Week 34

Yayy!! The 34th week! I am now halfway through the 8th-month of pregnancy.

All of a sudden yesterday I feel different. Like I've just balloon-ed up 3 times more! Duh! Of course I am getting bigger by the day. Baby's having a growth spurt at the moment to reach its birth size. But I've never quite felt it before.

Week 34: Upside-down baby!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 34: Fetus in eighth month Your amazing baby is on the move! They’ve been riding fairly high in your stretched-out womb till now (while kindly compressing your poor internal organs), but now they’re planning on making the big move to your pelvis this week. If you haven’t noticed it already, you’ll be feeling the weight shift that signals that your baby is most likely out of breech position, with their head now resting on your pubic bone. In liver news: although not quite fully formed, your little miracle’s liver is now capable of processing a certain amount of waste. In general, most of your child’s prenatal physical development is pretty much up to snuff and ready for the outside world. Naturally, further weight gain is expected—so you’re still not at maximum capacity despite probably feeling like you definitely are maxed out.

And how's mom doing? Obviously the big change for you is the notable weight shift (known as “lightening” or “engagement”). Now that your baby is resting deeper in your pelvis, you may find yourself walking as if you're carrying a watermelon between your legs. Yes dear, you’re officially “waddling” these days. Try to comfort yourself with this thought: it’s nearly over. Soon, you’ll just have to carry your adorable little watermelon in your arms. And in a rare spate of good news: this weight shift means you can breathe easier now that your lungs aren’t compressed. The not-so-good news, it’s a trade off: (we’ll wait till you’re back from the restroom) this new position has your poor bladder even more squished than before. We’d recommend writing your bladder little love poems to convince it not to leave you altogether, but unfortunately bladders don’t speak English (only Italian love poems will do).

If you've recently noticed some less-than-appealing itchy red bumps on your belly (and possibly around your thighs and belly), you've got yourself a harmless but not fun round of pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP if your don't have the patience for the full name). If you feel itchy ALL over your body, that's different, and you should call your health care practitioner as this could be a liver problem.

At your next check up you can expect your physician to conduct a Group B Streptococci test (GBS), a common bacteria screening. As long as you have a strong immune system, you’re in the clear (one more reason to eat right and exercise!), but your little one is more susceptible to serious health complications (including meningitis, pneumonia and blood infection) if not diagnosed and treated properly—so the tests are good for some peace of mind. Hang in there momma, you’re already a super-star for making it this far!

What a sweet little tumor!
by The Sarcastic Journalist

I’ve always made it a rule of thumb not to assume a lady is pregnant unless I see a baby emerging right then and there. Why? You never know when you could be wrong.

For example, one time I went with a heavily pregnant friend to Starbucks. The barista asked my friend if she was pregnant. “No,” I said, sarcastically. “It's just a really big tumor.”

“I had a stomach tumor once that made me look six months pregnant,” she retorted, effectively ruining my joke.

Open mouth, insert foot.

So, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to me that some people wouldn’t acknowledge my pregnancy to me. It seems like they’d go out of their way to have to ask if I was pregnant.

“Would you like some wine to start your meal,” the waiter would ask.

“Is there anything I can help you find,” asked the Victoria’s Secret saleswoman.

“Prenatal massage? You’re pregnant?” asked the masseuse.

“No, it’s just a tumor but I like to pretend its my baby,” I felt like snarking back.

That’s why there is such an industry for those “Baby!” t-shirts. Getting the “is she or isn’t she” looks is tiring. Sometimes you just want to look at someone and say “Yes, I’m knocked up. What are you going to do about it?”

Haha!
I just love reading The Sarcastic Journalist.
And yes, 34 weeks and I'm waddling myself through the day.

These few days I've started feeling really lazy and tired. If I could have it my way, give me a bowl of ice cream and I'd lay sprawled on the couch in front of the TV all day. Hang on, laying around isn't comfortable anymore. Maybe just station myself on the couch area and never get up. Your Daddy's been doing most of the cooking now. Like it or not, I've no choice but to stuff it in. Kidding!! Of course it's lovely and yummy, delicious (i'm seriously setting myself up a death-trap here!) Food sure doesn't look very appetizing to me these few days. Maybe it's the effects from the new tablets *yuck* Emailed Dr Hague my recordings and he didn't increase my dosage this time *yay!!*

Some little updates on our little girl, Koda. She's been very cheeky, claiming attention almost all the time now. Few days ago she went into the kitchen shelf and dragged out Daddy's anchovies packet in between her teeth. One morning while I was weighing myself she casually stood on the weighing scale with me. More than once we gaze at the balcony only to find her staring back at us from the outside gate. Also, she can never leave me alone during my mealtimes. And of course bedtime.

We're certainly curious to know what other mischief would she be up to when the baby arrives home.