38weeks 6 days

12/2/08

The baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

I had another appointment with Beth, our midwife, yesterday. I forgot to ask last week if my Group B Strep test came back negative or positive, so I asked for sure this week, and thankfully it was negative. That means no antibiotics for me during labor!! My blood pressure was good 110/58, urine fine, and I gained 2 pounds. That is 34 pounds total. I am so ready to shed 15 pounds all in one day! Once again, I did not have an internal exam. The heartbeat sounded great, and my uterus was measuring right on target. We discussed the course of action should I not be in labor by next week. I was really all prepared to go 42 weeks again this time, but with my friend having a full term still born baby recently, it has made me really scared and nervous. I told Beth that I wanted to have an ultrasound of the baby, and a nonstress test. During the ultrasound, they will check the fluid level, check the baby's breathing, movement, and heartbeat. During the nonstress test, they will hook me up to a monitor that measures the baby's heartbeat, and my contractions. It monitors the baby's heartbeat over the course of 20 minutes. If the baby's heartbeat is fluctuating all around, this shows that the placenta is still functioning well, and giving the baby plenty of oxygen. This may all be overkill since I will just be 40 weeks, but I just want to make sure everything is still okay in there. My ultrasound is next Monday, followed by another appointment with Beth.


Owen has been running a temperature for the past couple of days. He also has a slight rash on his belly, arms, and legs, which he had at his 18 month check up last week, and his doctor asked if he had been sick recently. At the time he was not acting sick, but now he has just been whiny. He is also getting all four canine teeth in, so I am sure that is part of it. Yesterday his temperature only got to 100.3, but this morning it was 101.5. I am not so sure I should be taking care of him at this point. I don't want to be getting sick right before delivery. I gave him some Tylenol, and he really just wants to lay all over me, spreading his germs for sure.

I had my last lia sophia meeting last night, and I have no more hours at the hospital, so I am now officially on rest mode waiting for this baby to come. : )

I wonder, will these be my last big belly photos? I am going to miss my big pregnant belly once it is gone. Do you think it can really get any bigger????