Wednesday, October 7, 2009

31 weeks

My 30 week appt was last wednesday and it was the first of going every 2 weeks! Everything is still going the way it should and she's growing the way she should. I asked the doctor if she could tell how the baby was laying, but she said it would probably be the next appt when she'd be able to tell. She guessed that she's head down already though because of how strongly she picked up the heart beat from my lower abdomen.
She's moving more and more every week now! Sometimes I think she's just rolling all over the place in there cause the movements can be so big and right up under my ribs! I absolutely love feeling her move all day! I feel like it's our quality time together even though she's not here yet. So far I've gained 21 pounds, which is hard to look at! I'm really hoping I don't gain too much more, but now is the time when she'll start gaining more weight herself.
I'm finally at the point where I feel like each week is actually progress and I actually feel like I'm closer now! Even though every week brings me closer already, it has always still felt so far away. Yesterday was our third prenatal class and next week is our last one. We toured the maternity unit and talked about pain management options during labor. That class made things seem more real, like we can finally see the end! I'm even more excited than before and keep thinking about what she'll look like when I see her for the first time! All the labor videos we watch in our class just make me emotional trying to imagine that first time we see each other.

Her room is complete beside all the "supplies" that we'll get at the showers and after them. My first shower is this weekend for my friends and then Oct 25 for my family. I am so excitied for this weekend! Not just for my shower but for AU's homecoming and getting to see all my friends and going to Brown County on Sunday. A perfect weekend!

Here's what Isabella is doing this week...This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy. This week marks an incredible milestone in your baby's lung development. Before now, the air sacs and branches in her lungs were present but not functional. The lungs were not able to inflate properly. However, now there is surfactant being produced in her lungs. Surfactant prevents her lungs from collapsing outside of the uterus and she is able to take in air and breathe properly. The fetal ear is almost completely developed both inside and out. She can hear your voice and other familiar sounds that she will recognize after birth. She is putting on white fat under the skin and the skin's color is pink instead of red at this point. Her fingernails have grown to the end of her fingers and she may scratch herself while she is in the womb. She's going through major brain and nerve development these days. Her irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (She won't pick up anything from her nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.)
Isabella at 28 weeks

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