Week 36

I can't believe I've entered my 9th and last month of pregnancy.
36 weeks and 4 weeks left to go!

Baby
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. 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.

Childbirth Class - So we had our class last Saturday and it was pretty good but long. We decided to go to the all day class instead of once a week for 5 weeks. They talked a little about everything, car seat, labor, complications, excersizing, breathing, etc. We also got a tour of L&D which was nice. So know we are all done with that.

Vacation - Was a lot of fun. We spent 3 days with John's family in CT and all we did was relax at the beach. All of his sibiling and step-sibilings joined us, so all together there were 14 of us. I did enjoy going to the beach and just relaxing. It definitely did help my swollen feet because they look so much better. The rest of the week John and I just took it easy at home. We did go another day to the beach and on Saturday he golfed 18 holes. I did go on the golf course with him, but I sat in the cart and watched him play.

Ultrasound & OB visit - So I had my appointments on Wednesday and I was so happy that John came with me. It was so cool to see Baby D again on the screen. He's head down and his head is really low now. I knew it must of been because I have been feeling some pressure in my pelvis lately. He now weighs 5 lbs 14oz although it could be off by 1 lb in each direction. I still think he will weigh in the low 7lb range, but who knows. We got 2 3D pictures of him and 2 2D of him. I'll have to load them up so you can see him. Than we went to go see my OB. When the nurse called me in to check my blood pressure and weight my blood pressure was pretty high. Lately it had been a little high but nothing like that day. I was put into a room and my OB came in really quick, did the Group B Strep test and an internal. As for the internal, no progress at all, cervix is completely shut tight. He than had me go into his office and was on the phone with L&D. He was very concerned about my blood pressure being that high because he though it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

After he told John and I what I was going to have done at L&D we made our way over there. I had a urine test, b/w, my bp was being taken every 15 minutes, and put on the NST machine for 2 hours. My bp came down right away and everything else came back normal. If there were any signs of pre-eclampsia he was going to wait until today and than possibly induce me this week. I'm dying to meet my little baby, but I don't want him to come this early. So after 2 hours I was sent home and was told to take it easy from now until the end.

So that's what I've been doing, relaxing and just taking it easy. I've been napping in the afternoons and just trying to not do anything at all.

I had a follow up visit with him this morning and although the bp was still a little high, he wasn't very concerned with it today. He did test me again for pre-eclampsia so hopefully I'll get the results next week when I see him. My GBS results were not even either so I still don't know if it's positive or negative. He did another internal and no progress again. He did feel the baby's head though so I know he's pretty low. He said that with a first pregnancy he didn't expect to see any progress at 36 weeks. So I see him again next week. From here until the end I now go for NSTs twice a week.

I've been getting a few cramps here and there. I think my uterus is preparing for the big day. They feel like very mild menstrual cramps. I mention the cramps to him and he said it's very normal to feel them now.

I'll have to post my 36 week belly shots later.


Weekly Survey

How far along? 36w4d

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 38 lbs

How much does baby weigh: 5 lbs 14 oz

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I toss and turn a lot but overall sleep is still good

Best moment this week: Seeing Baby D on the ultrasound machine

Movement: Oh yeah. Sometimes he's so active it looks like he's having a party

Food cravings: Fruit

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: Cramps and BH

Belly Button in or out? In and I don't think it will pop out

What I miss: A nice cold beer on a hot summer day

What I am looking forward to: Cooler weather

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every moment of your pregnancy because it goes by so fast

Milestones: Entering my 9th and last month of pregnancy