Week 37

How far along are you? 

37 weeks! The countdown is truly on! 

How big is the baby? 

Baby Girl is the size of a winter melon. She weighs about 6.2 - 9.2 pounds and is 18.9 - 20.9 inches long. 

How I’m feeling: 

When I hit 37 weeks I suddenly got a burst of much needed energy. I celebrated that we made it to term with this little one and then felt a rush of excitement that we’ll get to meet her soon. 

Healthy eating? 

We ate out a lot this week, so no. 

Food cravings: 

Sweet things. 

Food aversions:

A large portion of pretty much anything. 

Exercise: 

Yoga for Birth. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

A lot!

Sleep: 

More or less the same. 

Maternity clothes?

They’re essential now. 

Stretch marks?

A couple have appeared under my bump this week. I really thought since I’d made it this far without them then I was golden. But, no. I did read a comment online that cheered me up. The women wrote that she would have felt cheated if she hadn’t had any scars to show from the experience of carrying and birthing a baby. To her they are something to brag about. I hope to eventually adopt that attitude. 

Best moment(s) this week: 

I had so many opportunities to socialize! I spent the afternoon with a friend, Eugenia brought the baby gifts from my Syracuse shower and we hit a local cafe, my NCT friends and I went for tea and cake, and Dave and I attended a first birthday party for neighbors’ daughter. I can’t remember the last time I was this busy and I am loving it! I feel reassured that our social network will be here for us when Baby Girl arrives. 

In very exciting news, the first of the NCT babies was born on Monday, July 14th. He’s a handsome little guy and you can tell his parents are over the moon now that he’s here. 

Movement: 

We call her movements “swizzling”. 

Belly button in or out? 

More out than in. 

Symptoms: 

Heartburn and acid reflux

Anemia 

A bit of pubic symphasis pain, especially at night

A hard, heavy belly and tender ribs on the right side

Hormonal ups and downs 

Gender:  

A little lady. 

Labor signs: 

I still have the occasional Braxton Hicks contraction. 

What I miss: 

The money that used to be in my bank account! Ha! I’m a saver by nature and shopping for lots of things all at once is not something I’d normally do. I am not an impulse buyer either. Before I buy something, especially an expensive item, I feel I need to read a lot of reviews and gather information to make sure I’m not wasting any money. Plus, I’m pretty useless when it comes to making a final decision. I often have buyer’s remorse before I’ve even made a purchase! 

What I'm looking forward to:

Feeling more and more prepared for Baby Girl’s arrival. 

Weekly wisdom: 

Even though it was tiring, I’m so glad I got out and about with friends. 

Milestones: 

I had another appointment with the midwife. She registered my preference for the birth centre and talked me through what to expect over the next few weeks. Baby Girl’s heartbeat was strong and the midwife thought her head was slightly engaged. 

Baby Girl’s first bed arrived. It is assembled and ready to go! 

Strangers seem fascinated by my belly. I’ve definitely noticed people staring at it, and everyone wants to know when the baby’s due, what the sex is, etc. This morning the cashiers at the grocery store had a field day. One said the baby is definitely a boy. She could tell by the expression on my face. I let her know that they’ve said it’s a girl. She maintained it is most certainly a boy. Another cashier chimed in that I should sue the NHS if it turns out it is a boy. Okay, then. 

Dave’s take: 

Bless this man! We ordered something on Ebay and he went to collect it. The item turned out to be much more cumbersome than we expected but he persevered and dragged it all the way from West London to our house up north. 

Baby Girl loves her dad’s breakfast sandwiches! She always moves more than usual when I eat them. 

Week 36

How far along are you? 

36 weeks. 

How big is the baby? 

Baby Girl is the size of a honeydew melon. She is about 17.2 - 18.7 inches long and weighs around 4.2 - 5.8 pounds. 

How I’m feeling: 

Busy! There have been a lot of work logistics to sort out (refunds, who will teach for me, where they will teach, etc.) in addition to baby preparations, appointments, and social engagements. One of my NCT friends commented that now she is on maternity leave she’s busier than ever. I agree!

Healthy eating? 

A bit erratic because of all the stuff happening each day but not too bad overall. 

Food cravings: 

Fruit. Milk. 

Food aversions:

Big meals. 

Exercise: 

I took it easy this week. Dave and I went for a couple of walks in the park nearby. On Tuesday I went to Yoga for Birth and taught my last Pregnancy Yoga class. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

I forgot to weigh myself. Next week!

Sleep: 

More or less the same. 

Maternity clothes?

Yep. More or less all the time. 

Stretch marks?

It doesn’t look like it but it’s pretty difficult to see under the bump these days!

Best moment(s) this week: 

Thursday I went to lunch with a couple of the ladies from our NCT class. We swapped a lot of stories and got to know each other better. 

Friday, July 4th I surprised Dave by taking him out for a fancy seafood dinner for his upcoming birthday on August 4th. Things could be very different a month from now so it made sense to me to celebrate now instead. It caught him off guard which definitely made the whole event much more fun. 

Saturday we hosted a BBQ for our NCT group at our house. Amazingly, everybody was able to attend.  It was cool and drizzling outside so we sat around our dining room table to eat. We provided the food basics and everybody else contributed side dishes, desserts, and drinks. The food was delicious (homemade lemon cheesecake, anyone?) and the afternoon was filled with laughter and good cheer. 

Sunday we went to a baby care workshop our doula was running with a midwife. It was the first time they offered the course and it turned out we were the only two in attendance. This worked to our advantage because it meant we had a whole day to ask any questions we had to two birth and baby experts. The funniest moment was when we practice changing diapers. They tried to make it as realistic as possible and poor Dave got a very messy nappy (as they’re called here). The “poo” had gone all the way up the baby’s back. He handled it like a pro! 

Monday Dave took the day off work. First we went to apply to become British citizens. The woman who checked out paperwork couldn’t have been any nicer which made the whole experience very pleasant. Then, later in the day we went to Hampstead Heath for our maternity photo shoot. All day the sky had threatened rain and while we were out there were more than a few drops. Thankfully, we found some good hiding spots in the bushes and under trees which prevented us from getting too wet. In the end the damp weather made the shoot really atmospheric. Our photographer showed us a couple of shots on her camera and I think we have a few winners! I can’t wait to share them with you once she sends them on to us in a couple of weeks. Afterwards, we met up with our friend Kel. She’s been studying at Cambridge University and will be flying back to Australia shortly. We were happy to see her before she heads home. 

Movement: 

Constantly. She’s our little wiggle worm! 

Belly button in or out? 

Flat with a hint of outie. ;)

Symptoms: 

Same old, same old... 

Heartburn and acid reflux

Anemia 

A bit of pelvic discomfort, especially at night

A hard, heavy belly and tender ribs

I definitely hobble around rather than walk these days. 

Gender:  

Girl!

Labor signs: 

The occasional Braxton Hicks contraction.

What I miss: 

Being able to slouch. Nowadays if I do that my ribs start to hurt and it’s hard to get a full breath in. 

What I'm looking forward to:

Having all the shopping done so I can organize the nursery and pack my hospital bag!

Weekly wisdom: 

I am really glad we took time to get maternity photos taken. I’m sure they’ll be a wonderful keepsake of this special time. 

Milestones: 

I had a midwife appointment Thursday. Baby Girl is measuring right on track and has a healthy heartbeat. All is well. 

My short stay in the hospital served as a reminder that this baby of ours could truly come at any time. So, I pulled out my debit card and went shopping online for the bits and pieces we need for our girl. There are still a few items I’d like to have on hand but we’re on the right track. 

Dave’s take: 

We filled out our paperwork for citizenship the night before our 9am appointment. That’s when we learned we needed two referees. We had to know these people for at least three years and one needed to be in a professional trade (lawyer, doctor, bank director, etc). So, even though he had the day off he got up early went into the office before our appointment and had a couple of his colleagues complete this for us. He’s a good one! 

Week 35

How far along are you? 

35 weeks. 

How big is the baby? 

Baby Girl is the size of a coconut. She’s about 17.2 inches long and weighs roughly 4.2 - 5.8 pounds. 

How I’m feeling: 

Good!

Healthy eating? 

Mostly healthy with a sweet treat a day. 

Food cravings: 

My passion for fruit continues!

Food aversions:

Still not hungry for heavy carbs or large portions of meat. 

Exercise: 

I taught four yoga classes. 

Total weight gain/loss: 

+ 30.5 pounds

Sleep: 

The same as in recent weeks. 

Maternity clothes?

I bought a dress on eBay for £7. It is so comfortable and makes me feel pretty. 

Stretch marks?

Nothing on the bump... 

Best moment(s) this week: 

This week flew by! I barely remember what I did. 

Dave and I had a nice time at dinner on Friday. It wasn’t anything too wild or crazy but still very enjoyable, especially because I know our Friday dinners will be going on hiatus soon. 

Our neighbors across the street invited us over for a BBQ on Sunday. They were eager to test out their new charcoal grill and we were happy to be their guinea pigs. The weather was miserable but we weren’t going to let that spoil our fun! They cooked burgers, sausages, and salmon with a couscous salad on the side. Delicious! We had ice cream, strawberries, and cherries for dessert. Their daughter is about to turn one and kept us entertained with her love of an inflatable ball and attempts to walk from chair to chair while we ate. 

Movement: 

Busy as ever! She’s a little live wire! I predict we’re going to have our hands full. 

Belly button in or out? 

It is mostly flat to out these days. 

Symptoms: 

Heartburn and acid reflux

Anemia 

A bit of pelvic discomfort, especially at night

Feeling tired, heavy, and huge

Gender:  

Girl! 

Labor signs: 

Occasional Braxton Hicks. 

What I miss: 

Having my organs in their usual spots. 

What I'm looking forward to:

I am trying to organize a location and yoga teacher for my Hatha yoga students so they can continue to practice while I’m away. The logistics are tricky and I’m eager to have this sorted. I can’t wait until it’s all taken care of and I can start maternity leave. 

Weekly wisdom: 

Roll with the punches!

Milestones: 

For the first time since my own birth I spent the night in a hospital. Don’t worry; we’re fine!!! On Sunday night right before bed I discovered I was bleeding a bit. I checked Google and it said to call the doctor, so I did. The midwife at the labour ward advised us to come in to the maternity triage unit to get it checked out. She said we could stay at home until the morning as long as the baby kept moving like normal and I didn’t have any pain. So, we decided to get a few hours of sleep and go before Dave was scheduled to start work. We woke up early and took a night bus to the hospital. The Whittington is under construction so it’s a bit of a maze! We had to ask a nurse to let us through a restricted area to get where we needed to go. We got there in the end! At the maternity triage they hooked me up to monitor my blood pressure, pulse, and uterine contractions as well as the baby’s heartbeat. All were within the normal range. Then a doctor came and performed an internal exam. Things looked okay but there was some new blood so the doctor decided to keep me there for 24 hours of observation. 

They offered us breakfast and then Dave ran home to get me some essentials. I settled into my space - a section of the ward screened off by a curtain with a bed, chair, and side table within it. This area was for pregnant ladies being monitored (for a short time or a longer time before scheduled Cesareans) and those who were in postnatal recovery. There wasn’t much to do but put my feet up and relax. I had lunch, played with my phone, read a bit, and had a nap. 

Occasionally a midwife would come to check on me and take my vital signs. Ria visited in the late afternoon and we had a lovely chat. She finally got a chance to feel Baby Girl move and hear her heartbeat. Just before dinner the midwife hooked me up to monitor the baby’s heartbeat and my uterus to see if I was having contractions (I wasn’t). Her heartbeat started out really steady but then I ate. She became REALLY active and her heart rate was erratic as she moved around causing the alarm to go off every few minutes. They wanted her to calm down so they had me drink a lot of water and kept me hooked up for about an hour and a half. Dave arrived and she was still being wild. So, the midwife took me off the machine and sent us for a walk to soothe her. We got back, hung out for a bit and then they hooked me up again just as visiting hours ended. Happily, the stroll worked and she settled down. They took my vitals again and I tried to get some sleep. It was pretty noisy at first and the lights didn’t go off until after 11pm. However, the bed was very soft and I was able to elevate my head without a jumbo pillow pile which was great. In the end I got some quality rest with less discomfort from the heartburn and pelvic pain than usual. 

I woke up at 6am and they put the baby and I back on the monitors. Everything looked good. I had breakfast and waited until the doctor made her rounds. I had some really lovely chats with the midwife and student midwives. Then the doctor saw me. She said they weren’t able to determine the cause of the bleed but since it had stopped and they were happy with the monitoring I could go home. She asked me if I was still working and if so, what I did. I told her I teach yoga and it turns out that she works closely with one of the main prenatal yoga teacher training organizations. She advised me to rest and start my maternity leave early. Then she suggested yogic breathing and massage techniques to prepare for and cope with the birth. I am still so amazed and inspired that a medical professional showed so much enthusiasm for this complementary therapy! It’s brilliant! They completed my paperwork and I headed home. 

While I would have preferred NOT to have a preterm hospital stay, it all worked out pretty well. I had a preview of what to expect in terms of facilities and care. The medical team was cheerful, competent, and caring. So, I actually feel more confident after the experience. 

Dave’s take: 

In typical Dave fashion, he created a spreadsheet to compute the probability of giving birth to Baby Girl on a given day. Nearly every day he announces the chance she’ll arrive within 24 hours. At the moment the odds are 1 in 455 (0.22%). 

T - 6 Weeks and Counting…

How far along are you?

T – 6 weeks

How big is the baby?

Somewhere between large and scary. Looks like Lisa ate a football.

How I’m feeling:

Pretty good. Looking forward to a few weeks off work!

Healthy eating?

Not very much. Definitely eating Lisa’s share of all the sushi, cured meats and stinky cheeses.

Food cravings:

For some reason most of the time I really feel like sushi, cured meats and stinky cheeses...

Food aversions:

I’m quite averse to eating overcooked meat and non-runny eggs, but I’m handling it.

Exercise:

Lisa is providing a great excuse to cut my gym time.

Total weight gain/loss:

Quite proud of the fact I weigh less than Lisa now, and I don’t have to put much effort into maintaining that either. Doubt that remains the case for very long though...

Sleep:

The ‘pillow fortress’ next to me has restricted my share of the bed to a thin strip about 2 feet/60 cm wide but in between bouts of fear that I’m going to topple off the side I’m not doing too badly. The real impediment to sleep at this stage is the World Cup…

Lisa's side

 

My side

Maternity clothes?

My favourites are the jeans with a stretchy bit of fabric that you can pull right over the bump. Very amusing.

Stretch marks?

If there are any they’re probably hidden by those jeans.

Best moment(s) this week:

Despite the limited space mentioned above, I was so busy this week I think the best moments were going to sleep! Even on nights where we didn’t have anything going on, the football was on until 11 pm every night. Even with the Aussies going out with 3 losses – as if we expected any less – at least we will take the goal of the tournament away with us! On Tuesday night I got a chance to eat at Heston Blumenthal’s “Dinner” with a few friends, and on Friday Lisa and I had dinner with our old neighbours from Belsize Park. On Sunday night I built about 10 bits of Ikea furniture for the little one’s room, which is starting to really take shape now, though not quite finished yet.

A work in progress

Movement:

We have come to call these movements 'baby quakes', but its getting so vigorous now that I'm unsure if it's a seismic event or the chest-burster from Alien.

Belly button in or out?

Well mine is firmly in, but Lisa’s is far more ambiguous. It really depends whether she’s breathing in or out at this stage.

Symptoms:

Lisa’s fingernails are growing like crazy and I can’t help feeling mine are doing the same in sympathy! I however choose to cut mine...

Lisa's nails 

Gender: 

She’s a girl!

Labor signs:

I’m not the most patient person in the world – and after waiting 8 months for something I’m tempted just to say ‘bring it on’! But think we will all be better off if the labour signs wait just a few more weeks...

What I miss:

Getting Lisa to go to the pub for dinner is becoming an increasingly hard sell. I thought the prospect of watching the World Cup might buy me a bit of time, but it’s back to the drawing board.

What I'm looking forward to:

Meeting our little baby girl!

Weekly wisdom:

Ikea furniture doesn’t deal well with electric screwdrivers. Also, don’t trust those people who tell you Ikea furniture is easy to build – its very easy to get blisters from the Allen key, and those pages of instructions are very sharp. A last word of advice, if your pregnant wife wants a Nutella crepe, just let her have one. Also, don’t complain too much about blisters and paper cuts – you won’t get much sympathy.

Milestones:

We just had the longest day of the year, which up here means sunrise is 4:30 am and sunset 9:30 pm. I love these long days and reckon it’s the perfect time to bring someone into the world!

Lisa's take:

In public Lisa is perfectly composed and dresses well, but as soon as she comes home the t-shirt is pulled up and the belly is straight out! Also, whenever you walk past her it’s quite hard to avoid getting bumped by the bump.