38 Weeks

How have I been feeling?... Excited, nervous, uncomfortable, exhausted, irritable, sad, worried, etc. I have been having quite the mix of emotions lately. I’m VERY ready to meet our little boy and I am beyond excited to have a child but at the same time, I’m terrified. I’m sure this is normal and I was never scared until just recently and I think that’s because I am SO close to having him.

I’m scared because we have no family here to help.
I’m scared because I want to be the best Mother I can be.
I’m scared because I feel like I won’t know why he is crying.
I’m scared of this big bad world eating him up.
I’m scared of losing him.

I’m sure once he’s here, it will all fall into place and we will feel like we never lived without him but how do I ease these other fears for now?

I’m scared about things I can’t control, I know this. And the funny thing is that I’m not scared about birthing him but rather what’s to come once he’s here.

What am I looking forward to?... My MOM coming on May 3^rd!!! I just saw her in March but it feels a lot longer than that. Also, that means that I can finally relax and welcome our baby boy any time after that. She and I both want him to come after she arrives so she can see the birth of her first grand baby.

Any weight gain?... Oh geez, I’m sure. Wait, actually, to date, I have gained 31.5 according to our scale at home. I think the scale at my Midwifes office says more so I refuse to go by that one. haha I always weigh myself in the AM with no clothes on. When I get weighed at her office, it’s about 4pm, I’ve eaten and drank water all day and have clothes on. NOT a good judge of my true weight, geez!

How big is baby?.... The average newborn has a length of 21 1/2 inches and weighs 7 1/2 pounds. He is fully developed, though still adding connections between neurons in the brain (this continues well after birth). His nails have been growing and now reach to the ends of his fingers and toes. His movements are quite restricted by his close quarters.

He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold him 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 she'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.)

How is my body changing??... You're probably having a whole lot of back and neck strain, lots of fatigue, and not much relief! You continue to add a pound a week and have a hard time getting around gracefully. Don't be tempted to try to induce labor with herbs or castor oil. Herbal supplements are unregulated by the FDA and can contain highly variable concentrations and unlisted ingredients that may be dangerous. Keep eating small, frequent, nutritious meals, and if you think that your contractions may be the real thing, eat something. The calories will help fortify you for the job at hand.

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... Anything that I shouldn’t be eating…..not good!

Food Aversions?... Nothing, I’ve been VERY lucky in this part. I only had some issues in the first trimester.

New Sensation?... Some contractions! Nothing that is consistent or too painful but they are definitely there and come and go as they please. They can continue as long as it doesn’t lead to labor until at least May 3^rd.

Next appointment?... We have our last group class (before the final final class where we meet all the babies in June) on Wednesday (today) and then my next individual appointment is May 1^st. I’m hoping that they check me at that point just to see if my body has decided to start the process. I’m VERY curious to know if anything has happened yet.

And my weekly pictures..............I do NOT feel cute anymore, at all! My chin has been breaking out and I'm so tired, I really don't care what I look like anymore. haha I am very proud to report that I still have no stretchmarks though! YAAAAAAAAAAY!