Baby is full term today - week 37

  

Your baby is the length of a Leek  approximately 19.1 inches (48.6 cm) long from head to heel and roughly the weight of a small watermelon about 6.5 pounds (2.9 kg).

Your baby is now considered full term, meaning that she can be born any day. However, this does not mean your baby will stop growing. Quite the opposite — your little one continues to add fat to his or her body at the rate of half an ounce (14.2 grams) a day. 

If labor starts now, your doctor will not do anything to delay it. Your baby is ready to make his or her entrance into the world!

We are having a little trouble with extra fluid (mainly in my ankles and legs) so baby really could come any day. I am being closely monitored to make sure we are not dealing with preeclampsia. So far, so good, no protein in my urine, my blood pressure is higher but not too high. I'm trying to take it easy and may have to stop working a little sooner than I thought. We'll see. I'll keep everyone posted.

A Last Look from the Inside

On Tuesday we had another ultra-sound to check on the growth and movement of the baby. The baby scored 2 points for practicing breathing, another 2 points for movement of limbs - fingers, toes, elbows, or knees - at least 3 times, another 2 points for general movement or turning, and finally we scored 2 points for having enough amniotic fluid. Baby scored 8 out of 8 possible points. Yeah!

We are close now!

Ninth month is here - week 36

Your baby is the size of a Coconut

 

Your baby measures approximately 18.7 inches (47.5 cm) long from head to heel (about the size of a head of romaine lettuce) and weighs just under 6 pounds (2.7 kg).

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered "early term." (Full-term is 39 to 40 weeks. Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term, 41 weeks is late term, and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely your baby is already head-down - our baby is head down and has been for a few weeks.

The bones in your baby’s skull can move and overlap each other, allowing the baby to pass through the tight birth canal more easily. Don't be surprised if your baby arrives with a pointy or misshapen head. It will become more round once the bones move back into place, anywhere between a few hours or days after birth.

Week 35

Your baby is the size of a Honeydew

Your baby now measures approximately 18.2 inches (46.2 cm) long from head to heel and weighs almost 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg), or roughly the weight of a honeydew melon.

Although babies are considered preemies until 37 weeks, 99 percent of babies born at week 35 survive without any major complications.

The baby's organs are already developed and are becoming more and more defined each week. Its central nervous system is maturing, its digestive system is almost complete and its lungs are almost fully developed.

Week 34

Your baby is the size of a Cantaloupe

Baby Velez 10/2

Your baby measures approximately 17.7 inches (45 cm) long from head to heel and weighs almost 5 pounds (2.3 kg). This is roughly the weight of a cantaloupe.

His or her immune system continues to develop, getting strong in preparation for life outside your belly.

It is important to get enough calcium this week because the baby is hardening its skeletal structure. (Not a problem for me ever during this pregnancy since I drink almond milk like it is going out of style due to my constant heart burn.) Your baby will be fine if you do not get enough calcium, but you will not be because your baby will be taking the calcium from your own bones to supplement the development. So be sure to get that extra calcium (in prenatal vitamin and food form) for both of you.