Appointment #10 ~ exciting news!

Good news from the doc today:

Levi will be here in 2 weeks or less! YEA!! As of today, I'm dilated to a 2 and 70% effaced. Which he said is more than what he expected for it being my first baby. If I'm not in labor within the next 2 weeks, I will go in to get my membrane stripped (no medicine for this) to make me go into labor naturally. Can't believe the day is almost here!

Here's what effaced and dilated means exactly so you all know how close I am to labor:

Effacement. Your cervix ripens.

Your cervix -- the lower, narrow end of the uterus that protrudes into the vagina -- softens as it's preparing for labor. This process, known as "ripening" or effacement, usually begins during the last month of your pregnancy. By the time the big day rolls around, your cervix will have stretched from around 1 inch in width to paper thinness. Your doctor or midwife may start checking for gradual effacement during your last two months of pregnancy with internal exams during your prenatal visits. Effacement is measured in percentages: Zero percent means no effacement; 100 percent means you're fully effaced.

Dilation. Your cervix opens.

As your baby's birthday approaches, your cervix begins to dilate, or open up. Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam and measured in centimeters (cms), from 0 cms (no dilation) to 10 cms (fully dilated). Typically, if you're 4 cms dilated, you're in the active stage of labor; if you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing.

36 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

Levi is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Our baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, our baby will be considered full-term! Yea! (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, our practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, April 27th, I'll have a doctor's appointment every week until the day of birth! Tomorrow's appointment is at 9:10 am, which I believe we'll be able to find out if the baby's in the right position and if I'm at all dilated. My Braxton Hicks contractions are averaging about 3 to 4 a day for last couple days. I'll just need to keep monitoring them to make sure that if or when they start getting stronger and closer together, like 4 to 5 within one hour lasting about a minute long each, then it's time to head to the hospital! As long as I can make it through this week I'll be anxious to go into labor at any moment after that considering I will technically be at full term then. And I am SO READY to get this little man out of me and into this world!!! And Greg is too, we're so anxious to meet our son for the first time!

I'll have an update posted after tomorrows appointment on the status!

35 Weeks & Baby Shower Pix!

Levi's baby shower:
Thanks to everyone who was involved in my baby shower. It was the best time, and Levi and I were feeling the LOVE from all! What a great turnout we had! (more pics to come later)

My cousin Kori and I hanging the banner

Cousin Kori, me and my sister-in-law Jessi

My Aunt Louise & me... Her and her late husband Larry (passed away in Feb) had planned to set up Levi with a college savings fund. Super cool surprise to get from them!

Deed & Deb talking to Donna on Skype

Kori and I posing for pics after all the presents have been opened. WHEW! It was a bit overwhelming with almost 45 people, but absolutely wonderful!!

How our baby's growing:

Our baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds! Because it's so snug in my womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks remains about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight....(ouch for mommy's body!)

Appointment #9 update

Quick update:
Appointment last Tuesday went well as usual. Measuring right on track and little Levi had a heartbeat of 150! Starting at my next appointment on April 27th, I will be getting checked every week, and they will be doing full "exams" to check for any dilation and progression of labor! I only have 4 scheduled appointments left....so the time is getting close!

34 weeks

How our baby's growing:

Levi now probably weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. And, if I were to go into preterm labor, it's good to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks usually have no health problems and 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.
Levi can recognize and react to simple songs too...time to start practicing my lullabies! In fact, he will recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: He now urinates about one pint per day. Get the diapers ready!

BABY SHOWER TIME!
This Saturday, April 17th we'll be celebrating the soon coming arrival of baby Levi! Looking forward to a few hours of fun with all the lovely ladies in my life! We'll be missing those of you who aren't able to make it.

33 week pix

Too bad you can't see him move in still pictures...
he's been pretty aggressive in there lately!

My first outfit I got to buy for Levi... couldn't pass it up considering it says Key West on it, and that's where Greg and I had our honeymoon. Definitely the best vacation we've have had alone together! Great memories!

33 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

This week our baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (like a pineapple or honeydew melon) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. Levi may grow up to a full inch this week alone, and his brain is developing like crazy. Pretty soon, he'll be able to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Also, he's started to keep his eyes open when he's awake.