37 weeks

Tomorrow, I'm 37 weeks! Here's what's going on in Georgie's world...

• Your baby has likely hit the six-pound mark by now, and her length is approximately twenty-one inches.
• Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard).
• Your baby is considered full term!
• The weight on your abdomen probably feels like twice that.
• Your baby is practicing her breathing, but she has increasingly less space to practice stretching and kicking.
• Your baby' intestines are also building up meconium, a greenish-black substance made of baby by-products such as dead cells, shed lanugo, and amniotic fluid. It'll become your little darling's first bowel movement, hopefully after she is out of the womb.
• Her body fat has increased to about eight percent. By birth, it'll be about fifteen percent.
• If your baby is a boy, his testes will have descended into his scrotum.
• While your baby could be born at any time, the longer she stays in, the more time she has to develop the connections in her brain in the pleasant peace and quiet of your womb.
• At this point, she can do all the things a newborn can, with the exception of breathing air and pooping in a diaper.
• Just as you're feeling stretched, your baby is being squeezed on all sides.
• Some of your antibodies are crossing the placenta, giving your baby's immune system some support for her first days in the world. If you breastfeed, you'll later be giving her immunities in your milk.
• Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

First signs of labor:

Your baby drops. If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as "lightening" a few weeks before labor starts as your baby descends lower into your pelvis. You might detect a heaviness in your pelvis as this happens and notice less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.

• Yes, I feel I'm here with this. Exactly. I do not feel any braxton hicks contractions or anything. I haven't lost my mucus plug. And, my water hasn't broken! I have swolen feet and feel a lot of pressure especially after I've been laying/sitting down at work. I could NOT IMAGINE BEING A TEACHER LIKE DAVE, with these feet! They are so swolen. I hope my teacher friends can sit on stools when they teach, when their pregnant.

Yesterday, Dave and I went to our breastfeeding class at Edward Hospital. It was totally worth it and very informational. Dave was all huffy about going and was like, "if I'm the only guy there, I'm leaving". I said fine. Then we got there and sure enough all the dads were there... except one. The instructor, Anne, said the most important thing she could offer is to make sure you are supported by friends, family, and most importantly dad. Dad can play a vital role in breastfeeding with burping, changing, and helping clean up. So I'm hoping that Dave helps out and is supportive! :) I got the phone # for Edward Hospital Lactation Consultants and am encouraged to start calling today if I have questions about  breastfeeding. Cradle Talk meets every Wednesday, for free, off Diehl Road. And, there's another free support group that meets 2 x a month for new parents who have questions about breastfeeding. :) This is all great news!

We learned how when breastfeeding it delays my menstral cycle and ovulation but breastfeeding isn't a contraceptive. We also learned when breastfeeding, it tightens up the uterus so it goes back to its original size. It burns 800 calories a day too when breastfeeding! aka 1, 1 hour session of cardio kickboxing at Lifetime Fitness. I'll take it! Hopefully, breastfeeding helps with weight loss. :) I've got 50 pounds to lose in my opinion!

We learned that the average cost of supplementing/formula feeding is $1,300-$2,600 annually for formula. We also learned that you can write off breastfeeding equipment and supplies for taxes. You can't write off formula. Another perk! Yesterday I spent $234.87 on a breast pump and $18.87 for a car charger/adapter. Plus, I bought some disposable nipple guards and lanolin cream from Target on Tuesday. :) So I think we're ready!

The nurse in the class recommended not to use pacifiers or introduce bottles for 1 month too. We've got 6, medela bottles at home and the breast pump came with 4 more. So that makes 10. Plus, my gf Kristen gave us a bunch of other bottles/storage accessories too so I plan on using that. We don't have a big freezer at all, so we'll see the best plan of action when I start pumping... probably in June-ish. When we do introduce bottles, we are to use slow flow and wide bottle neck bottles which mimicks the breast. Basically, she said when your baby knows breastfeeding well and there's a schedule, then you can introduce pacifiers and bottles. Another nurse/instructor, said she waited until 6 weeks before introducing a bottle and the baby wanted nothing to do with it at first. Haha!  Then at 8 weeks, when she went to work she was able to pump successfully, bottle feed successfully, and breastfeed when she was home. :) I've got 12 weeks to figure out breastfeeding and then pumping.. I hope I do well!

At work, we have a lil, for fun, baby pool going on. Guesses for Georgie are pouring in.. as early as an April 29th debut and as late as May 11th. We'll see! May 13th is Dave's 31st birthday so any day but that is fine by me. I'd prefer Dave and Georgie to have their very own birthdays but I guess whatever happens, happens.