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.