Dec. 7: I can’t believe I’m at 31 weeks! This pregnancy continues to chug along merrily. I just keep getting
bigger, but I like my round belly, and the baby is super
active…especially when I lay down to sleep at night! I think I’m
carrying this one quite a bit lower than I did with Andrew. Could be because of the gender difference. Could also be somewhat related to my general abdominal tone (I was going to the gym several days a week up until about this time with Andrew. The last time I regularly went to the gym was…when I was about seven months pregnant with Andrew:)
I’ve been feeling a little less starved in the last couple weeks. I do, however, eat very regular meals. Last weekend I was having some painless belly contracting and some lower back pain, which was slightly worrying. My midwives suggested taking it easy until I felt back to normal, so I just spent most of the weekend in my pjs, and Bryan did all the shoveling, Christmas decoration-box-carrying, and general household
manual labor. I read the book Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve to Andrew about 35 times. Good thing I really like that story:)
After a couple days of sitting at work, whatever physical shifts that were causing the symptoms had worked their way out, and I’m now back to my happy, nearly symptom-free pregnancy. (Aside from the hunger and the big belly.) I’m at 31 weeks today. Crazy! We’re in the final trimester:)
Week 29 Update:
Your baby’s about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it’s not very keen; even after she’s born, she’ll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she’ll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)
Week 31 Update:
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He’s probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby’s kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.