Here we are Bleeps. 38 weeks. 2 weeks to go...well, actually about 11 days! Who could have guessed this last April? Not me for one! But here we are. And here's the 38 week update! My notes are in red.
Week 38 of Pregnancy
Your baby is producing surfactant, which will help him take those first breaths while you're producing colostrum, the precursor to breast milk.
I asked Dr. OB if having the C-section before week 40 would affect my milk and she said no. Once the placenta is out, that is kind of the sign to the body to start production.
Your Baby in Week 38 of Pregnancy
Hey, your little one isn't so little anymore, weighing close to seven pounds and measuring 20 inches long.
Fetal development is nearly complete as your baby tends to a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. He's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe. Most of the changes this week are small but important: He’s continuing to add fat (so he can take advantage of all those photo ops by sporting a round, cute baby look!) and fine-tuning his brain and nervous system (so he can deal with all the stimulation that awaits him once he makes his entrance into the world).
Your Body in Week 38 of Pregnancy
Just as your baby is preparing for life outside the womb, your body is tending to its own final touches before the big day, one of which is getting that milk machine up and running. Part of the process is producing
colostrums, a thin yellowish liquid that's the precursor to breast milk. Colostrum is full of antibodies that protect your newborn, and it has more protein and less fat and milk sugar (the better to digest it) than the breast milk that arrives later. Chances are you're leaking colostrum so you might want to break out those nursing pads now. If you're not leaking but you are curious about this miracle substance, you can gently squeeze your areola to express a few drops.
None here yet.
Week 38 Pregnancy Tip: Stocking Your Freezer
Have visions of yourself, newly delivered domestic goddess, whipping up gourmet meals in those postpartum weeks? Dream on. Cooking will be the last thing on your mind or your to-do list during those first few weeks (make that months) after delivery. Trust me, fitting in a three-minute shower will trump it for sure, as will using the bathroom when the urge strikes. To avoid serving Cheerios for dinner on a nightly basis (realistically, there will be nights when you will), plan ahead. Do some cooking and stock your freezer now with individually packaged, simple heat-and-serve options that you (or he!) can get on the table in a flash. Label carefully, so you won't be left with UFOs (unidentified frozen objects). Good candidates for the freezer include hearty soups, stews, and casseroles, as well as mini–meat loaves. Have the baking itch? Satisfy it, and stash away several trays of bran muffins (don't ask, you'll need them). Another plan-ahead tip? If you don't already have your favorite takeouts on speed dial, now's a good time to enter them.
I have not done this, nor do I have the energy to do this. I know later it will be even worse, but we'll manage. I'm also hoping when my MIL is here, she might stock us up a bit. That'd be great. However, if anyone wants to drop dinner off, I'll be happy to eat it!
And while we're at it, I'll add another article I found that was interesting.
A Tour of Your Baby's Developing Body
Have you ever wondered how well a newborn baby can hear or see? Take this tour of the baby body and find out how a little one develops.
All parents want their
newborn baby to be healthy and perfect. So it’s not surprising that
new parents have a lot of questions when it comes to their baby’s developing body.
While it’s true to some degree that a baby is like a miniature version of mom and dad, newborns may experience the world quite differently than an adult does. A lot of the senses and body functions aren’t fully formed when a baby is born, and it takes time for these abilities to develop.
The easiest way to make sense of what a newborn experiences is with a tour of the developing body, starting with the head. We recruited two top pediatricians to serve as tour guides to baby development.
The Newborn Baby’s Head
Looking at your baby’s head, you’ll probably want to make sure those little ears and eyes are working right. Johnnie P. Frazier, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, says that babies can actually hear fairly well when they’re born. “Hearing tests are done at birth to assure this function,” Dr. Frazier says.
A baby’s eyes, however, take a little time to adjust to their new surroundings. “Newborns can only focus 8 to 10 inches in front of them,” Frazier says. “They like to focus on the human face, and prefer simple black and white images to more complex images. Primary colors become more stimulating about two months later.”
You’ll also notice when looking at your newborn baby that the skull isn’t fully formed. “The fontanel, which is the soft spot on the top of a newborn's head, is present until a baby is 9 months to 2 years of age,” says Hannah Chow-Johnson, MD, assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. “There’s a smaller soft spot on the back of the head that closes by age 6 months.”
New parents may also wonder when their baby will start getting teeth. While babies are born without visible teeth, the development of baby teeth begins in the womb. The basic structure of the teeth and the hard tissue around each tooth is formed by 3 or 4 months of fetal development. A baby’s first tooth (bottom front incisor) will likely make an appearance through the gums at around 7 or 8 months of age. The top front incisors should follow about a month or two later.
The Newborn Baby’s Body
Many of the bones in a baby’s body are primarily made up of cartilage at birth. This makes them flexible yet very strong. But don’t be surprised if your baby looks curled up. “Infants look like little frogs when they’re born, keeping their arms, legs, and hips flexed,” Dr. Chow-Johnson says. “As they mature neurologically, they’ll start relaxing their arms and legs, which become more extended.”
Another common question parents have is about a baby’s skin. “Parents may be concerned with their newborn’s skin peeling or feeling dry,” Frazier says. “Physicians reassure parents that this is normal and no additional oil is necessary.” A small amount of water-based lotion, such as Lubriderm or Eucerin, is fine, she adds. You may notice a spot in the middle of baby’s chest called the xiphoid process. “This looks like a small bump in the middle of the chest and is an extension of the sternum,” Chow-Johnson says. “This is normal, but it looks more prominent in infants.”
The Newborn Baby’s Immune System
Most newborn babies are born with a functional immune system, however it’s not fully developed. “The immune system is partially protected by the transfer of maternal immunoglobulins into a newborn’s circulation until approximately 6 months of age,” Frazier says. But a baby’s immunity system has yet to build up antibodies from a lifetime of exposure to germs, so great care must be taken to prevent your newborn from becoming sick. “Parents, other caregivers, family, and friends will need to be careful to wash their hands before handling a newborn and should avoid contact if sick,” says Frazier. “Newborns don’t localize infection as well as older infants, so taking precautions to protect them from possible infections is important.”
Baby Development Signs to Look For
A newborn baby’s body moves and reacts differently than that of older children, and newborns have some reflexes that older children don’t have. Chow-Johnson shares some reflexes you may see in your newborn baby:
- Startle reflex. The arms and legs extend completely, usually in response to sudden movement or sound.
- Asymmetrical tonic neck. This is also called the fencer's reflex. If you move a baby’s head to one side, the arm it’s facing will extend while the other arm flexes, so the baby will look like it’s fencing.
- Babinski reflex. This happens when you tickle an infant’s foot in an upward motion, causing the toes to fan out.
“All of these reflexes normally disappear by age 4 to 6 months,” Chow-Johnson says.
Other early
signs of baby development to look for include smiling, making speech sounds, and starting to lift up the head. These all happen at about 1 month. By 2 months, a baby will make more extended sounds and begin to get better at tracking you with its eyes. By 4 months, look for rolling, cooing, and laughing.
As a new parent, you’ll watch your baby’s body move and change with delight. If you have any questions or concerns about baby development, be sure to talk with your
baby’s doctor.
Interesting, huh? Lots of stuff that we learned in our classes.
To add more stress to our lives, J was told he has to drain the pool today because the water is too old. He's been battling with it for awhile now, and while it's clean, it's also green. No algae, all the levels are right. But it looks like someone dumped lime jello into our pool. Well, at least it will be done before Reese gets here so after she does, we're good to go. This baby is gonna be in the pool as soon as the doc gives her the okay!
Have a wonderful weekend folks!
