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!