18.9 inches. Your uterus is now 5 inches above your bellybutton. Some doctors do not see their patients every other week until now. So, if you were going to the doctor monthly, you may begin going once every other week now.

The baby sleeps 90-95% of the day, and sometimes experiences REM sleep, an indication of dreaming.

Now that your baby has grown so long and your uterus is higher, you might notice a new discomfort. Your baby is probably head-down and may occasionally stretch out and kick you in the ribs. The pressure on your rib cage can make you sore, especially if one of your baby's feet becomes caught. You can prevent this by sitting up straight as much as possible. Because your baby's demands for vitamins and minerals are higher than ever right now, you should continue to take your parental vitamins for the entire pregnancy.

This week your baby's movements will peak. You should continue to monitor the fetal movements daily and address any concerns with your caregiver. The wrinkles in your baby's face are disappearing and fat is still being deposited throughout the baby's body.

The body growth slows down from now on. Because of the lack of space in the uterus, the legs are drawn up in what is known as the fetal position. As a preparation for breastfeeding, your baby has learned to root for the breast. The baby will turn its head if touched on the cheek and open its mouth if the bottom lip is tickled. By this time the baby can also suck and swallow in a coordinated way.

Appt update...

On Tuesday, Travis and I had our 31 week appt. We're on the every two week deal right now and most of our appts are pretty routine and mundane at this point. This week in particular, I had several things to talk to the midwife about, because I hadn't been feeling too pleasant. I've had lots of cramping, tons of Braxton Hicks and some abdominal and back pain- similar to the pain I experienced at 21 weeks with the kidney stones.

Our appt. was at 4:15 and the office was an absolutely madhouse! Of the 4 dr's and midwives on staff that day, 2 were out with emergencies, leaving only 2 to take on all of their patients. Needless to say, it was over an hour and 15 minutes before we were finally seen. As if the wait wasn't enough... the midwife informed me that my weight had decreased the past 2 visits (so I HAVE to beef up the protein intake) and I had blood in my urine indicating another kidney stone. YIKES! Unfortunately, there isn't much they can do for them, other than send you to the ER when things get bad. Luckily my pain hasn't been intolerable and if it does I suppose we'll treck on over the the hospital.

She said the Braxton Hicks and cramping were pretty normal, which I figured. The babys heartbeat sounded good and he is now in the head down position. He's very low and my abdomen is very tight! The concerning part of the appt. came when she did the fundal measurements and told us that the baby was measuring 4 weeks behind. She seemed a little concerned and scheduled us for an ultrasound at our next visit.

Travis and I literally spent the next 2 hours a worried, nervous mess thinking of all the awful possibilities of our baby being to small. I was comforted to hear that the fundal measurements can be off and aren't always accurate. The midwife did also say that it's likely I'm just a small person who will deliver a small baby. All of my mom's children were small and we're claiming that this is the explaination! My fears still remain, but I guess this is just the beginning of parenthood and I'm sure the worrying will never stop. I will continue to trust that the ultrasound in 2 weeks will show that our little guy is healthy and growing. I know that God is in control and I trust that he will see us through. Thank you to everyone who has lifted our family up in prayer. I will keep you posted :)

Here's an *almost* 32 week (8month) shot of the growing bump!

Baby H @ week 31

Your baby is continuing to grow each week that you remain pregnant. Your baby's crown-to-rump length is nearly 11.2 inches and total length is approximately 18 inches. Your baby weighs approximately 3.5 pounds at this point. Your uterus is about 4.4 inches above your bellybutton and continues to get larger. An average weight gain at this point is between 21 and 27 pounds. The weight that you gain is made up of your baby, placenta, blood supply, uterus, breasts, fat, water storage and amniotic fluid.

Because the ligaments and muscles supporting the small of your back relax and loosen in order to get ready for childbirth, your back may be aching from now on. There is usually nothing that can be done to prevent backaches, only to make them more comfortable. Many women get heartburn during these last few weeks of pregnancy because the oversized uterus leaves less room for the stomach and the contents within the stomach. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help relieve the discomforts of heartburn.

This week marks an incredible milestone in your baby's lung development. Before now, the air sacs and branches in your baby's lungs were present but not functional. The lungs were not able to inflate properly. However, now there is surfactant being produced in your baby's lungs (YAY!!) Surfactant prevents your baby's lungs from collapsing outside of the uterus and the baby is able to take in air and breathe properly. The fetal ear is almost completely developed both inside and out. Your baby can hear your voice and other familiar sounds that she will recognize after birth. Your baby is putting on white fat under the skin and the skin's color is pink instead of red at this point. Your baby's fingernails have grown to the end of her fingers and she may scratch herself while she is in the womb.

31 week update:

Well, well, well! This was definitely an interesting week around casa de Holland! I started early in the week with some pretty strong Braxton Hicks contrations and they continued most of the week. I suppose my body is just practicing for the real thing! I had experienced a few of these in weeks prior, but nothing as intense or frequent as this week! Baby H's movement is also getting stronger. The kicks/punches/elbows are starting to feel more intense. I suppose he's getting stronger and a little more powerful ;) He seems to have found a nice set of monkey bars via my right rib cage :) He's a big fan!

Saturday I was able to attend a breastfeeding class that the hospital offered and I really enjoyed it. I plan to breastfeed and pump as long as I can, so it was really nice to get some info and a little encouragement. I can't believe we're in single digit weeks and our little guy will be here so soon! Here's a bump update for week 31!

Shower Pics

30 week bump!

That's right... 10 weeks and counting!! Wooohoooo!!

Although we're secretly hoping it's only another 7 or 8 ;)

30 week progress!

First I have to say that my baby shower yesterday was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and such an awesome family. God has really blessed us by surrounding us with some of the most thoughtful, caring and loving people. I couldn't ask for a greater support system. Thank you to EVERYONE!!!! I promised to post pictures as soon as I get them from my mom and mother-in-law.

30 WEEKS PREGNANT:
You may feel as if you have been pregnant forever at this point. It might be hard to imagine being pregnant for another ten weeks, but your baby still has a lot of growing and developing to do! By this time, your baby's crown-to-rump length is a little over 10.8 inches and the total length of your baby is about 17 inches! Your baby weighs about 3 pounds now. Your uterus can be felt about 4 inches above your bellybutton. Your uterus, baby, placenta and the amount of fluid will get larger over the next ten weeks. You should be gaining about a pound a week at this time.

Because you are getting larger, you are probably becoming slower and clumsier. You should try to be careful to avoid dangerous falls. Good posture when sitting and standing can help you feel better during your pregnancy. You also should be rolling over on your side to get up after lying down because your muscles have stretched to accommodate your growing uterus.

Even though your baby is cushioned by the amniotic fluid, she can feel and respond to pain. Your baby now does `practice breathing` to get ready for life outside of your womb. If you have an ultrasound at this time, you will be able to see this. If your baby swallows amniotic fluid down the wrong passage, she will still get hiccups that are noticeable by you. If your baby were born at this time, she would be able to keep herself warm.

The skin begins to smoothen as fat deposits accumulate underneath. The fat insulates and is an energy source.

29 weeks

We have our 29 week appt. today and I'll update later on how it goes. At this point, appt's are pretty mundane and routine, so there is little to report. I've yet to hear back on my GTTest so I am assuming that no news is good news! I am very much looking forward to my first baby shower this weekend and promise to post pictures :) Things are definitely coming down to home stretch, but these last 10 or so weeks will probably drag by! 64 days and counting until my maternity leave starts and I couldn't be more ready! Here's what the little one is up to this week:

At this point in your pregnancy, your baby's crown-to-rump length is approximately 10.4 inches and the total length of your baby is around 16.7 inches. Your baby weighs about 2.7 pounds and continues to grow every day. If you measure from your bellybutton, your uterus is 3.5 to 4 inches above it. Total weight gain at this point is usually between 19 and 25 pounds ((thank goodness I'm not there yet!!!))

Babies that are born prematurely can be very tiny. Even a baby that is only a few weeks early can be very small. Your baby will grow rapidly from now until week 36, and then at a slower rate thereafter. Generally, boys weigh more than girls at birth. The average baby's birth weight at full term is 7 to 7.5 pounds.

You might notice some leakage of colostrums from your breasts around this time. Colostrums is a sticky, watery substance that provides your baby's first food if you choose to breastfeed. Milk does not come in immediately after delivery and colostrums is high in calories and enough for your baby's first few days of life. Your baby is stimulating the production of colostrums. The baby's body is ensuring that there will be a readily available food supply after delivery.

Your baby will continue to open and close his eyes in the womb and may be able to see silhouettes of objects or even people in the right amount of light. Your baby should be moving many times throughout the day. Some of your baby's movements will be predictable and if you notice a decrease in fetal movements, you should lie down and do a fetal kick count. You should feel your baby move approximately ten times in an hour. If you do not notice the proper amount of movements, you should contact your healthcare provider.

Research has shown that your baby is not only able to hear, but also able to recognize your own voice. This shows that your baby can already learn, remember and recognize.

29 week bump!