32 Weeks

Sorry this post is a little late. It's been quite a rollercoaster of a week for me thanks to an onset of some pretty severe Braxton Hick's contractions. They gave me quite a scare, as I was home alone and they lasted for around 5 hours, but thankfully no damage was done and I'm able to manage them now with adjusting positions, heat, massage and medication (if necessary).

Here's my 32 week bump, which as expected is bigger than ever and I'm really feeling it these days! I feel like I'm carrying around a sack of spuds. If I look tired here it's because I was. Lack of sleep means I'm walking around like a zombie and pretty sure I was still half asleep when I took these. Suppose it's something I should get used to with baby boy due in a matter of weeks!

Yesterday James and I had an appointment with our OB for the 32 week check-up. We were lucky enough to get another ultrasound and see our beautiful baby boy. After a few scares this week, it was such a relief to see that he's big and strong. Weighing in at around 1.7kg (3.7lbs), he's just about on track now with the average size for gestation at 32 weeks 3 days. He had previously been measuring small so it was great to see he's had a growth spurt since our last appointment. During the ultrasound he kept rolling his big bottom lip (I did this as a baby) and he's still looking just like his daddy. There's no mistaking paternity!

How far along: 32 weeks
How big is baby: Size of a squash (43cm from head to toe)
Total weight gain/loss: + 2kg (4.4lbs)
Stretch marks:  Still none to speak of (moisturizing my belly, hips and tatas religiously every night)
Maternity clothes:  I still have a few stretchy pre-pregnancy dresses that I can get away with wearing but feel much more comfortable in my maternity skirt and leggings
Wedding rings on/off: On and strangely they're loose on my finger
Linea nigra: Still no sign of it
Sleep: A thing of the past and not something I foresee in my future unfortunately
Food cravings or aversions:  I'm shocked (and a little bummed) that I haven't had any weird cravings because I thought that was part and parcel of pregnancy
Gender: BOY!
Movement:  According to my pregnancy app, baby boy sleeps 80-90% of the time. Pretty sure they meant somersaults! Unless he's the most active sleeper ever.
Belly button: Out... but only just when I'm standing, and in when I'm laying down
Exercise:  Ha! I barely have the energy to bath myself these days
Diet:  I can't consume much of anything thanks to the instant reflux and heartburn after eating but when I do have something I try to eat healthy
What I'm loving:  That we're in the home stretch and will be meeting our baby boy in a matter of weeks (preferably 5+)
What I'm not loving:  Braxton Hick's contractions, lightning crotch, round ligament pain, back spasms, sore boobies, lack of sleep, the list goes on...
What I miss:  Everything below my belly button. Can't see a thing!
Sickness and symptoms:  Apart from feeling completely exhausted 24/7 I'm not doing too bad
Notes:  My baby shower is this weekend! I can't wait to celebrate our baby boy's impending arrival with family and friends.
 

Weekly Guide to Pregnancy: Week 32

Your Baby

How big is my baby?

Fetal size: 43cm total length
Fetal weight: 1.7kg (3.7lbs)

Space inside your womb is becoming increasing scarce for your baby, making his movements less dramatic and much slower this week. The foetal position is becoming a familiar position for him. Your baby can now use all of the five senses. He is busy looking around, practising breathing, grabbing whatever is in reach, tasting amniotic fluid and listening to the sounds of both you and your partner's voice. Your baby will weigh about three and a half pounds at this point.

Maternity Photos

We're so excited to have all of the photos back from our maternity shoot and to share them with you. Mel did an amazing job and we couldn't be happier. You can check out her incredible work here. Please 'like' her page and show her some support. She will be photographing our baby boy for his newborn shoot in a couple of months and we can't wait!

I'll share a handful of the maternity photos in this post. But as there are so many, please click through to our Flickr album here to view them all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Weeks

We had an appointment with our OB a few days ago to check on cervix length and our baby boy's growth. Happy to report that everything looked good, my cervix is still closed and bub is healthy and strong. Still looking like his daddy and sleeping with his hands around his face.

My bump is still sitting quite high and has definitely grown this week. Only going to get bigger over the next couple of months!

How far along: 31 weeks
How big is baby: Size of a pineapple (42cm from head to toe)
Total weight gain/loss: + 1.5kg
Stretch marks: None (moisturizing my belly, hips and tatas every night before bed)
Maternity clothes:  Most days I get away with wearing pre-pregnancy dresses with stretch but definitely finding my maternity leggings and skirts more comfortable
Wedding rings on/off: On
Linea nigra: No sign of it yet
Sleep: Broken. I get a couple of hours then wake up to use the bathroom. And repeat.
Food cravings or aversions: None
Gender: BOY!
Movement:  Lots, as per usual. Just when I think he's running out of room, he pushes out and makes more for himself!
Belly button: Out... but only just
Exercise:  James and I took Pepper for a walk on the beach on the weekend and within minutes I felt like I'd run a marathon. That was after taking about 10 steps. So yeah no actual exercise for me, besides the frequent bathroom trips and walks from the couch to kitchen.
Diet:  Heartburn and reflux is back so I'm eating smaller size meals and mostly soup these days
What I'm loving:  Seeing the nursery come together. The walls are painted, the furniture is in, just need to put the finishing touches on it.
What I'm not loving:  Not being able to get a full night's sleep. I've been feeling exhausted easily and without doing much of anything lately. Oh, besides growing an acrobatic baby boy...
What I miss:  Having the energy to put one foot in front of the other
Sickness and symptoms:  An update on my arm. It's been more than 2 weeks since the botched blood test for gestational diabetes screening and my arm is finally on the mend. The muscle spasms, nerve twitches and bruising are going away slowly but surely, and best of all I have no out of pocket expenses as pathology are covering all of my costs. As they should! I'm just thankful there's no permanent damage and our baby boy was unaffected by his mama's dramas.
Notes:  We found out at our OB appointment on Thursday that based on gestation and his measurements, our little man is on the small size. This could be for a number of reasons: our date of conception is incorrect, or he's just going to take after his parents and be a wee one. Either way, it's not a worry as he's still growing consistently every week and has no shortage of energy (that makes one of us!). As long as he continues to gain weight with each appointment, there's no cause for concern. But it probably means a later due date, so he should be arriving around the end of July.

Weekly Guide to Pregnancy: Week 31

Your Baby

How big is my baby?

Fetal size: 42cm total length
Fetal weight: 1.5kg

The eyes are now fully formed and the eyelids have separated, allowing your baby's eyes to open. Once the eyes are open, your baby will start to see and focus (within a limited range).

Your baby now has a fully developed breathing rhythm and his lungs begin to prepare for breathing air in the outside world. Sucking and swallowing skills continue to develop in preparation for feeding. Your baby passes about half a litre of urine into the amniotic fluid each day. The lanugo (body hair) is continuing to shed, although babies born prematurely may still have some of this at birth. Bones are busy hardening and preparing to support his body after birth. The adrenal glands, which produce those important hormones called steroids, have doubled in size over the last 10 weeks. Steroids are responsible for the growth and development of sex organs.

30 Weeks

It's hard to believe that we're already 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy and that our baby boy could be making an appearance in just a couple of months... that's if he stays put until his due date. I celebrated Mother's Day yesterday with my two babies - my little man and our pug Pepper. I'm excited that this time next year they'll be playing together.

How far along: 30 weeks
How big is baby: Size of a large cabbage (40cm from head to toe)
Total weight gain/loss: + 1.5kg
Stretch marks: None (moisturizing my belly, hips and tatas every night before bed)
Maternity clothes:  Still wearing my pre-pregnancy wardrobe but got comfy in my maternity leggings so I had room for my big Mother's Day roast dinner
Wedding rings on/off: On
Sleep: Not much because of my bruised and battered arm, thanks to a blood test gone bad
Food cravings or aversions: None
Gender: BOY!
Movement:  He's supposed to be slowing his roll as he gets bigger but not this over-active baby!
Belly button: Out... but only just
Exercise:  Walking from my bed to the bathroom to the kitchen and back to bed
Diet:  Eating small snacks regularly, but prepared a roast dinner for my mama on Mother's Day and enjoyed every mouthful. Thankfully I didn't have any heartburn afterwards.
What I'm loving:  Being pregnant. This is probably the best I've felt all pregnancy.
What I'm not loving:  The constant pain, pins and needles, heat, twitching, swelling and muscle spasms in my arm
What I miss:  My husband. He's missing out on so much and I miss his cuddles (cooking, cleaning, etc lol) but someone's gotta bring home the bacon
Sickness and symptoms:  So all this hoopla about my arm is thanks to a botched blood test for gestational diabetes. I had it done 11 days ago and my poor left forearm is still bruised, tingling, tender, heavy, hot, swollen and sore. Either I'm a slow healer or the tech taking my blood did a bloody good job at butchering me. After spending almost all day on Saturday seeing my doctor and then in the ER at the hospital, I was diagnosed with a punctured artery that caused a hemorrhage resulting in nerve damage and muscle spasms. I went for an ultrasound today to check for a blood clot as my arm was still aching this morning but thankfully it was all clear. I'm on medication to stop my muscles spasming and pain relief so I can get some sleep but it's just going to take time for my body to recover. Yay more bed rest! :/
Notes:  We have an appointment with our OB (which will include an ultrasound) to look forward to on Thursday this week. Can't wait to see our baby boy again! Then James and I are attending a full day antenatal birthing class on Saturday. Looking forward to that - especially watching James' reaction to seeing a baby being born!

Weekly Guide to Pregnancy: Week 30

Your Baby

How big is my baby?

Fetal size: 40cm total length
Fetal weight: 1.4kg

Your baby has increased in size and won't be able to somersault for much longer. Your medical practitioner will be able to ascertain your baby's position by performing an abdominal examination. Your baby keeps gaining weight and maturing, and you will feel him actively wriggling and kicking. These movements allow you to relate to your baby before he is born.

Your baby's brain has grown and the brain cells and nerves are now active. This means that your baby can now engage in more complex learning and movement. From now on, there will be less and less room for your baby to move, so he will probably move less. If uncomfortable, he will move about. While your baby has been moving around over the past few months, he has been building muscle tone and learning how to orientate himself in the uterus. Over the next 4 weeks, your baby will probably lie with his head facing upwards, but sometimes a baby will turn upside down and "engage" or get ready for birth earlier than usual (head facing downwards).

Your baby starts to gain weight and starts to round out as fat continues to appear beneath the skin. This fat smooths out the wrinkles in the skin. Your baby also begins to control his own body temperature. The hair that covered the skin now reduces, while the hair on the scalp lengthens. The head and body are now fully in proportion - just like a newborn.

Maternity Photos Sneak Peek!

We had our maternity photo shoot last week with the amazing Melissa Cooney (who also snapped our wedding back in February), and have just received a few sneak peek photos from her. They're beyond what we could've hoped for and are absolutely beautiful. Exactly what we wanted - very natural, mother earth inspired. The photos were taken at my parents' property amongst their gardens and even in their pool (yes, we braved the freezing water for the perfect pics). We should have all of our photos back some time next week so I'll be sure to post a few more once I have them. But for now, here's a little preview.

29 Weeks

Well it appears that my super strict bed rest has paid off. We had an appointment with our midwife today and got nothing but good news. I passed my glucose tolerance test and all of my blood work was within normal limits. My fundal height was spot on for size at 28cm. My cervix is still closed and our baby boy has moved up and away from it, now happily laying horizontally with his head on my left side and legs wrapped around my right side, facing out. It was nice to see him again, albeit briefly and only in 2D, but so reassuring to watch him kicking his legs and sucking his hands. Our baby boy looked perfect and we couldn't be happier.

 

And just for fun, here's me vs Kim Kardashian (who is also due in July) in a baby bump pose-off.

29 weeks and working it! :p

 

 

How far along: 29 weeks

How big is baby:  Size of my handbag (38.6cm from head to toe)
Total weight gain/loss: + 1.5kg
Stretch marks: None (moisturizing my belly, hips and tatas every night before bed)
Maternity clothes: After 7 months in pre-preg clothes, I finally wore a maternity skirt this week
Wedding rings on/off: On
Sleep: 4-5 hours a night but broken by a trip to the toilet and our baby boy's kickboxing session at around 3am without fail every morning
Food cravings or aversions: None
Gender: BOY!
Movement: My womb is home to the world's most active baby!
Belly button: Out... but only just
Exercise: Nothing this past week but I got the ok from my midwife to start doing some gentle pregnancy yoga so will start that today
Diet: Healthy eating with the occasional chocolate treat thrown in to keep my energy level up. Really, that's the only reason! ;)
What I'm loving:  That our baby boy moved off my cervix and my super strict bed rest has been lifted, which means I can move around a bit more now. Still taking it easy but it's nice to get out of the house and feel somewhat normal (apart from this basketball strapped to my stomach lol).
What I'm not loving: Not directly pregnancy-related but I seriously dislike that my hubby has to work away for 9 days straight and is only home for 5 days. I miss him so much but it's just one of the sacrifices we have to make and will be worth it in the end when we can afford the things we need for our baby boy.
What I miss: As per the above post... my hubby

Sickness and symptoms: Feeling pretty good these days

Notes: It was an exciting week. We had our maternity photo shoot with the amazing photographer that snapped our wedding and I'm beyond excited about the pics. James and I had the perfect setting - my parents property - set amongst a beautiful landscaped garden, then we crossed the road to a cane paddock and wrapped it up in the pool! Yes, despite the freezing water we both jumped in for a few photos. Our photographer Mel has assured me they're amazing and should have a sneak peek pic for us some time this week!

Weekly Guide to Pregnancy: Week 29

Your Baby

How big is my baby?

Fetal size: 38.6cm total length
Fetal weight: 1.25kg

Over the last 5 weeks your baby has doubled its weight. He grows so quickly that even a few weeks growth will have a big effect on his size. A baby born between 37 and 42 weeks is considered term, and is fully mature at birth. A baby born prior to 37 weeks is considered to be premature, and requires specialist medical attention.

Your baby's brain is now in charge of maintaining body temperature and it also controls breathing. His irises can now respond to light by dilating and contracting. All the internal organs are maturing and preparing to function on their own at birth. You may even feel him cough. Your baby's skin is beginning to look like it will look when he is born. The extra fat under the skin will help to regulate the body temperature at birth. His head is much more proportionate to the rest of the body now. He is bursting with energy and you'll be feeling every bit of it!