MY PREGNANCY - WEEK 29

Your Baby.

• Fetal size: crown-rump 26cm (10.4 inches), crown-toe 38cm(16.7inches). Fetal weight: 1,25kg (2.7 pounds). Over the last 5 weeks your baby has doubled its weight. Your baby grows so quickly that even a few weeks growth will have a big effect on your baby’s size.

• A baby born between 37 and 42 weeks is considered term, and is fully mature at birth. A baby born prior to 37 weeks is considered to be premature, and requires specialist medical attention. Today, rapid medical intervention has enabled babies born as early as 25 weeks to survive, although they face many possible complications and weeks in hospital.

• The further a pregnancy develops the higher the chances of a better outcome for mother and baby. Each pregnancy is treated individually. For example, a baby born at 36 weeks may have no problems what so ever, or on the other hand it may require short-term oxygen and assistance with feeding.

Your Pregnancy.

• Your weight gain up to and including Week 29 should be between 7 and 11 kilos (15-25 pounds).

• If you go into premature labour, the most common form of treatment is bed rest. Best rest is often effective in stopping contractions and threatened premature labour. Sometimes drugs are used to suppress premature labour - they relax the muscles and decrease contractions.

  If you have experienced threatened premature labour, you will be visiting your health care professional more frequently for the rest of your pregnancy. You and your baby will probably be monitored using ultrasound, along with recordings of your baby’s heart rate and your contractions. If premature labour cannot be stopped, your baby will be delivered.

• If you haven’t already considered names for your baby, now is as good a time as any to start thinking about it. Have a look at the Essential Baby Baby Names section for ideas, or to add your suggestions.

I have been watching quite a few of birthing videos and even when the mother underwent an emergency C-section, I cried.? I cried quite a lot these few days. When the contestants in the Amazing Race cried, I cried too! Hmmmm….

Jan and me will be attending a dinner and dance this Friday and I have no clue what to wear. I have to dress up formally and all my skin tight dresses don’t fit anymore and I don’t feel like spending S$200 on a formal maternity dress as well.? I went into my wardrobe and tried clothes that I can find which fits. I found 2! I decided to wear the black one (see pic on the left). My bump is growing at an incredible rate. Every movement the baby makes,?I felt it. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night because of his kicking. I sweat a great deal and I can finally get some shut eye at 3am, on most days. Some days are just so tiring for me.

I went to see Dr. Tan last weekend and he is super nice to me. The whole ultrasound pic can fit only my kid’s head! Boy! This guy really grows. Dr Tan says that he has done quite a bit of catching up! Hey…Maybe listening to Mozart everyday really helps. Dr. Tan also tells us that the baby is in perfect health and doing really good. We are so glad.

MY PREGNANCY - WEEK 28

Your Baby.

• Fetal size: crown-rump 25cm (10 inches), total length 37cm (15.75 inches). Fetal weight: 1.1 kg (2.4 pounds).

• This week the amount of tissue in your baby’s brain increases, and the surface of your baby’s brain starts to change from being smooth, to forming grooves, ridges and indentations.

• Your baby continues to fill out, becoming plumper and rounder in appearance.

Your Pregnancy.

• Normal weight gain up to and including Week 28 should be between 7.7 and 10.9 kilos (17 to 24 pounds).

• You will probably be starting to think about the position of your baby. At this point it’s probably too early to tell how your baby is lying just by feeling the abdomen. In addition, your baby may continue to change positions for another 4 weeks or so. By then your health care professional should be able to tell whether your baby’s head or legs are facing downwards.

• By now you’re probably starting to think about your labour and you may also have given some thought to a birth plan. Take a look at the Essential Baby Birth Plan information for some assistance with writing your birth plan. Although you may want a natural labour and birth, it doesn’t hurt to be aware of some medical terms and events if intervention is required.
  • Induction of Labour - this term is used to describe the process of inducing labour by artificial methods. Induction of labour is carried out when there is a medical condition (relating to the mother or baby) that suggests that the baby be delivered before it comes naturally. Induction can also be used to assist the start of labour when a woman has significantly passed her expected date of confinement (usually between 10 and14 days overdue). There are several induction methods that can be used, and one will be chosen based on assessing the circumstances of each individual. Prostaglandin gel can be used to help “ripen” the cervix, or neck of the uterus. The gel can take a few days to start working, but it can be very effective. Another method is a Syntocinon infusion - an intravenous drip that is slowly infused to promote the onset of labour. Syntocinon is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring contracting hormone, Oxytocin. Occasionally a health care professional will attempt to induce labour merely by breaking the waters, which can work well if you are given time for your body to establish labour.
  • Epidural - this is a form of local anaesthetic used as a pain relief in labour. It works by numbing the nerves that carry the feelings of pain to the brain. It is often used if a caesarean section is necessary, because it allows the mother to be awake while the baby is being born. A specialist doctor (anaesthetist) is needed to give an epidural. A needle is inserted in between the bones of the spine, and then a plastic tube is fed down the needle to an area just outside the spinal cord (the epidural space). The needle is removed and the tube is kept in place with sticky tape. The anaesthetic is injected down the tube and begins to work after 15 to 20 minutes. “Top ups” can be given by injecting more anaesthetic down the tube. Although this form of pain relief offers an almost pain free labour, there are risks and disadvantages. It can delay birth, as a woman is unaware of her own urges to push unless the epidural is allowed to wear off. Consequently, women who opt for an epidural have a higher rate of intervention, for example forceps deliveries. There is a small risk of getting a headache following the anaesthetic.

MY PREGNANCY - WEEK 27

Your Baby.

• Fetal size: 24cm (9.6 inches). Fetal weight: 1 kg (just over 2 pounds). The head to toe length of your baby can now be approximated (until now, the measurements have been approximations of the crown-rump measurements). This week the crown-toe measurement is approximately 34cm (15.3 inches).

• At about this time the retina develops. The retina is located at the back of the eye and receives light and light images & information, and transmits it to the brain where it is interpreted.

• The lungs continue to develop, and this week the special moistening agent surfactant production begins. Surfactant stops the walls of the lungs from sticking together when we exhale. Along with the production of surfactant, the network of blood vessels servicing the lungs increases.

• Your baby has been able to hear since about Week 20 but loud, sudden, or unexpected noises may still cause your baby to jump or kick. Your baby more easily hears lower and deeper tones, however your own voice is more easily heard than your partners. When you and your partner talk, your baby can hear the rhythm and patterns of your speech.

Your Pregnancy.

• Your breasts will probably still be tender, especially if they have continued to increase in size.

• The amniotic fluid and the location of the uterus within the bony pelvis protect your baby. If you happen to fall during pregnancy, it is unlikely that you will do serious damage to yourself or your baby. If you have a serious fall, look out for symptoms of serious damage, including severe abdominal pain, bleeding, ruptured membranes (signalled by a gush of fluid from the vagina).

• Antenatal (pregnancy and birth) classes are available to all pregnant women and their partners. They are recommended, especially for first time parents. The classes cover many topics associated with your pregnancy, birth and beyond, including labour and birth and changing nappies. You have probably already booked in for your classes, but if you haven’t, do so immediately so that you don’t miss out! Private classes are also available. Your health care professional will be able to provide more information.

Birth Plan.

• This is usually a written plan of the way that you would like your labour and birth to be managed. It can be developed in consultation with your partner and/or health care professional. It is recommended that at the very least, you discuss all aspects of your care prior to the onset of established labour, as once labour establishes you may not be able to think clearly or have the time to discuss important issues. A birth plan is used as a guide only. You can never be too sure of what is going to happen during childbirth and is important to remain flexible. Take a look at the Essential Baby Birth Plan information to get some ideas.

6 months pregnant! Yippee!! 3 more months to go and I have a family! I am feeling good. Just a little bit of heartburn and night sweats. I sleep with the aircon and fan on. Jan is hiding under the comforter all night. He loves sleeping in the cold. hahaha!

My baby is kicking quite heard now. Sometimes, it could wake me up. He usually kicked in the mid afternoon and late night when I am about to go to sleep. I have to keep stroking my tummy to comfort him. It’s funny seeing my tummy moving up and down while watching ER or American Idol on TV. I can feel either it was a kick or a somersault.

I am enjoying my pregnancy so much now. No more vomitting, no more headaches, no more fatigue. Just a little bit of backache.

I am going to see Dr. Tan again this weekend. Gonna see how big the baby is now. Will update you all next week with more great news!!

MY PREGNANCY - WEEK 26

Your Baby.

• Fetal length 23 cm (9.2 inches). Fetal weight nearly 910grams (2 pounds).

• Your baby’s body has started to grow faster than its head. This new sense of proportion makes your baby look more like a newborn. Arms and legs are stronger and bones are hardening. Eyebrows and eyelashes are present and hair on the head is growing longer. Your baby is becoming longer, and although still red and skinny, it’s body is rounding out as fat deposits start to develop under the skin. Genitals are now completely differentiated.

• The lungs are growing, nostrils are open and muscles start to work to give your baby breathing practise prior to birth. Your baby has also developed patterns of sleeping and waking.

• As brain cells start to mature, your baby starts learning and remembering. Your baby can also hear your voice and will start to move in rhythm with your speech. Beats such as drumbeats will also register with your baby, and he/she may move with the beat. Music that is played regularly while your baby is in utero may also be vaguely remembered after birth or later in life.

• It is also important to note that your baby can distinguish its father’s voice if he talks to the baby in utero. This means that your baby will also be able to recognise it’s father’s voice and distinguish it from others after birth.

Your Pregnancy.

• If you have been eating correctly, your weight gain up to and including week 26 will be somewhere between 5.4 and 10 kilos (12-22 pounds).

• As your baby grows, your uterus continues to increase in size, pushing up and out against your ribs. This may cause pain in your ribs. The lack of space may cause indigestion and heartburn. Other discomforts such as headaches, back ache and leg pain may occur more regularly.

• Varicose veins - these can be inherited, or may be caused by pregnancy hormones, or later in pregnancy, by the uterus pressing down and obstructing the flow of blood from the legs to the heart. Regular exercise, controlling weight and resting with the feet elevated help prevent varicose veins. Support stockings or tights can also help ease varicose veins.

• You will probably feel your baby move every day now. This will be enjoyable and reassuring for you. Your partner should also be able to feel the baby’s movement if he places his hand on your abdomen. The movements of every baby are different, and there are no hard and fast rules about how often your baby should move. It isn’t unusual for your baby to have quiet times, but if your baby is quiet and not as active as normal, visit your health care practitioner so that you can listen to the baby’s heartbeat.

• Twins - Twins are more common when there is a family history of twins (passed down through the female), although, there is a higher incidence of twins in women who are receiving fertility treatment. There are two types of twins - identical and non-identical.

  Identical twins come from one egg that splits into two separate cells. Each of these cells then grows into a baby and usually shares the same placenta. Because the twins originally come from the same cell they share the same DNA, are always the same sex and look very alike. Non-Identical, or fraternal twins, occur when two eggs are released at once and each is fertilised by two different sperm. In fraternal twins, each baby has its own placenta and they can be different sexes. Fraternal twins are more likely to look like siblings, rather than being identical.

• Raspberry Leaf - recently there has been growing evidence that the use of Raspberry Leaf in the third trimester of pregnancy can assist the process of labour by ripening the cervix. It can be taken as a tea or in a tablet form. Please discuss its use with your health care professional.

Isn’t it amazing! 3 more months and I will have a baby in my arms. I kept thinking everyday how my baby will look like. More like me or more like Jan. Any guess?? hehehehe

I wrote a beautiful email to Jan yesterday and he replied with such beautiful words. This is what he wrote:

\