Two weeks until Baby D is due! At my weekly appointment yesterday, the doctor said that he was still head down, heart rate was lower…around 130, he seems to be growing well, but my weight has been stable the last three weeks. I’m not as comfortable as I’ve been up until this point, but that’s to be expected. Mostly feel like I have a bolder attached to my belly! We can’t wait to meet him soon. He’s due on the 27th.
How your baby’s growing: Your baby has really fattened up. She likely weighs between 6 and 7 1/2 pounds now (boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls), and she’s probably between 19 and 20 inches long. She has a firm grasp, which you’ll soon be able to test with your pinky! Her organs are fully developed and in place, but her lungs and brain — though developed enough for her to function now — will continue to mature right through childhood.
Wondering what color your baby’s eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If your baby is born with brown eyes, they’ll likely stay brown. If she’s born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she’s 9 months old. That’s because a child’s irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she’s born, but they won’t get “lighter” or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
How your life’s changing: It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. Take it easy through the day — this may be your last opportunity to do so for quite a while. [I continue to sleep just fine through the night…thank heavens!!!…but rolling from side to side results in a
fair amount of grunting and groaning. I know what my horse felt like when she was really pregnant. And I understand the grunts!]
Keep monitoring your baby’s movements, too. Though she’s crowded, she should still be active.
Swelling of your feet is normal in these last weeks – [I’ve started to notice this especially when it’s hot and humid. hmmm, it’s been hot and humid a lot!]
Encourage your partner to relax and enjoy some activities he won’t have time for after the baby arrives.