33 Weeks + News

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) 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. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

 33 weeks! And here I was thinking I had 6-7 more weeks with little man, but apparently I have 4! Yes, FOUR.

I had my appointment this morning where they did an ultrasound to determine if the placenta had moved at all. It had moved, right back over my cervix, NOT the way we wanted it to go. This is called placenta previa and if I were to go into labor, I'd need to RUSH to the hospital as the placenta cannot come out before baby.. to sum it up. There's risk of hemorrhage and such, so it's not good, but not terrible as I haven't had spotting issues since verrrry early on this pregnancy.

Not the best news, but I'm okay with it for the most part. I mean, there's not much I can do, so we make the best of it! The doctor and I talked a lot and decided that Sprout will be born at 37 weeks, which is one month from today! Between this and my kids getting out of school that day (so sad that I'll miss their last day :( ), this next month will fly!

There is a chance I could lose my uterus, depending on how attached the placenta is (if it's grown through the uterine wall basically). I'm okay with this, I knew it was a possibility. I just made sure to verify with the doctor that they would leave my ovaries intact, and he said yes. I want my ovaries since removal of those is what could cause a number of hormonal issues for me, and I don't need those issues until menopause! ;)

Baby looks great! He has hair! It was so cute to see the hair floating around on his head during the ultrasound. He is measuring big, but as the doctor said - we have blood work confirming his conception date, and I of course know darn well that was his conception date anyway for a number of reasons! Based on measurements, which can be inaccurate somewhat at this late gestation, he is measuring at about 6.5 lbs. The doctor said he'd bet that baby is at least 5.5 minimum, if not the 6.5, just from how well/ahead he measured for everything.

So, not what I wanted exactly, but it could be worse, and there's not much I can do but continue to do my best this pregnancy and carry him for another month until he meets his eviction date.. and meets his Daddies! :D

Other than all of that, I am feeling great. Maneuvering around my belly has become .. interesting. I was having a heck of a time getting myself off of the couch last night. Note to self: Do not lay down and NOT have the coffee table near, because you need that table to hold on to while hoisting yourself UP. :O

I do feel the desire to get going NOW on frozen meals. Eeeks. I had been putting it off for no real reason, but with one month left, I think I should get started. It'll help me feel as though I am nesting, too.