Week 32

How far along are you? 

32 weeks. 

How big is the baby? 

Baby Girl is the size of a squash. She is about 15.2 - 16.7 inches long and weighs roughly 2.5 - 3.8 pounds. 

How I’m feeling: 

In some ways I am glad that I’m still teaching. It means I stay active and engaged with the community. On the other hand, I would be perfectly happy to sit around navel gazing. 

Healthy eating? 

Not too bad. I still want something sweet every day but I am also eating a lot of fruit and veg. 

Food cravings: 

I still love fresh fruit. I ate blueberries by the handful over the last week. And, melon still tastes incredibly good to me. I’m making smoothies regularly. 

Food aversions:

Heavy meals. Weirdly, water doesn’t sit very well with me because of the acid reflux. Milk is much easier to drink. 

Exercise: 

I taught five yoga classes and took a Yoga for Birth class. Sadly, I can’t make it to Zumba or Prenatal Conditioning at the moment because of my NCT classes and other commitments. I’ll return next month if I think I can handle it. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

28 pounds and a bit. 

Sleep: 

Not bad. Getting to sleep is still the tricky bit but then I rest well with the occasional trip to the loo. 

Maternity clothes?

About the same as last week. I would like a couple more options - maybe dresses - so I’m keeping an eye on Ebay for some secondhand maternity clothes.

Stretch marks?

Not so far...

Best moment(s) this week: 

I had a busy end to the week. 

On Friday I got my nails done and had a haircut. Then, I went to my former workplace for a baby shower. It was wonderful to see my friends and Ria had planned some awesome activities for us. First, we used fabric and iron on transfers to jazz up some onesies and bibs. Then, everyone wrote funny messages on newborn diapers for us to read while changing Baby Girl during the early days. Afterwards, we ate some food and I opened gifts. We received a fantastic selection of books for our little one. Her library is coming along! 

Saturday was my birthday. Ria’s birthday is only a few days after mine so we decided to celebrate jointly. We met for breakfast, then went to a spa for a treatment, and finished up with lunch. It was awesome. I went home and we went to dinner locally. 

Sunday, we talked to Pauline, Ant, Lizzie, Syl, Jonquil, Sara, and Richard on Skype. Then we did some chores. Afterwards, Dave took me out for my birthday dinner. We went to China Tang, a fancy Chinese restaurant in the city. It was so delicious! The funny thing about this restaurant is that they have a book on tape playing in the bathroom! 

Movement: 

In addition to her usual movements, I have started to feel a bit of pressure and a buzzing sensation under my sternum or the bottom right side of my ribs. I think her foot can stretch into that space now. 

Belly button in or out? 

Miraculously, it’s still an innie. It’s weirdly shaped though. The top kind of folds down. It’s strange... 

Symptoms: 

Acid reflux. 

General stiffness and occasional aches and pains. 

Feeling heavy and slow.

Getting up and down will be a challenge until the end of pregnancy, I’m sure. 

Occasional shortness of breath. I need a good stretch to give Baby Girl and I a bit more room to move. 

A bit of mild swelling in my arms and legs at times. 

Gender:  

Girl. 

Labor signs: 

No, thankfully. 

What I miss: 

Sleeping like a normal person.

What I'm looking forward to:

We are attending the first hypnobirthing session of two this Sunday. I have had many positive experiences with guided relaxation which is similar. I feel really comfortable working with breathing techniques and visualization. I think they helped me bring Baby Girl into being so it seems only natural to use a comparable method for her birth. I’m glad Dave will get a chance to experience the benefits too. So far, I have fallen asleep every time I’ve listened to the hypnobirthing track! 

Weekly wisdom: 

When in doubt, call the midwife. Saturday morning it rained a lot. As I walked to meet Ria I slipped on the wet sidewalk and gracefully slid down to the ground landing on my right knee and bum. I got back up and felt fine but called the hospital just to double check that I didn’t need to go in. The midwife told me what to watch out for and to keep an eye on the baby’s movements. Everything turned out just fine. It was reassuring to know I could call for help if I needed it. 

Milestones: 

I am officially booked into the Whittington Hospital. My midwife and the student midwife were both really lovely. 

Our NCT class this week covered the mechanics of labour and birth as well as helpful breathing techniques and positioning. These are topics I LOVE and I’m a total geek about it! There was a lot of overlap with what I teach my pregnant clients. The teacher brought out a model of the pelvis and showed us how extra room can be created. We talked about how being in a UFO position - upright, forward, and open - makes the most space for the baby to come down and through. We also tested out some labour positions. I tried out all fours with Dave massaging my lower back. I enjoyed it and Baby Girl became very active as I relaxed. 

Dave’s take:

At the start of our NCT class this week we were asked our favorite part of the pregnancy so far. Dave said he likes watching my body shape change. I really appreciated his sweet comment especially since I’m reaching the stage where I feel rather large. 

Dave calls the baby’s movements “the fructose bounce” or “baby waves”.