June 6: We’ve reached full term! Baby Dotzour is now big enough to be born, but we’re planning on keeping him in for at least another couple weeks. All continues to be well with our pregnancy, and the nursery is nearly ready. We can’t wait to meet him!!
How your baby’s growing: Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.
Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don’t be surprised if your baby’s hair isn’t the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children are born blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
How your life’s changing: The next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby’s nursery or to take care of tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby’s born. Take naps and catch up on your reading while you can.
You may be getting a lot more Braxton Hicks contractions now, and they may last longer and be more uncomfortable. Sometimes — when they start to come frequently — you may even think you’re in labor.