Woohoo!!!! 30 Weeks Pregnant

30 weeks 0 days (LMP) 28 weeks 0 days (gestational)

At this point in your pregnancy, your baby weighs about 3 pounds (1.35 kg). Its crown-to-rump length is a little over 10.8 inches (27 cm), and total length is 17 inches (38 cm).

The average weight gain during pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds. About half of this weight is concentrated in the growth of the uterus, the baby and the placenta, and in the volume of amniotic fluid. This growth is mostly in the front of your abdomen and in your pelvis, where it is noticeable to you. You may experience increasing discomfort in your pelvis and abdomen as pregnancy progresses. At this point, you should be gaining about a pound a week.

I am not sure why this feels like such a milestone but it really does. I guess maybe thinking about there only being 10 weeks left in the pregnancy really helps. I am FINALLY starting to feel bonded to this baby. It happened much later this time around than it did with Jaida (I think?). Not sure why though. I guess up until now I was kind of going through the motions of pregnancy but I have Jaida that I needed to care for. I guess it just took the focus off the pregnancy a bit. The boy definitely is developing his own personality though. He definitely does not enjoy tight spaces and seems to spend a good portion of his day looking for a way out. :) He stretches his arms and legs frequently throughout the day. He also does not appear to sleep ... this is a tad worrisome. He doesn't like anything (even my hand) pressing against my belly ... he will immediately rearrange himeself to try to kick it off .... feisty little bugger.

I had my 30 week appointment with the midwives yesterday ... uneventful as always. I gained some weight but not too much or too little. I think I am around 122 pounds now. Really not much to say other than that. We are making great strides in getting all the preps made for the homebirth. Every now and again I feel the tiniest amount of apprehension regarding giving birth at home but then my wonderful midwives remind me that it is completely doable ... even if he is a really big baby. Joe also reminds me how well I did during Jaida's labor and how much more relaxing it will be at home. It all really helps.

My 30 week belly picture ...

From Visembryo:

Brain Surface Convolution

HEAD
Fetal brain's surface appears wrinkled. These convolutions provide more surface area and maximize brain cells. Rhythmic breathing and body temperature are now controlled by the brain.

Lanugo hair has disappeared almost completely, except on back and shoulders. Head hair is present.

LIMBS

Production of red blood cells is entirely taken over by the bone marrow.

SKIN
Skin begins to smoothen as fat deposits accumulate underneath. The fat insulates and is an energy source.

Midwife Appointment

28 weeks 0 days (LMP) 26 weeks 0 days (gestational)

Your baby weighs about 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg). Crown-to-rump length is close to 10 inches (25 cm). Total length is 15.75 inches (35 cm).

Until this time, the surface of the baby's developing brain has appeared smooth. At around 28 weeks of pregnancy, the brain forms characteristic grooves and indentations on the surface. The amount of brain tissue also increases.

Your baby's eyebrows and eyelashes may be present. Hair on the baby's head is growing longer. The baby's body is becoming plumper and rounder. It's beginning to fill out a little because of increased fat underneath the skin. Before this time, the baby had a thin appearance.

Your baby now weighs about 2.4 pounds (1,100 grams). This is an amazing growth compared to just 11 weeks ago, when it weighed only about 3.5 ounces (100 g) at 17 weeks of pregnancy. Your baby has increased its weight more than 10 times in 11 weeks! In the last 4 weeks, from the 24 th weeks of your pregnancy to this week, its weight has doubled. Your baby is growing rapidly!

We have closely followed the baby's weight gain in this book. The placenta is also growing at a rapid rate. At 10 weeks' gestation, the placenta weighed about 0.7 ounce (20 g). Ten weeks later, at 20 weeks' gestation, it weighs almost6 ounces (170 g). In another 10 weeks, the placenta will have increased 10 15 ounces (430 g). At full term, 40 weeks, it can weigh almost 1.5 pounds (650 g)!

This is such an exciting time. Mostly because the baby is really starting to look like a baby. Also, because his movements are so much bigger and stronger at this point. He is quite the gymnist, apparently. Also, very exciting because we are at the point of viability. If the boy was born now he would stand a good chance of survival with a hospital stay which is a wonderful feeling.

I had my GTT (glucose tolerance test) to screeen for Gestational Diabetes today as well as a blood draw for a CBC yesterday. Today the results are back and I do not have GD which is wonderful ... not that I thought the results would show anything else. The midwife did say that my iron levels are in the normal range but on the low side of normal. I did some research and decided to start taking an iron supplement. I have really been feeling sluggish lately and think this might be part of the reason. I am going to take a liquid supplement called Floradix that is suppose to be very easy on the system. Let's hope!

Here is my 28 week belly picture:

From Visembryo:

Week 28 ... Brain Surface Convolution

HEAD
Fetal brain's surface appears wrinkled. These convolutions provide more surface area and maximize brain cells. Rhythmic breathing and body temperature are now controlled by the brain.

Lanugo hair has disappeared almost completely, except on back and shoulders. Head hair is present.

LIMBS

Production of red blood cells is entirely taken over by the bone marrow.

SKIN
Skin begins to smoothen as fat deposits accumulate underneath. The fat insulates and is an energy source.