MacNut Week 36

Sorry readers, no pictures of Camille yet!

Technically, this is what's going on this week:

• MacNut is size of a crenshaw melon - ~18.66 inches and 5.78 pounds.
• The baby's body is becoming chubby as fat layers build.
• Between now and birth they may gain about an ounce (30g) a day
• You may feel contractions of the womb, called Braxton Hicks contractions.
• While it says that your baby weighs six and a half pounds this week and measures 19 inches long, this is only an estimate. In general, babies are gaining half a pound (225 grams) per week now. Baby continues gaining weight as fat deposits and is forming creases in the neck and wrists.
• You may feel contractions of the womb, called Braxton Hicks contractions, which can be used to perform and practice breathing exercises. You may be visiting your caregiver weekly up until the birth. Regular internal exams may begin, to see if your cervix has softened, thinned, dilated or if your baby's head is dropping into the pelvis. Any of these could be signs of impending labor but there are no guarantees and you could be waiting for weeks yet. Your baby is almost ready, a pair of kidneys and the liver has begun processing some waste products, the only organ still to mature is the lungs. 
• This week your baby may drop into the birth canal, this is called 'lightening' or 'dropping'. If this is not your first baby, this 'lightening' may not occur until right before labor. Your care provider may refer to it by saying that your baby is now 'engaged'. The majority of babies are now in the birth position, either head down (vertex) or butt down (breech), most will maintain this position until birth. Any movements that they make are more likely to be rolls from side to side.You may notice when this happens because it will suddenly become much easier for you to breathe. While breathing becomes easier, walking may be the exact opposite. If your baby has dropped you may find yourself visiting the bathroom much more often as baby is resting right on top of your bladder again.
• Keep talking - by now she can recognize you voice, and may respond to any loud noises with a swift kick out.

Physical:

• Weight: 154 lb (+28)
• Belly circumference: 40.50 in (+10.00)
• Fundal height: 34 in
• Dilation: 3cm
• Effacement: 70%
• Station: +1 (that's right!  PLUS 1!)
• Estimated weight of baby: ~7 pounds
• Estimated date of delivery, considering the circumstances: "I'd say you'll have her by this weekend," said my trusty midwife, Judy Lowe, who has been practicing since before Chin was born.
• This week, I just feel heavy.  It's harder to turn in bed because I'm luggin' around all this weight.
• My feet are constantly poofy.
• Friday: The process has begun!  I lost my mucus plug this morning at 9am.  After that, I started contracting pretty rapidly (2-7 minutes apart!) for several hours.  Chin came home from work at 11am and Tara (our friend & doula) came over about half an hour after that.  My parents made hotel reservations and made plans to come up in the afternoon.  Once she heard that I was contracting (at 11:15), Chin's mom immediately drove up with Grandma!  She's "a little excited," I think. :)
• At around 2:30pm, I got a little pooped out and really wanted to take a nap.  I successfully fell asleep for about 30-40 minutes.  It felt good.  What didn't feel so good after waking up from the nap was that the contractions stopped!  The frequency of the contractions became about 20-30 minutes apart. :(  Anyhow, Tara & I tried walking around Factoria Mall, going to a baby consignment store to pick up a few last things for Camille, sitting on a rocking chair, and walking some more.  All of that effort amounted to 5-6 solidly strong contractions...about 30 minutes apart!  C'mon!!
• As I am writing this at 11:30, still no regular contractions. :(  I'm just going to try to sleep and hopefully the nighttime birthing hormones will do their magic!

Spiritual & emotional:

• I am a little relieved that Camille wasn't born today (8/13), actually.  My aunt died during childbirth on a Friday the 13th.  Not that I'm superstitious.  I'm just...a little stitious.
• I'd really like her to be born tomorrow, though.  For a number of reasons:
• I will still be 29 (I turn 30 on Sunday)
• I don't dig being in labor for many days in a row.  Just not my thing.
• I'm super excited to meet Camille!  The only person who is more excited to meet her is Chin :)
• At this point, I am feeling like, "I have been perpetually pregnant for the past two years."  Which isn't too far from the truth!  Isn't it time to have a baby already? :)