This week, its official, Eric is now full term! This means that if were to arrive today, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb.
He now weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long! And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz. I had the peach fuzz when I was born and Hub was completely blonde!
Still no Braxton Hicks contractions, even though the doctor asks me each week. It's harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night, so I try to take it easy during the day. Even though Eric's "compartment" (as my Dad calls it) is getting cozy, he is still as active as ever! The doctor also said Eric seems to have moved down further into my pelvis.
There's no real good way to predict exactly when labor is going to start. But there are signs that it is coming:
• A few weeks before labor starts, baby descends lower into the pelvis, this is called Lightening. There might detect a heaviness in the pelvis as this happens and less pressure just below the ribcage, making it easier to breath.
• More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal pre-labor, during which the cervix ripens and the stage is set for true labor. Some women experience a crampy feeling during this time.
• The "plug" may come out and create "show."
• The bag of waters breaks. Most women start having regular contractions sometime before their water breaks, but in some cases, the water breaks first. When this happens, labor usually follows soon.
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