OB Appointment
Doc did a Group B strep test on me, which came back as negative. I expressed to him my great discomfort in not being able to breathe very well (which is an understatement). It's getting worse and worse. He's said that was normal and that soon the baby will "drop" and some of the pressure will be taken off of my lungs. I'm telling you, that can't come soon enough! After every meal (even if it's small), I struggle with the breathing, and especially at night when I lay down. Even if I'm laying on my left side! I've got to lay on the wedge pillow in order to not hyperventilate. I'm sure my loud, labored breathing is one of the many things keeping John awake at night. The doc also felt my belly and assured me again, that the baby is "head down." Which is a very good thing! It's so amazing to me that babies have the instincts they do. Dr. Johnson is way excited for us. After my appointment, I went over to Labor and Delivery and got a tour. I'm really liking a lot of things about St. Mark's Hospital. And I'm so relieved to have seen the exact place in which I'm going to deliver. Being able to envision it takes a good load of the anxiety off my shoulders. .. I'm retaining water like crazy and my weight has gone up and up! And yes, despite my complaining, this is all sooooo worth it for our babe. I love him so much and would do anything for him... My Braxton Hick's are getting more and more painful as time goes by. They aren't regular by any means but I wouldn't call them "mild cramps" anymore... I'm getting VERY nervous about giving birth. I mean, it helps knowing that billions of women have gone through this before. But my issues is that I'm very concerned about dilation. Mom and Grandma both took a very long time to dilate. I feel I will have the same issue. I want to get the baby out of the birth canal as fast as possible. My favorite time of day is when I bathe in the evenings. I'll listen to a podcast, but the best part is holding my phone up to my belly and letting him listen to some of the best childhood songs that were taught to me by my mom and Grandpa Mottishaw. These include: The Green Eyed Dragon, Animal Crackers in my Soup, Baby Mine, Suzanne is a Funniful Man. Grandpa always performed the best rendition of the Green Eyed Dragon and Suzanne is a Funniful Man. He turned on the English accent and everything. And he never left out any of the growls and other funny noises. Back to the songs- Our baby loves them! If ever I get worried cause he's not moving very much (which doesn't happen to often) I just take a bath and hold the songs up to my belly. 100% of the time he starts moving. I think he's pretty much staying in one position. There is this spot on my left torso that he keeps kicking repeatedly. I can guarantee you it's his foot cause I can feel the shape of it. I press on it softly and he responds with another kick. At about this time in pregnancy women get nervous cause the baby's movements start to slow down cause there is such little room in the womb at this point. But not me! He is just as active, if not more, as he's ever been. I can't help but think he's going to be a very active child. I so enjoy feeling him kick and move. He's so sweet, I can't wait to meet him. 3-20-18
36 Weeks Along
Baby is 19-22 inches long and about 6lbs in weight. He's the size of a large cantaloupe! He's gone from the size of a sesame seed to a 6 pounder in about 6 months time. That incredible rate slows down now. Reason being that he's storing up energy reserves that he'll need to get through labor and enter the world. Plus, if he got much bigger he'd have an even harder time getting through the narrow alley of his mama's birth canal. His bones are flexible and will stay flexible on and throughout labor. Floating skull plates allow the head to compress on the way out. When he emerges there will be a soft, rectangular area on the top of his head. This is where the baby's skull bones have not fused. They will close by the time he turns 18 months. Blood circulation has been fine tuned and the immune system is set to do battle with germs outside of the womb. His digestive system is ready to accept liquid food. 3-21-18
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