How Far Along?: 31 weeks! We are officially in the single digit countdown now!
Weight Gain: So far I've gained about 16-18ish pounds depending on the day.
Gender?: BOY! I can't wait to meet him! We got to see his little profile in a 3D ultrasound last week!
How Big is Baby?: He's the size of asparagus and is weighing in at about 3lbs 5oz at our growth scan we had last week! He's going through major brain and nerve development. In fact, all five of baby’s senses are in working order. At this point, his visual system is fully functional. His eyes can open and close, and the pupils can detect light and respond by constricting or dilating. The eyes can also begin to focus (although there’s not much of a view in there).
He can also recognize familiar voices outside of the womb. At around week 18 of pregnancy, baby’s hearing was developed enough to hear internal noises, like the gurgling of my digestion; outside noises become audible between weeks 27 to 29. Research shows that by 31 weeks, babies have begun to recognize voices and even specific words and sounds they hear on a regular basis. Hearing these familiar noises after birth can be comforting for them.
His brain is busy building connections and is now capable of controlling his body heat. For now, the womb is a tightly controlled environment—which means his body temperature is about the same as mine (more precisely, it’s about 0.5 to 1-degree F warmer, thanks to his rapid metabolism). Extra heat is filtered off through the amniotic fluid or his blood, which passes to me via the placenta. At birth, babies can’t shiver, so they warm themselves by burning through body fat stores.
Symptoms: The last week has been kind of crazy. I've been officially home from the states for a week and have been trying to get back into the swing of things. I started taking my GI meds which have made an impact on my GI issues. I hate that I have to be medicated but I know for now it's the best option. I've had ALL the nesting energy and it's hit HARD. The heartburn comes and goes, but my sleep overall seems to be improving. I did however, notice a hemorrhoid (lovely I know). In positive news though, I passed my glucose tolerance test, woo!
Any Food Cravings?: Ice cream and coffee all of a sudden. And when it's not that, it's protein.
Sleep: Not horrible. I'm actually kind of surprised but I think waking up at the same time everyday (even the weekends) has helped a lot.
Stretch Marks?: No new ones that I've noticed. But my old ones are just more pronounced and noticeable for sure!
Maternity Clothes?: Yes! I have a few basicst. I have some leggings, tank tops, tees, and biker shorts. I also mix in my normal clothes too so I don't spend too much money on clothes I won't ever wear again (I think lol).
Wedding Ring On or Off?: On!
What Do You Miss the Most?: Being able to bend over and walk up stairs without being out of breath.
What Are You Most Excited For This Next Week?: Wes being home for a long weekend!
Labor Signs?: Nope!
Favorite Memory From Last Week?: Getting to see little man on the ultrasound! He's getting so big!
