30 Weeks

According to What to Expect, BGL is about 17 inches long and just over 3 pounds this week.  She is getting bigger by the day (in case it's not apparent from the size of my growing belly).  Also getting bigger daily is her brain which is preparing for life outside the womb - and a lifetime of learning.  Starting this week, BGL's brain is starting to actually look like one, taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations.  These wrinkles allow for future expansion of brain tissue that is crucial as BGL goes from helpless newborn to responsive infant and beyond.  Her brain is also starting to take on tasks previously delegated to other parts of the body, like temperature regulation.  Now that the brain is capable of turning up the heat with the help of that growing supply of baby fat, BGL will start shedding lanugo (the downy, soft body hair that has been keeping her warm up to this point). 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 30 Weeks
Total Weight Gain: 9.5 lbs
Sleep: Ugh. I'm back to having some good nights and some not so good nights. It is getting increasingly harder to get comfortable, and it seems as though I'm getting out of bed more often to use the bathroom.
Best Moment This Week: Spending a great relaxing long weekend at the Greenbriar Resort.  Ryan finally seeing BGL move.  Narrowing the list of names down to the Elite 8.
Gender: Team Pink
Movement: Yes, all the time.  It's pretty amazing (except when it feels like she's jumping on my bladder).
Food Cravings:  Nothing in particular - I just like to eat.
What I Miss: Sleeping on my stomach. My ankles. Not having sausages for fingers when I wake up. Being able to see my feet - my stomach is blocking most of the view now.
What I am Looking Forward To: Celebrating with our friends and family at my baby shower in a few weeks!
Symptoms: The ever-changing belly button (it's still holding on though, no outie yet). Lots of heartburn. Swollen ankles/feet/hands. I am starting to feel a little more tired, but not nearly as bad as it was in the beginning. Carpal tunnel syndrome - most nights, I wake up with numb/burning hands. Not fun!

The Weekly Bump Picture:

29 Weeks

According to The Bump, BGL is now the size of a squash.  At week 29, BGL could be as tall as 17 inches and could weigh nearly 3 pounds.  She's about 3 inches or so within her ultimate birth length, but she still has lots of weight to gain.  Over the next 11 weeks, she will more than double (maybe even triple, but let's hope not) her weight.  Much of that weight will come from the fat accumulating under her skin right now.  As she plumps up, the room in my womb will start to feel a little cramped (it already does), making it less likely that I'll feel hard kicks from her and more likely that I'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees. 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 29 Weeks
Total Weight Gain: 9.5 lbs.  I gained 2 lbs at this week's doctor's appt.  Since I've started the third trimester, I will be going to the doctor every 2 weeks now (my next appt is March 31st). 
Sleep: Ugh.  I'm back to having some good nights and some not so good nights.  It is getting increasingly harder to get comfortable.
Best Moment This Week: Passing my glucose test!  That means I still get to eat sweets and carbs!  Making progress on the nursery.  We still have some work to do, but it's getting closer to being finished.  A big thank you goes out to my dad who came and helped Ryan wire the room for a ceiling fan and also helped him put in a dimmer switch on the overhead lights! 
Gender: Team Pink
Movement: Yep. She's a fiesty little girl.
Food Cravings: Anything sweet, but really, let's face it, at this point, I just like to eat.  :)
What I Miss: Sleeping on my stomach. My ankles. Not having sausages for fingers when I wake up. Being able to see my feet - my stomach is blocking most of the view now.
What I am Looking Forward To: Taking our last pre-baby vacation.  We are headed to the Greenbrier Resort in WV this weekend!
Symptoms: The ever-changing belly button (it's still holding on though, no outie yet). Heartburn. Swollen ankles/feet/hands. I am starting to feel a little more tired, but not nearly as bad as it was in the beginning. Carpal tunnel syndrome - most nights, I wake up with numb/burning hands.  Not fun! 

The Weekly Bump Picture:

And, because I've started the third trimester (it happened last week), and I can't get over how big my belly is getting, I thought I'd include some side-by-side pictures from week 12 to show how much BGL has grown. 

28 Weeks

I am kind of in disbelief that I've started my 7th month of pregnancy. That means I have 12 weeks left - 84 days!! According to What to Expect, at week 28, BGL has reached 2.5 pounds and may be almost 16 inches long.  Her skill this week is blinking.  Along with her other tricks that already include coughing, sucking, hiccupping, and taking practice breaths, she can now blink her sweet little eyes.  She may also be dreaming courtesy of REM sleep that she has started getting.  Although her lungs are nearly fully mature by now, she still has a lot of growing to do. 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks
Total Weight Gain:  Still 7.5 lbs, but I have a doctors appointment this week, so there will be an updated amount in next week's post.
Sleep: Still not too bad, other than my hips hurting and some occasional leg cramps.  I occasionally wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep, but I feel like I am sleeping a lot better than a few weeks ago.
Best Moment This Week:  Getting an invitation to my baby shower.  I am so excited to see all of our family and friends and celebrate with them!!
Gender: Team Pink
Movement: Yep. She's a fiesty little girl.
Food Cravings:  Anything sweet, but I am trying my hardest to lay off the sweets this week because I have my glucose test for gestational diabetes on Thursday.
What I Miss: Sleeping on my stomach. My ankles. Not having sausages for fingers when I wake up. Being able to wear normal shirts.  After seeing the picture below, I have come to the conclusion that I should not be wearing that shirt in public as it's starting to barely cover my growing belly. 
What I am Looking Forward To: Finishing the nursery. Ryan has been working so hard to get it finished.  I can't wait to see the finished product! 
Symptoms: The ever-changing belly button. Heartburn. Swollen ankles/feet/hands.  I am starting to feel a little more tired, but not nearly as bad as it was in the beginning.  

The Weekly Bump Picture:

27 Weeks

According to What to Expect When You're Expecting, BGL now weighs just over 2 pounds and is 15 inches long.  No, she didn't grow 6 inches from Week 26 to Week 27.  Prior to week 27, What to Expect measured her from crown to rump instead of head to toe, so she now measures 15 inches from head to toe.  She has more taste buds now than she will at birth and beyond.  Not only is she able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid when I eat different foods, she might even react to it.  Some babies respond to spicy foods by hiccupping or by kicking when they get that spicy kick.  BGL's lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means she's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. The lack of air in my womb means every "breath" is filled with amniotic fluid, but it's still progress.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 27 Weeks
Total Weight Gain: 7.5 lbs
Sleep: Not too bad, other than my hips hurting and some occasional leg cramps. 
Best Moment This Week:  Ryan feeling her move!!  Spending the weekend with my 2 favorite New Yorkers! 
Gender: Team Pink
Movement: Yep.  Some of her movements startle me because they're so strong.
Food Cravings: Anything with avocado.  Water. 
What I Miss: Sleeping on my stomach.  My ankles.  Not having sausages for fingers when I wake up. 
What I am Looking Forward To: Finishing the nursery.  Ryan started it this weekend while I was away and so far, it looks great!
Weekly Wisdom: Again, I've got nothing. 
Symptoms: The ever-changing belly button.  Heartburn.  Swollen ankles/feet/hands. 

The Weekly Bump Picture:

And, for fun, Becky was playing maternity photographer this weekend and took these pictures:

26 Weeks

We've reached week 26 and have less than 100 days until June 7th!  According to What to Expect When You're Expecting, BGL now weighs a full 2 pounds and measures in at 9-plus inches long.  Another momentous development this week:  Her eyes are beginning to open.  The eyelids have been fused for the past few months so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop.  The colored part of the eye (the iris) still doesn't have much pigmentation so it's too early to tell what her eye color will be.  She is now able to see - though there's not much to see in the dark confines of my uterus.  With the heightened sense of sight and hearing that she now possesses, I may notice an increase in activity when she sees a bright light or hears a loud noise.  In fact, if a loud noise is brought close to my belly, she will respond by blinking and startling. 

And, because BGL was particularly active last night when I went to bed, I thought I'd include this excerpt from an email that I received from whattoexpect.com yesterday:

Week 26 Pregnancy Tip: Baby's Movements in the Womb


Feel like you're carrying the Karate Kid with all the kicking going on? Your baby is actually practicing all kinds of movements that will eventually be used in life on the outside — including pedaling against your belly, a sort of prewalking skill. As your baby's nervous system becomes more developed, the movements will become much more coordinated. And as the baby gets bigger and stronger, the movements will become much more powerful…and occasionally, even painful to you. If your baby lands a good one, that tiny left hook might hurt — a lot. Another trick he or she may try — stretching that leg out so far that the foot becomes lodged between your ribs (ouch). Next time you come under attack from the karate kid, try changing positions or doing some stretches of your own. You can also gently push your baby back with your hand when your knee-jerker jerks a little too hard. You just might be able to send your slugger back into the corner of the ring!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 26 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 7.5 lbs

Maternity Clothes:  Yes.  This answer isn't going to change so I'll be removing this one going forward.  

Sleep: I'm kind of scared that I'm going to jinx myself, but sleep over the last week or so has gotten a little better.  Maybe it's because we're crossing things off the list and I feel less stressed about getting everything done before she arrives.  

Best Moment This Week:  Picking up the nursery furniture.  

Gender:  Team Pink

Movement: Yep.  Last night, it felt like her leg/arm was going to push through my skin.  

Food Cravings: Same as last week.  Does water count?  I feel like I'm constantly thirsty.

What I Miss: Sleeping on my stomach.

What I am Looking Forward To: Seeing my 2 favorite New Yorkers this weekend.

Weekly Wisdom: I've got nothing this week.

Symptoms:  My belly button is changing/flattening more each week.  Heartburn. 

The Weekly Bump Picture: