How Far Along:
28 weeks and 2 days
Size of Baby:
17 inches and 2.9 lbs (size of a small cabbage)
What You're Doing?
I've been on blogging hiatus for about a month (was it a month? I think)... We've been so busy taking care of our new home improvements (paints, repairs and cleaning) and the movement itself. After that, we got so hooked up to searching for new furnitures to put in the new home. It was tiring but we had so much fun!
Cravings:
Not one in particular but I've been taking in so much desserts (talk about sweets)!
I know I've been taking in too much sugar which is not good for me and the baby, plus the fact that I can easily get gestational diabetes, so I'm trying to control it again now -- choosing to take in more healthy food.
Sex of Baby:
I told you already!
Weight Gain:
At this time I'm at 142 lbs.
Thank God that though I've been taking in so much sweets, I haven't blown up to as big as my previous pregnancy... Must be something in my body helping me control not just my weight but my size too, harhar.
I've got 8-9 more weeks 'til the big B-day... that means I'm left with just a pound per week to gain to hit the allowable weight gain for the entire pregnancy. I can do it!
Names:
Believe it or not, we still haven't decided on this!
Symptoms:
Ghad it ain't easy for me. A lot of people who gets to see me would easily know just by looking at my face that I'm having a tad hard time on this pregnancy. I'm not in anyway complaining but yeah this is really tough!
Now that I've officially entered the last quarter of my pregnancy, contractions got stronger, more frequent and longer -- the main reason I'm stuck home and taking more meds to control it. I'm not allowed to walk and sit for long periods too.
We also recently found out that I'm a part of the 1 out of 4 pregnanct women suffering from
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), a condition associated with pregnancy/childbirth which causes pain due to misalignment of the pelvis. So I am more careful now because I don't want this to further cause me pelvis damage. The pain from this condition is just UNBEARABLE!
Fetal Movement:
Baby's movement has been a lot stronger and firmer now -- his kicks often causes me to suddenly burst out a loud OUCH! He seems to be more active too, which is a very good thing.
What are you looking forward to?
My next ultrasound schedule and our baby items shopping!
Best Moment this Week:
Tomorrow, December 31, 2012 -- it's NEW YEAR's EVE!
What Baby is Doing this Week:
Your baby is almost 17 inches tall now (nearly as tall as he or she will be at birth), and close to three pounds (a weight that will likely more than double -- and may even come close to tripling -- by delivery time). His or her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your developing fetus accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, mom) actually serves as an energy source.
Which explains why your energizer baby feels so... well... energized! Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli -- movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar you ate half an hour ago.
Luckily, your baby doesn't have teeth yet that would need a brushing after that sugary treat, but it won't be long before you'll need to buy that first baby toothbrush! You'll recall that your baby's baby-teeth buds formed weeks ago, but now the buds for permanent teeth are forming in his or her gums as well.
And back to those baby kicks, who's counting? Actually, you should be. Now's a good time to start doing a kick count twice a day to make sure baby's doing just fine (plus, its a good excuse for a rest). Lie down (preferably after a snack) and keep track of your baby's movements. You're looking for at least ten movements in an hour's time (don't forget to count movements of any kind -- kicks, flutters, swishes, rolls, and so on). - whattoexpect.com
What Your Body is Doing:
This week, your belly is probably large enough now that you can't see your legs anymore when you're standing. And that could be a good thing if you're like the 40% of pregnant women who develop varicose veins sometime during their pregnancy. Who wants to see them, anyway?
Varicose veins, swollen veins that can either develop or worsen in pregnancy, are rarely cause for concern -- perhaps just cause for putting away the miniskirts for a couple months. They pop up because of the increased blood volume during pregnancy, because your growing uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins, and because of the relaxation of the veins due to pregnancy hormones. Varicose veins can also occur in your rectum (hemorrhoids) or even your vulva (isn't that a pretty thought?) -- fortunately, two other places you'll be hard-pressed to see them.
Some pregnant women find varicose veins painful, while others have no discomforts at all. Like stretch marks, they're passed on from unhappy generation to unhappy generation. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent or minimize varicose veins. Your best bet is to keep your circulation going by avoiding standing or sitting for a long time and by being sure to get in some daily exercise. Special support hose can also be helpful. Most of the time, varicose veins will recede within a few months after delivery - whattoexpect.com
