37 Weeks

Yesterday was the 37 week mark!  That means, we are less than 3 weeks away from the Due Date.  Do I think we’re going to hold out until then? No, I do not.  J I think Little Michael is going to come a bit early. 

We had our 37 week check-up yesterday, to include an ultrasound.  Michael is quickly running out of room in there to move around!  He is head-down facing to the right.  His little back and booty curve up around the left side of my tummy, and his legs and feet are on the right side of my tummy.  He likes to use one of his hands to grab his feet.  We saw him do this during the ultrasound, and it made us smile.  He sometimes puts his other hand and arm across his face.  He’s such a cutie on the ultrasound screen.  I can’t wait to meet him face to face!  His heart rate was a solid 156.  He was a bit aggravated with the ultrasound wand pushing on him and he kicked at it a few times.  The ultrasound technician measured Michael’s crown, his tummy, and his thigh bone and it appears that Michael currently weighs in at 7lbs 3oz.  J 

The nurse said “Well, the doctor probably has a plan.” She was nervous since we’re still 3 weeks away from the due date, and Michael already weighs over 7lbs.  She doesn’t want Michael to get too big.  The doctor and nurse both told me that I am welcome to go into labor at any time, and they ended the statement with “Please do.” J  At 37 weeks, babies in the womb are considered full-term.  So, if Michael decides to come a bit early, it will be just fine.  The doctor said he doesn’t induce at 37 weeks, but next week when I come in, we’ll start “looking at our options.”  Whether the options include inducing labor, or scheduling a ‘medically necessary’ C-section, we’ll find out in a week.   The doctor performed a pelvic exam and stated that I am not dilated at all.  That’s a bit discouraging for a soon-to-be-mom to hear, after hearing that it’s ok to go into labor at any time.   It’s all just a waiting game now.  There’s not much I can do to speed up dilation, so I’m working hard at trusting God’s timing.  He knows exactly when our little one will be born, and I know His plan is best.

I’m trying to stay distracted.  Fortunately, the Olympics were a big help during this past week.  And now, it’s the weekend and I always look forward to those! J  Tomorrow, Aaron and I are going to “Baby Boot Camp”—a condensed child-birth/Lamaze class given at the hospital where we will deliver.  It will include a tour of the labor & delivery and maternity wards.  I think this will help ease my nerves since I will be prepared as to where to go when the Big Day arrives.  I have been instructed to bring a yoga mat and 2 pillows with me to class.  I am anxious to find out what we will learn tomorrow.  I am very grateful to my sweet husband for coming with me and being my “coach.”  Hopefully this class will help us both with any unanswered questions we have about what’s to come when we have Michael.

Did I mention that I have finished packing my hospital bag??? I accomplished this task on Monday evening.  As far as other ‘nesting’ instincts go, well, I’m kinda waiting around for that burst of energy that will propel me to feverishly become that combination of Danny Tanner from Full House and Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie.  Why these two characters?  Well, Danny Tanner was known for being a clean freak, and Jeannie could fold her arms, bob her head, and blink her eyes and whatever she desired was done!  So, it would be really nice to have the urge to clean, and to be able to do it quickly!

At work, many of us are being shifted around and changing cubicles.  This requires one to pack up his or her current cubicle, and clean the desk before moving to the new cubicle’s location.  I was scheduled to move today, so I spent much of the day organizing my supplies and folders, and dusting and cleaning my current desk.  At the end of the day, it was obvious that the moves weren’t happening at the pace everyone thought they should, so I will be continuing the moving process on Monday.  It was hard to concentrate on anything besides making sure my cubicle was spic and span, so maybe this was my version of nesting.  We’ll see.  If I suddenly get the Danny Tanner/ Jeannie burst of energy, I’ll be sure to let you know in next week’s blog.  J

Here’s my belly picture for the week:

I’m sure you will agree that I look like I could have Michael at any time! J

This Week:

-Michael is full-term!  All of his systems will be fully-functional outside of the womb now!

-Michael’s growth will dramatically slow down after this week. 

-His bones are pliable, which will help during his journey down the birth canal.  The bones will solidify after he is born.

-Little Baby P. is spending his time “practicing” his skills for when he enters the world.  He is busy sucking, grasping, gazing, sleeping and peeing. 

-Little Michael is most likely 19 to 20 inches long and weighs 7lbs 3 oz, which is roughly the size of a prize-winning large mouth bass:



(Photo credit: ligtel.com)

My Craves:

-Chicken.

-Milk, milk, milk.  Once again, I could drink this all day long.

-Savory things. My lunch at work usually consists of a PB&J, a Nutragrain bar, and some applesauce—not bad, but all are sweet.  When I get home, I want to eat savory things to counteract the sweetness of my lunch. 

-Ice cold water.  I carry my water bottle with me as my coworker friend and I do our daily walks around our work parking lot.  Water is a necessity for this mom-to-be. 

Thanks for catching up with us this week and sharing in our joy as we eagerly await Michael’s arrival! J  Please keep us in your prayers as we approach delivery, which could be any day now!  Love, Reba