Baby Shower Part Deux

Diaper Cake!

Shower Games:

"

Guess the Chocolate" or "Delectably Dirty Diapers"

"Do You Know Your Baby Food?" or "Guess the Baby Food"

Crazy looking, but very yummy, punch

My Wonderful Hosts:

39 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls). The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

See what your baby looks like this week:

How your life's changing:

At each of your now-weekly visits, your caregiver will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. She might also do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). But even armed with this information, there's still no way for your caregiver to predict exactly when your baby is coming. If you go past your due date, your caregiver will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue — or sooner if there's an indication that the risk of waiting is greater than the risks of delivering your baby without further delay.

While you're waiting, it's important to continue to pay attention to your baby's movements and let your caregiver know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem. Also call if you think your water may have broken. Membranes rupture before the beginning of labor in about 8 percent of term pregnancies. Sometimes there's a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there's only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If you rupture your membranes and don't start contractions on your own, you'll be induced.

Answers to some more commonly asked questions:

• "Oh wow, so you're pregnant?" - Yes, I am.


• "So, it's a boy?" (everyone except for the dude at the Verizon store) - Yes, it is.


• "So when are you due?" - June 4th - "Oooo, one week to go." - Yeah, one to three . . .

38 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

See what your baby looks like this week:

Comments for Colleen:

• Doctor's visit today was good: no dilation but softening up.
• Room is pretty much painted, and the curtains are almost all up.
• People keep asking me everyday if I am "sooooo ready," and they seem surprised when I say that I'm not quite there yet (for various reasons - wink). But why should I be? He is clearly not ready yet either, or he'd be here

P. S. Looks like the "winning date" is June 10th . . . we'll see!

37 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard).

Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

See what your baby looks like this week:

How your life's changing:

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.

It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though quarters are getting cozy, he should still be as active as before. While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Comments for Colleen:

We have a busy week coming up. Changing table delivery today, plus graduations parties, suit shopping for P, and "new" neighbors! Baby Shower tomorrow. Doctor Monday. Last Lamaze class Wednesday. Infant Care class Friday. P goes "out of town" Saturday. Ahhhhh!

36 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a Crenshaw melon . . . really, is that the best we can do?) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his 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 his first bowel movement. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

See what your baby looks like this week:

How your life's changing:

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!

You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.

Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Comments for Colleen:

The Good: We had a quick ultrasound yesterday to determine the position of baby. His head was down, looking to the side, with the booty up to one side and all the limbs on the other side up by the ribs (like this!). He hasn’t stayed exactly like that since yesterday; I think he is spinning on his head, which the doc said he might do. But, I am excited that he is in a good position. In fact, I was so excited, I forgot to ask how big he was(!) . . . . maybe that is better though! I don't think I want to know. Also, a few days ago when I got up, it definitely felt as though baby had "dropped.” Maybe it is ALL just my imagination (Patrick says he can’t tell), but three people in a row at work the next day said I looked like I had as soon as they walked in the door. I've been assuming baby will be late (since both Patrick and I were), but now I'm thinking maybe not . . . we’ll see!

The Bad:Gross, swollen ankles and feet when I work.

P.S. I have definitely been having Braxton Hicks contractions for months; I just didn't know what they felt like! But, I had one last week while being examined, so that cleared up any question there.

See all belly pix here - http://uw.thebump.com/view/520507687505092/4921363/?msdvisit=1