How your baby's growing: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
How are you feeling? Really feeling like things are in the end game now... a friend of mine here in Vancouver had her baby at week 35. I have a bunch of different feelings about it at different times, mostly I am super excited to meet this baby and get to know him, but at times I also feel dwarfed by the task of caring for a whole new person basically forever. But then I tell myself I will just make Mahesh do all the hard parts ;)
Now that things are getting close I am also feeling wistful ahead of time, I know I will miss being pregnant. So far growing a baby has been extremely satisfying, I like having him in there and with me at all times, and other than trying to eat healthy and exercise, it's all a very easy passive process. I feel like he's safe and happy in there and all his needs are being completely met. Once the baby is born, he becomes his own separate person with his own wants and needs, and caring for him becomes exponentially tougher.
Health update: Thanks to my wonderful physiotherapist, my back pain is gone! I walked 2 miles last weekend. Other than an increasing case of pregnancio waddle, as long as I do my exercises and work on stabilizing myself before I move, I am fine. Yay!!
One other small concern that has come up this week was that my blood was found to be iron deficient (not anemic). My hemoglobin levels, the levels of active iron in the blood, are (barely) normal, but my ferritin levels -- the stored iron -- were so low they could not be measured. I'm not having any symptoms of anemia (being overly tired) so no one seems to be worried too much about it. The midwives suggested I do a two-week course of this super-iron stuff called spatone to try and beef up my iron stores up before I give birth, so I am starting that today.
This low iron business has been a bit of a mystery because I already get tons of iron, usually about double the recommended amount for pregnant women a day! But I guess everyone absorbs iron differently.
More on the birth plan: It sort of develops as we go. Lately we are thinking of hiring a doula to support us during the birth. (A doula is like a paid friend/grandmother who knows a lot about natural child birth and who helps support you and your birth partner through it all, who helps make sure everyone eats when possible, can "take over" for Mahesh if he needs a catnap, can suggest different laboring positions or ways to cope with the pain other than with medicine.) After talking to friends (and watching way too many eps of Birth Stories, I'll admit it) I definitely think I will need LOTS OF coping strategies to have any chance of getting through labor without pain meds, and I think the more positive support I can get in that vein the better, especially since I don't feel like I know a lot of strategies right now. In the end, I still might end up with an epidural, and that's fine, but I want to try my best to have a natural childbirth first.
How are you dealing with the heat: I get this question a lot! Truthfully, other than a couple weeks, it has hardly been hot at all this summer in Vancouver. On the hot days I definitely feel it more than I have in the past, but mostly if I am too hot I will just drink a glass of ice water and that makes me feel better. It hasn't been that big of a deal, really.
Exercise: Still doing yoga 1-2 times a week, swimming 1-2 times a week, plus some walking now that I can do that again. After getting back into regular exercise for a few weeks now I am starting to feel fit again, although because I am so big I do get breathless a lot faster so I have to take it easy.
OK I think that's it, have a good week everyone!
Mona
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