{Baby Davis} Week 29:: Lessons Learned from Childbirth Class

Date:: April 2, 2013

How far along:: 29 weeks // 7 months 1 week // 3rd trimester

Gender:: Girl

Movement::
Baby Girl is still tumbling & turning cartwheels. I just know she's going to be a gymnast ;)

Symptoms::
~ My clothes are getting smaller don't fit. Update:: After much thought, deliberation, and self-assessment both internally and externally, I finally decided to order my first pair of maternity pants. And now that they're on their way I cannot wait for them to get here. I am so ready for some comfortable pants that fit!!
~ My belly is very firm.
~ Although it's an improvement with my yoga and Pilate's, I think I'm just going to have to live with a little back pain for the remainder of my pregnancy. I simply cannot find a comfortable sleeping position. I have always been a stomach sleeper, and I think this has contributed to my back pain since I haven't been able to sleep in my normal position.
~ Shortness of breath after doing simple activities (chalking it up to all that extra blood flowing through my body)
~ I tend to lose my balance more often. I find myself tipping slightly forward, especially when putting on socks or shaving my legs in the shower. I wonder why?

~ Alternating nights of insomnia and deep sleep. The nights that I can't sleep very much I spend thinking about this little girl. On the nights I sleep well I dream about her. Welcome to motherhood.
~ No ankle or finger swelling, protruding belly button, or stretch marks yet.

Craving::
I've decided to list the things I eat frequently; that is, every day or at least three times a week. Since I've had no "burning desire" to eat a certain food, I'll just say these diet staples are what my taste buds want.
~ Apple juice
~ Frozen yogurt (classic tart with strawberries & pecans)
~ Dill Any kind of pickles
~ Wheat crackers with cheese and mustard
~ Oatmeal with cinnamon, raisins, and honey
~ Gala apples (every day for recess snack)
~ Popcorn (the old fashioned way- kernels popped in a skillet with organic butter)
~ Whole, organic milk

~ Cuties (those tiny, delicious oranges)

~ Homemade trail mix with pecans, peanuts, raisins, and dried plums

~ New this week:: blackberries! I buy frozen, then thaw them and add them to my shredded wheat cereal or plain Greek yogurt. They are so good!
I do not like fish of any kind, or unfortunately, salads, which I absolutely loved before I got pregnant. Now I eat a bite or two and push it away. Not even appetizing.

Looking Forward To::
~ Learning more about labor and delivery. Childbirth class is fascinating! See the did you know facts below.

Fun Baby Fact::
~ Little Miss is (supposedly) as long as a butternut squash.
~ Baby now has eyelashes. Yes, eyelashes! That's so precious I can hardly stand it!

~ Did you know that the uterus is actually a muscle?? This might seem like a "duh" to some people, but I never knew that the balloon that encases my child is actually a muscle. Of course, now it makes sense since that's the muscle that's "contracting" during labor and delivery.

~ Did you also know that fluid travels through the umbilical cord at 4 miles per house?? That's pretty quick!

Weekly Development::
~ We are officially on a two week rotation for doctor's visits. I remember thinking early in my pregnancy that when we start going every two weeks, then it will feel really close. Um, yep. Maylin's due date is feeling really close.

~ Until now Baby's brain has had a smooth surface. This week it's beginning to develop grooves and indentions that lead to an increased amount of brain tissue. In other words, she's getting smarter and more able to answer those higher order thinking questions she'll be getting in 4th grade!

~ Also, her bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells, which is an important step closer to being able to survive on her own outside of my body.

Emotions::
~ Smitten by our little girl. We can't wait to meet her!
~ I am having more frequent dreams about this baby. Some mornings I wake up almost in tears because she's not here yet! The dreams seem very real. Only a little longer to wait.

~ I'm beginning to think, "Will I ever look like I did before I got pregnant??" It seems like everything is puffier these days...

~ I'm getting more excited, yes I said excited, about the labor and delivery process. As I mentioned earlier, childbirth classes are fascinating to me. I feel much more prepared and aware of what's going on now than I ever had before.

Best Moment of the Week::
~ Passing my gestational diabetes test! This is a standard test that occurs during every pregnancy, but I was still a little nervous that I might have developed this. The blood tests came back clear though!

And, since one belly picture didn't seem like enough, I snapped this one yesterday. For the first time I am actually starting to embrace this big belly of mine. I think mainly due to seeing the videos in childbirth class and knowing that our little girl is in there and growing healthy and strong. I can also definitely tell that my bump has taken on a different shape. It is more angular, not as round, which is characteristic of where I am in the third trimester. Grow, Baby Maylin, grow!!