We had an appointment with the midwife this morning and it seems Max is quite content right where he is and is just fattening up for his arrival (I gained about three pounds since my last appointment putting me at 28 pounds gained overall!). I guess with a baby, though, that can change in an instant! If the baby doesn't arrive by the weekend then I go back for an appointment next Tuesday and they will do a non-stress test to make sure the baby is okay (they put a few monitors on my belly and monitor his heart rate and movement for a while). If that looks good I can keep waiting until Thursday when I would go back again to get an ultrasound where they give him a score based on his size, amniotic fluid levels, etc. If we get an 8/8 on the ultrasound test we can wait it out over the weekend. If the following Monday rolls around (September 10) and he still isn't here the midwife said, "we'll need to be having this baby." Hopefully he will come sooner than later so we can skip the tests and deliver without having to be induced or having a cesarean section! There is a full moon on Friday, so maybe he will come then. haha
Since it hasn't been very many days since the last post, here are a few random updates:
- Over the weekend I froze my gym membership since I won't be able to exercise for four to six weeks post-partum. It feels strange to not have it as an option to go work out! As of last week I have switched my exercise to exclusively walking, so it's not a big deal. A few friends have even accompanied me on walks which has been fun!
- I treated myself to a "real" pedicure on Sunday afternoon for the first time in seven or eight years (these days reaching my toes involves lots of breaks and holding my breath! haha).
- Ben and I made another trip to the neighborhood pool and it felt so good to have my big ol' belly supported by the water.
- I've stopped wearing my wedding rings because my fingers (and toes!) are usually a little swollen by the end of the day and it's really hard to get them off.... super sad about that one. :-(
- Ben and I were able to attend a few children's consignment sales and pick up (hopefully) all of Max's clothing for the winter months. Each item we picked out was $2 or less and it's all in fantastic condition. The sales are usually held early spring and late summer, so we'll be able to sell some of his newborn and 0 - 3 size clothes in the spring. It should be a great way to keep the cost of clothing down for a growing boy!
Until we have a story of our own to share, Ben and I thought you all would get a kick out of Bill Cosby describing the birth of his first child. It's old, so you may have heard it before... it's still pretty funny, though!
Part 1: http://youtu.be/BYR9xX6DvpM
Part 2: http://youtu.be/mOP52g_rO24
It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.
Here is our (hopefully) final belly photo!
