Baby Diaries #23

How far along? 33 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 27 lbs!

Maternity clothes? This goes without saying, although the maxi dress I'm wearing in the my 33 week picture and the tank top are both non-maternity items.  Thankfully they have some stretch and are very comfy!

Stretch marks? I STILL have a stretch mark-FREE belly!

Sleep: I've had a little bit of trouble falling asleep at night this last week, but once I'm asleep I only waken once for a bathroom break.  Not to bad!

Best moment this week: We FINALLY were able to get to the OB/GYN clinic here in NC and see a Nurse Practitioner for a check-up.  Bitsy's heartbeat was between 150-160 (she had a hard time getting a set number).  Also the NP told me that everything is measuring on course which is also a comfort!

Movement: I definitely notice her movements more now.  Sometimes I feel like Santa Claus, because my belly will jiggle like a bowl full of jelly when she "throws a tantrum".  I feel like sometimes she pushes against one spot for too long, because I'll get spots on my belly that are tender to the touch.  Maybe she's bruising me from the inside out....probably not though haha.

Food cravings: No.

Gender: It's a Girl!

Labor Signs: I am having regular Braxton Hicks Contractions which is totally normal.  The Nurse Practitioner did freak me out a bit during my appointment though.  My tummy was hard when she was measuring and she asked me if that was happening often.  I hadn't really been keeping tracking of it, so I responded that I knew it was occurring a few times a day and that I figured they were Braxton Hicks.  She confirmed that they were, but then she told me to keep track of them better and if they picked up I needed to come in.  Well she didn't explain much and so the entire next day I was paranoid trying to keep track of each time my belly went hard.  I finally came to the realization that I couldn't stress about it.  I haven't had any pain associated with these BH so I am going to trust that I am fine.  I did check out a few online forums and I read that a few women were told by nurses and lamaze teachers that constant hard belly's can be attributed to women who were slender to begin with and that they hardness is actually the baby and not a contraction.  This made more sense to me because sometimes my hard belly is lopsided (as in Bitsy is favoring once side over another).  In the mean time I'm going to trust my ultimate physician (GOD) and know that he designed my body for this and that he will surely enlighten me to know if something doesn't feel right.

Belly Button in or out?  I don't think it's going in anytime soon.

What I miss: I miss being able to go go go.  It has only been this week that I have started to realize that I feel heavier.  Too much walking means I will get a bit achy and need to rest.  So I definitely try to give myself plenty of  down time in between up times.

What I am looking forward to: Well the guest room/ baby room is all set up and now I'm looking forward to the last package coming from my mother in the mail.  It contains the last bunch of gift cards and cash gifts that will help us buy the much needed items (i.e. cars seat) off of our registry!  We are pretty much set on everything else for now and that is a good feeling.

Weekly Wisdom: First: Ask for explanations.   I allowed a nurse to be vague and that caused me to worry.  Second: Trust your body.  I know this is my first pregnancy and I have no idea what to expect, but I think I'll know when something feels wrong.  Also, this may sound crazy, but I didn't read What to Expect When Your Expecting, I bought it....I read maybe the first chapter or two and then I put it away.  I honestly didn't want to freak myself out with it.  I have really allowed my body to guide me in this pregnancy.  God designed women for this and although I'm sure there are some helpful hints in that book, I'm also sure that 33 weeks of a pain free pregnancy is all because of a physician who is better than all the rest!  Praise God!

From babycenter.com

Your Baby in Week 33 of Pregnancy

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

source

I hope you had a Blessed Sunday!

P.S.  I have been blessed with another new follower!  39 blessed followers!  I feel so spoiled and blessed right now!  If I get to 50 followers I might have to figure out how to do one of those give aways!  Maybe I could just make and give away one of my rag wreaths....hmmm...if anyone has suggestions please let me know!