34 Weeks

I really am NOT as huge as my pictures make me look! I promise!



I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. EVERYTHING is going according to plan! I only gained a half pound since the last appointment (so my 3 1/2 pound gain last time evened out!) and I'm measuring good. The doctor said that she still expects my due date to be August 13. Based upon those measurements, Lauren is actually a little below the average mark in her growth. The doctor anticipates Lauren to weigh between 6 and 7 pounds when she arrives, which she's pleased about.

All of the baby information that I have says Lauren should weigh between 4 3/4 and 5 pounds and be between 12 and 19 inches long. Those are big spans, I think. Something interesting I read was that her eyes are blue right now, but they will change color once her irises are exposed to light. It can take up to a year for her eye color to settle. Her footprint has developed with an obvious heel (which she doesn't spare to kick me with!) and her toes. All 5 senses have developed fully, but she won't experience smell until she's here because there is no oxygen in the womb. Her skin continues to smooth as she gains fat rather than being wrinkled. Her lungs are still maturing.

I'm scheduled for a breastfeeding course mid-July. Not sure what it will entail, but I figure that if I'm going to try this, I need all the help I can get! I've been scheduling appointments and classes for Paul and me (the next one--Diaperchanging 101) to make sure we're as prepared as possible...yeah, right!

I chose to walk the dog this morning (2 miles--that's 8 this week!!). Everything has been going very well for me (or rather, the 3 of us!). We're waiting on the crib to come in. Once I have it in and up, I'll send pictures of Lauren's nursery. We still need a rocking chair (I'm really picky with this. I can't find a comfortable chair!) and a baby swing. Other than that, save for some prayers, we're ready for our little one to arrive!

Ultrasounds from Today

I had another ultrasound this morning and things look good. Lauren is measuring in at 4 pounds 11 ounces based upon her body measurements. Her fluid levels are good, too. She has moved more into position and is head and face down, both very good signs. According to the ultrasounds, her feet are on my right side, as I've said, but she's kicking me with her heels, not her toes! Her bottom is under my left breast and her head is near my bladder. She's all curled up yet sprawled out at the same time! (She knows that I'm writing about her. I'm getting punched!) Heartbeat is 157, good and strong. And, funny as this may be, that right arm of hers is STILL directly next to her head with the wrist bent at her forehead! (Paul sleeps this way.) I only pray that she'll move her arm to her side when it's time for her to come!


Lauren looking at us. (Her head is on the right. The black spots are her eye sockets and you can see her nose and mouth below.) Her right arm is moving upward for her to rest her wrist on her forehead!

Lauren's now famous "fainting" or "let me be" pose with her right wrist resting on her forehead!

Lauren's hair...there is more of it since her last ultrasound! (I compared the images.) And no, I've not had horrible heartburn!

33 Weeks

Lauren has been moving around a LOT this week! She has had hiccups 4 times in the past week, too. One morning when I was in class, she had them for 10-15 minutes, got mad, and started thrashing until they stopped. It was kind of funny (although I was a little sore by the time she was done)!

Lauren now weighs about 4.5 pounds. She's between 17 and 19.5 inches long. Her brain continues to develop. She can distinguish between light and dark. One source says that her patterns of sleep, as well as day and night, begin to come in tune with my patterns. I've been saying this for a long time--Lauren likes to be in bed no later than 10:30 or she kicks until I slow down. The websites say that Lauren actually dreams, too!

I noticed during week 31 that Lauren appeared to have moved head down. Her kicks were directly under the right side of my rib cage. She tilted back into her side position for several days, but I'm noticing kicks again under my lungs. She isn't crowding me too much yet, but I have had a little trouble breathing at times. She's actually kicked the breath out of me! (At one point, Paul was getting upset because I couldn't get comfortable in bed, keeping him awake, too. I inhaled a quick breath because she had kicked my lung. At 11 pm, Paul rolled me on my back, put both of his hands firmly on my belly and said, "Lauren! Your mom needs to sleep. Stop kicking her!" She kicked several more times, then stopped.

Family Baby Shower

Paul's mom hosted a baby shower for Lauren and me on June 16 in Pennsylvania. It was an extremely nice shower that lasted over 3 hours! We ate, played games, had cake, and unwrapped presents (of which there were so many!). Here are some photos from this event. Again, we were innundated with love and support. Lauren is one spoiled little girl! Her closet continues to burst...


My mom, Debbie, me, and Paul's mom, Kay


Before everyone arrived...


The cake--Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of!




Family and Friends

32 Weeks

At this point in time, all of Lauren's major organs, except her lungs, are completely developed and functioning. Her lungs will continue to develop until she arrives. She has gained more weight and is between 3 1/2 and 4 pounds. Her length is between 17 and 18 inches.

She has moved into the head-down position, readying herself for birth. The websites said she can still move around and flip, changing this position. However, she has actually let me start sleeping on my left side this past week, so I'm going to assume that she's moved into the head-down position. I can also tell that my belly is getting closer to my "baby bottles" which indicates that she's turned some. (However, I have gotten a lot of comments this past week that I'm a cute little pregnant person, which is pretty nice to hear!)

I gained 3.5 pounds (1.5 pounds too much!!) since my last doctor's visit. (I had a visit on the 14th.) I measured at 30, which the doctor says is good because the bigger I measure, the bigger baby I'll have! I go for another ultrasound on the 22nd and my next appointment is on the 28th.

Childbirth Classes

Paul and I completed our childbirth classes on June 5. Here are some photos from the week that the instructor pulled out the 35 pound empathy belly for the husbands to don.




Notice where Paul's hand immediately travels...





Paul with his normal belly and Chad with the empathy belly.

31 Weeks

I'm finally in single digit weeks for the countdown till Lauren arrives! Nine to go (unless she comes early). Lauren weighs about 3 1/2 pounds now and is approximately 16 inches long. She will now begin to start gaining weight and not grow lengthwise as much. I have an appointment with my doctor on June 14 for a check up.

Lauren has been moving around a LOT, especially during 9 and 11 am and 7 and 10:30 pm. She seems to know when it's bedtime and responds to wanting to sleep when I do. This is the first week that I've started to get up twice during the night for a potty break (1:30 am and 4:00 am).

I have had swelling in my hands for a while now. However, with the increase in the temperature down here, my feet and ankles have started to swell, too. (I have cankles at night which means that my calves and my ankles flow together.) I cannot wear my tennis shoes, so I'm pretty much going barefoot or wearing flip flops. (At least I can get away with flip flops during the summer!) I'm still getting massages about every 3 weeks which helps with the swelling and hip pain. I've also started getting heartburn when I drink soda, eat chocolate, or have pizza, so I'm having to avoid some foods.

We finished our childbirth classes on Tuesday. Yea! I have a call in now for breastfeeding classes that will take two Thursday nights to complete.

Paul and I will be traveling to Corry on June 14 for his 10 year class reunion and our family baby shower.