My baby bump at 36 weeks from the side:
And from the front:
Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 15.5 lbs.
Movement: Cullen is still constantly moving any time I’m still. (And sometimes when I’m moving around.) I love feeling him move his little legs and feet.
Boy or Girl? Boy!!!
Food Cravings: No cravings.
How I’m Feeling: Pretty good other than the hip pain that I wake up with every morning and start feeling at the end of the work day. And I think I have another cold coming on…not excited about that. Overall though, I still feel great. No problems sleeping and I can even deal with the hip pain. Only four-ish more weeks of being slightly uncomfortable.
Size of Baby: Large Cantaloupe (19 – 22 in, 6 lbs)
Baby’s Development: Baby’s skull isn’t the only soft structure in his little body. Most of baby’s bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they will harden over the first few years of life) – allowing for an easier delivery. Baby is now about 6 pounds in weight and probably measures about 20 inches in length. Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he can store up all the energy needed for delivery.
By now, many of baby’s systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms – and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and baby’s immune system has matured enough to protect him from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example: digestion – which actually won’t be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why’s that: Inside his little gestational cocoon, baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system – though developed – hasn’t been operational. So baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.
Best Part of this Week: My Christmas break started this week! Excited about a break from work and time to focus on getting ready for this little one.
Also, I sorted everything that we have been given for Cullen and started organizing his nursery. I loved looking at all the cute little baby things again!
What I’m Looking Forward To: Christmas!!! And then a week at home with my hubby! Looking forward to spending some time with him and working on finishing up Cullen’s nursery.