Monday, September 21, 2009

Birthing Class and Hospital Tour

This week we finished up our birthing class. It was very informative and helpful. Now, if only we can practice the things we learned when the time comes...

On Saturday we went on a hospital tour. We got to see the facility and familiarize ourselves with it a bit. The video we watched showed what rooms looked like in both hospitals, but since they were all filled up we couldn't physically go in any of them. They have 2 locations that are in the same system so we decided we liked the Inland Medical facility better. They have more large labor rooms, and they just looked more comfortable. They also mentioned that this one is less busy then the one where we had the tour. We drove over there after the tour of Rancho Springs, and turned in our paperwork. We also drove around so we know exactly where to go on delivery day. We are so excited, and only have 4 weeks left before we meet our little blessing form God face to face.

Your pregnancy: 36 weeks


How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.


3 comments:

Veronica said...

Don't worry if you can't remember everything from the birthing classes. Because we had Landon so early, we never got a chance to go to ours, & when Aly came along we just decided not to go either, since we "kind of" knew what to expect. I did fine & the L&D nurses were SO awesome, they walk you through the whole thing & give you so much encouragement (or they should if they are doing their job, anyway - I had one that my Dr. kicked out of my room, lol!) Anyway, I am sure that your classes were very beneficial & that you are able to implement what you learned, I just thought I would encourage you in the fact that when it is all happening, things sort of just GO & you will do great! =)

Veronica said...

Isn't that crazy to think that after this week you will be considered FULL term?!! WAY TO GO MAMA!!!! =)

Mommy of KraftyGang kids said...

yipeee! So excited!!! :)