37 Weeks

Your baby in week 37 of pregnancy

 

With just three more weeks to go and at about six and a half pounds (though weight and height vary from fetus to fetus), your baby is doing just fine. You can expect weight gain to be about half an ounce per day. (Boys, though, are likely to be heavier at birth than girls. And here's a bit of boy baby trivia to back that one up: Moms carrying boys tend to eat more than moms carrying girls — a foreshadowing of teenage refrigerator raids to come.)  Since your little one is considered full-term at 37 weeks, if your baby was to leave the wet nest this week, he would likely thrive. That's because Mother Nature and you have done such a fine job.
 
So what's keeping your little one busy while waiting it out until D-day? Practice, practice, practice. Your baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tushy on the left side, another day it has swung around to the right side). All these are skills needed for his next gig  — starring as newborn. 

Here's an interesting fact: Your baby's head (which, by the way, is still growing) will, at birth, be the same size circumference as his hips, abdomen, and shoulders. And guess what's making an impression (literally) these days on those shoulders and hips: fat — causing little dimples in those cute elbows and knees, shoulders and hip, and creases and folds in the neck and wrists. 

My belly info:

Week: 37

Starting weight: 98

Weight now: 123

Fundal height (measurement, in centimeters, of uterus....usually round abouts equivalent to your gestation week): 33 1/2 

Things of note:

Got my birth kit in (one of the most important things I was responsible for). FINALLY! Here is a list of what is included in the birth kit, designed by my Midwife http://www.highlandmidwife.com/index.html, put together by http://www.confidentbeginnings.com/.

20x Underpads 23"x36"
6x Vinyl Glove Exam Single Sterile Medium
2x Vinyl Glove Exam Pair Sterile Medium
1x Box Vinyl Gloves, Aloetouch 3G, Powder-Free, Non Sterile, Medium
10x Gauze Sponge Sterile 4"x4" 12ply 2pk
10x Gauze Sponge Sterile 2"x2" 12ply 2pk
20x Alcohol Prep Pad Medium 2ply
20x Alcohol Prep Pad Large 2ply
10x Lube Jelly Sterile 5gram packet
1x Vaginal Speculum, Disposable, Light Source Adaptable
1x Vinyl Catheter 14Fr, 16" Length, Female
1x Enema Fleet, Sodium Phosphate 4.5 fl oz.
1x Amnihook
4x Flex Straw 7 3/4"
12x Maternity Pads, 11"
1x Mesh Pants Deluxe Unisize
6x Adult Sanitary Briefs (Depends)
1x Hibiclens Bottle 4oz.
1x 8oz. Peri Bottle w/ Lid
1x Povidone Bottle 4oz.
1x Hydrogen Peroxide 16oz
1x Infant Cap White
1x Umbilical Cord Clamp Sterile
1x Cotton Umbilical Cord Tape 1/8" x 18"
1x 2oz. Bulb Syringe Ear
1x Infant Paper Tape Measure 24"
2x HemoHeel Infant Heel Incision Device
2x Sterilization Pouch 5.25"x10"
1x Miltex Ez Zyme Enzyme Packet
1x Arnica 30x Pellets (250)
1x Comfrey Leaf 4oz.
1x Red Raspberry Leaf 4oz.
1x Calendula Flower Whole Organic 1oz.
3x Prescription Dropper Bottle, Amber, 1oz.
1x Muslin Bag 4"x6"
1x MAWS Forms, 9 pages

Also got the birthing tub! There are two sizes that my Midwife offers, 100 gallon and 150 gallon. I wanted the 100 gallon, but all of them are currently being used by other clients. So instead I got the 150 gallon and it's HUGE! There is no way I will be filling that thing up all the way, it is so deep I would drown in it, lol. Yesterday Sam cleaned it given the instructions I posted in this post HERE and now it's covered and turned upside down to keep it clean until needed. The kids were excited to see it and think it's cool. We explained to them that's where Timothy will be born. I totally picture Molly asking to get her swimsuit on to go swimming when I am in it, hahaha.

Monday afternoon is when I had my 37 week appointment and the tub delivered. My belly is still measuring small (remember I talked about this last week?) at 33 1/2 (when it should be closer to 37 since I'm 37 weeks), but my Midwife isn't concerned as I'm a small gal and by feeling the baby she places him at a smudge over 6 pounds. That's exactly what Anthony was when he was born at 37 weeks and he was perfect. And I've read that at the very end they gain a 1/2 pound a week....when Molly was born right at 40 weeks she was 7 1/2 pounds. So I'd say Timothy is growing well and right on track.

I had a few important questions answered. We got to listen to the heart beat as well as the flow of the umbilical cord and placenta (they all sound different and it's pretty cool). I peed on a pee stick and made my Midwife happy when it showed I've been drinking tons of water, lol. Took the GBS test. Got to meet another Midwife assistant....she was lovely and I like her a lot. Everyone got to feel my belly and figure out what position he's in and what bump was what. It's awesome how you can actually feel what is what....could definitely feel his back and butt and his little legs and feet trying to push out. :) My mom enjoyed that part....as you can tell in the 3rd photo, lol. All in all everything looks great!

Not much longer! I'm definitely feeling ready, but Timothy doesn't run on my schedule....I run on his. However, there is a full moon this weekend and word on the street is a full moon brings out the babies. Guess we'll see! 

With love,

Mama Hauck