40 weeks and still counting

How Far Along: 

40 weeks

Due Date: 

Long gone, so obviously wrong.  Although the most recent ultrasound dated the baby due on the 17^th, so I guess that could be right

Weight gain: 

Officially up 19.4lbs which is 4.8lbs more than I was with Alethea. J

Bump Picture: 

Baby Development:  

It's hard to say for sure how big Baby D will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (about the size of a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His/her skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. 

Symptoms:

Much of the same symptoms with kicks down below that send nerve pains down my legs.  Contractions occurring sporadically still, but nothing crazy.

Currently craving: 

I think if anything I have been craving fresh veggies and I think that may be partly due to the fact that I know once I stop cooking for myself for a while when Baby D gets here, I won’t get as much of that. 

Currently Avoiding: 

Nothing

Belly button status: 

Overall it is still in, but there are is a portion of it that actually sticks out.  It’s a bit funny to look at.

Movement:

Baby D is still moving a lot and kicking me a lot down below (good times).  Also seems to be doing a lot of stretching which involves long slow protrusions outward.

Name:

We have both a boy and a girl name officially decided.  If it’s a boy the initials will be DTH and if it’s a girl the initials will be DBH. J

Any appointments?: 

I have had several and it is official that Baby D does not want us to guess gender based on heart rate since it has ranged from 129bpm to 168bpm.  Overall though it seems to stick in the mid 140s which is lower than Alethea’s 150s.  I also found out this month that I am Group B strep positive so I will have to have an azithromycin medication during labor to keep Baby D safe from infection.  This is definitely not ideal for natural labor, but I know God will provide. J  They checked me at my last two appointments and so far there has been minimal progress.  My last check showed just shy of 2cm dialated and 60% effaced, but every time they say “holy cow that baby is low!” so Baby D is definitely locked and loaded, lol.

Any baby related purchases?:

Nope, we don’t really need anything else that we know of yet, so we are just waiting.  The one thing I did buy was Baby D’s baby book and we started filling in the pre-birth stuff for that.

Alethea: 

She loves to talk about Baby D and how she is going to be a “big sisser”.  It all depends on the day as to whether she is going to have a baby brother or a baby sister though.  She loves to hug my belly and has been known to say that Baby D needs to come out and play now.  I am so excited to see her with her new baby brother/sister because she is going to be awesome!

Exercise:

I am still running 3-4 days a week (only 3 for week 39 and 40 due to time) and usually 3.5 miles or so each time.  There were a few runs here and there that I struggled with cramping and had to walk, but in the last 2 weeks I have had several runs that I was able to run all but the hills.  The only way I think this is possible is because I have been running the whole time through.  It’s been a sanity keeper and I am so thankful for it!