It's the Final Countdown!

I had my last doctor's appointment this past Wednesday. Everything is looking good, though I've not yet begun to dilate (which was a bummer). Though, I am 80% effaced and the baby has dropped. Because I'm on insulin, the doctor does not want me to go past my due date. So, at last week's appointment, we scheduled an induction. If the baby is not born before then, I will be induced Wednesday, May 13.

So, no more than ten days to game day! :)

Baby Chimeziri at 38 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri has really plumped up. Theoretically, she weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which we'll soon be able to test when we hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

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Baby Chimeziri at 37 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri is full-term! This means that if she arrives now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though my due date is still three weeks away. On average, a baby at 37 weeks weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. I wonder if hers will be curly? :)

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Isn't She Lovely?

I had an ultrasound this past Friday to see how big the baby is getting. She weighs approximately 6 pounds and 4 ounces (though that can be off by up to 1 pound either way). They sent me home with this adorable picture of her face. I saw it right away, but Henry still can't see it. So, it'll be interesting to see who sees her face and who doesn't. :)

I also found out at my doctor's appointment last week that they will not allow me to go past my due date because of the insulin I'm on. So, that means she'll definitely be here between now and May 14! I can't wait to meet this little beauty! :)

Baby Chimeziri at 36 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, she will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, my practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn her by manipulating her from the outside of my belly.

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Baby Chimeziri at 35 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in my womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

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Baby Chimeziri at 34 Weeks!

Baby Chimeziri now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If Baby Chimeziri chose to be born now, I'm happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

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