Pregnancy: Final Trimester Week 29

I would like to continue the trend from last week about our pregnancy journey. So without further a do here it is.

How far along:  We are currently in week 29.  As of today, we have 75 days to go!  Wow, it is getting closer everyday.  

How big:  Depending upon which baby app I reference…..She now weighs 2.5-2.75 lbs like a butternut squash and measures a little over 15 inches from head to toe.  I love these comparisons to vegtables!!

Developments and Milestones:  Alayna’s bones are beginning to harden and store iron, phosphorus, and calcium.  Her bones are soaking up lots of calcium! Approximately 250 milligrams a day are deposited in her skeleton each day. Alayna's bones will remain soft enough at birth so she can move through the birth canal.  

The muscles and lungs are continuing to mature as well as the head. Her head is growing bigger to make room for that developing brain.

Her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin. This fat is called white fat. Earlier, Alayna had brown fat. The brown fat is necessary for her body temperature to be regulated while the white fat actually serves as an energy source.  I had no idea there was a difference in fat!?!  America here is your next excuse for allowing yourself to get fat!!

What Mom and Dad Notice:  We continue to notice her moving a lot!  She was very active for Maria’s birthday. Maybe you just wanted to celebrate with the rest of us.  She is also now kicking Maria in the rib cage. Poor ribs! The other day Maria noticed Alayna was having hiccups.  She said that it was an amazing feeling!!  Keep up the good work Alayna and continue your development!

Classes:  Yes, we have taken a few pregnancy/labor classes as well as a breastfeeding class. The pregnancy/labor class was ok. I really wouldn’t recommend anyone taking it as most of the material is common sense.  We covered c sections, natural birth, when to go to hospital, contractions, and the different labor positions.  I really didn’t know there were so many different labor positions! I always thought most people were laying down having a baby. If you are delivering naturally (no epidural), then multiple labor positions are an option.

The breastfeeding class was actually our favorite class. They covered a lot of material and had some very good information in the class. I would recommend this class if mother’s were planning to breastfeed.

Overall, the classes allowed for my wife and I to bond during our pregnancy. We had many laughs in pregnancy/labor class because we found out that we cannot relax like normal people :) Maybe it was because I was cracking jokes during this relaxation time!