pregnancy at 38 weeks

Pregnancy at 38 Weeks

Pregnancy at 38 weeks

Baby at 38 weeks

Your baby now weighs probably close to 7 pounds at 38 weeks of pregnancy and is almost 20+ inches long … the size of a leek in length. He can grasp and his organs have matured to the point where he is ready to live outside your uterus.

The big question now is when will he arrive?

 

Baby at 38 weeks

Source: Your pregnancy: 38 weeks | BabyCenter

Eye color can be perplexing, at first they may be dark and if they are brown they may remain brown as that is a dominant gene. If your baby’s eyes are gray or dark blue, they may change to green, hazel or even brown but they may remain blue. A baby’s iris, that is the colored part of the eye may gain more pigment after he is born so they may get darker, they more than likely will not get lighter.
Your life is now a waiting game.

  • Make time now to prepare for your baby’s actual homecoming. Get stuff ready, you will be glad you did when you bring him home on that first day.
  • Take naps whenever you can.
  • Spend time with your significant other.

Warning Signs for Preeclampsia

Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

“If you have other children, let them help you plan a low-key birthday party for the new baby, complete with a birthday cake and decorations. From their perspective, it’ll add to the perks of having a new baby in the house.”
– Kate

This week:

Catch up on reading about baby care so you aren’t too overwhelmed by all the information you get right after you deliver. The first few days postpartum can be busy and you can be inundated with information.

Okay, I have to apologize for the late post. My daughter delivered this week just shy of 38 weeks. She had a very healthy little boy, who weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces. He was almost 21 inches long. We call him a compact little newborn. Mom, Dad and Baby Boy are doing well at home adjusting to each other.

One thing you can count on about pregnancy toward the end is you can expect the unexpected and not be disappointed. We are counting our blessings this weekend. I wish you all the best.

The Traveling Baby Shower Weekend

Traveling Baby Shower

Rich of the Traveling Baby Shower

Ten days ago we had a visit from my daughter’s husband and his dad. They were on a mission…a “Traveling Baby Shower” for my daughter Adrienne, who is soon going to welcome a son into the world.IMG_1168

For several years now our basement has been full of baby gear, including a Pottery Barn crib, Bugaboo carriage/stroller, high chair, car seats, swing, clothes and many toys. I am happy to report that all these items have found a new home in Rhode Island.

Here in Chicago it has been rainy for the past few weeks and Friday evening when we were packing up the SUV of course it was pouring buckets. It was not an easy task shoving all of the baby gear into such a small space. With the help of a friend, Rich and his dad were able to drag all the cargo out of the basement and pack the SUV literally to the gills only leaving the front seats empty and unable to move, it was similar to a coach airplane seat.

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After the Traveling Baby Shower SUV was happily all packed I served up a delicious dinner of chicken saltimbocca, pasta ala Mario Batalli, Ceasar Salad and refreshing drinks. It was a great little celebration of a job well done plus a relaxing moment with our son and his dad. We had some laughs and the two grandpas had some fun trading stories.

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It wasn’t too late when we all crawled into our beds. The traveling twosome had to get some serious zzz’s before getting on the road early Saturday.

Since I am a all about good food, Saturday morning started with Puerto Rican coffee, a frittata, toast and orange juice. A breakfast send off for our two men, who were taking the Traveling Baby Shower to Rhode Island where my daughter would be waiting.

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I am happy to report as I am writing this post the baby gearapalooza arrived in Rhode Island and all the “gifts” are put away safely.

Mommy-to-be and Daddy-to-be are presently both sighing with relief that the huge Traveling Baby Shower weekend is now behind them.

Pregnancy at 30 Weeks

Pregnancy at 30 Weeks

Pregnancy at 30 Weeks

 

I am thrilled that my daughter is in her third trimester of pregnancy as is she…”the homestretch”. Soon we will be meeting the newest member of our family.

He is now around 15.7 inches from head to heal and the size of a large cabbage!

Right now his eyesight allows him to make out faces that would be only a few inches away from him. So this is just perfect since he will be held closely to his mom and dad when he is born and will be able to see their smiling, loving faces.

Source: Your pregnancy: 30 weeks | BabyCenter

Life at 30 weeks gestation:

  • Trouble sleeping.
  • Feeling tired.
  • Feeling clumsy due to being heavier with your weigh concentrated in your belly with a shift in your center of gravity.
  • Your ligaments are much more lax, joints are now looser which will make your balance a little off.
  • Mood swings may return due to hormones, creating more ups and downs.
  • One in 10 expectant women battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you’re frequently nervous or anxious.
  • If you can’t shake your mood swings tell your caregiver.

“I realized that finding a good pediatrician would be at least as important as finding a good doctor or midwife, so I started my search early. I asked my midwife and her assistant, the workers, administrators and mothers at two daycare centers, and my local hospital’s referral center for recommendations. The two practitioners whose names came up most often were the ones I interviewed.”
– Patti

Pregnancy

Take time to Breath

Labor Worries:

You may be worrying about labor pain, needing an episiotomy, possibility of C-Section, this is normal and feel free to talk to your caregiver each time you have a visit.

This week’s activity

  • Start putting together baby gear, it can be overwhelming so start as soon as possible.
  • Make sure you have batteries.