OB Appointment, 38 Weeks Along

OB Appointment

I'm 37 weeks 6 days pregnant and had my appointment with Dr. Johnson today. Baby's heart rate is good. He "checked" me and discovered I'm 70% effaced and not dilated at all. He said that if I had been dilated to even a "1" he would have stripped my membranes. But since I wasn't even to a "1" there was no membrane stripping. However, the baby is head-down and he has plenty of amniotic fluid in there with him, which means the placenta is functioning properly. Doc said that if I went as far as a week past my due date, he would induce me. We'll see how it all goes! Hopefully I start dilating so that I can go into labor soon! I'm so anxious to not be pregnant anymore and to meet our baby. John is definitely more patient than I am. I'm still struggling with breathing. My sciatica feels fine but my breathing is the problem now. The baby is still really active, which I like. And getting hiccups daily. On our way home from the appointment John and I talked about how he's probably loving it in there and he probably has very little intention of leaving. He's got a good constant temperature, all the nutrients he needs, etc. I can totally see him waiting until at least AFTER my due date to arrive. John and I are so happy to hear that he's healthy and safe and that's really all that is important to us. 4-3-18

38 Weeks Along

At about 7 lbs. and 21 inches on average, my "bun in the oven" is now a fully cooked loaf of bread. He's still got some work ahead of him before he makes his big debut. He'll lose the vernix and he'll shed any remaining lanugo. After those are shed into the amniotic fluid, baby will ingest them, along with other waste products such as bile, urine and old cells. These all percolate in his intestines and ultimately end up in his diaper as his very first, very dark green and very sticky poop known as meconium. Baby's lungs are now fully mature but still producing surfactant in large quantities to ensure that the transition from watery womb to wondrous world goes smoothly. He's been practicing breathing under water for months and he's just about ready to try out the real thing. As baby prepares for life on the outside, his placenta starts to slowly deteriorate. Not to worry, it still has plenty of life left to sustain him until the big day.4-4-18