YOUR CHANGING LIFE
Sleep, sleep and more sleep!
Welcome to week 30 of your pregnancy. With 10 weeks left to go, the countdown is officially on to your delivery. Right now, you should really relish the opportunity to get in plenty of extra sleep and cuddle time with your partner, because once that baby comes home with you, your free time will be hard to come by.
And you’ll likely need all the time you can steal to catch extra ZZZs, because your body’s been busy making a home for your little one and the wear-and-tear is starting to show. You may be feeling lethargic most days because of all the work you’ve been doing, and with your growing belly placing pressure on your back and shoulders, chances are you’re feeling plenty of aches and pains, too.
Coupled with the swollen feet, frequent urination, heartburn and mood swings that you’ll likely experience for the next few weeks, you’re probably not a happy camper these days. If you’re feeling down in the dumps because of your discomfort, reach out to your partner and use this as an excuse to get all the back rubs and ice cream sundaes you can. Your partner will likely be more than happy to appease your every whim during this time.
It’s important this week, and for the remainder of your pregnancy, that you take your troubles in stride and keep your mind focused on the tremendous event to come – the arrival of your bundle of joy, of course!
YOUR BABY THIS WEEK
From butternut squash to head of cabbage
Last week, your little one was just about the size of a butternut squash, but now your developing baby is tipping the scales at a whopping 3 pounds and measures 15 ¾ inches from head to heel – quite a growth, indeed!
Your baby is sitting pretty in nearly a pint of amniotic fluid, an amount that should decrease as your baby grows. You may notice that your abdomen area continues to expand at this time – that’s to accommodate your wee one, who is developing at a rapid pace that your uterus is busy trying to adjust to.
Perhaps one of the most exciting changes this week is that your baby’s eyesight is developing in great ways! Your little one can now distinguish dark from light and can follow light sources with his or her eyes. You may think that your baby can’t tell what’s going on outside of the womb, but your tot is increasingly picking up on the outside world and showing you every day how she or he feels.
As your baby’s cognitive function improves, his or her brain is starting to resemble an actual brain, with deepening grooves and more wrinkles.
Up until now, your baby has been covered with lanugo, a soft type of body hair that has kept him or her warm. In week 30, your baby is starting to shed this coat of sorts and regulate his or her own body temperatures.
HOW TO
Tackle the task of assembling baby gear
Admit it – the quality loot you picked up at your baby shower is still bundled up in its original packaging in your nursery, isn’t it? Sure, sure – tell yourself you’re waiting for the right moment, or until the due date draws just a little closer. If so-and-so is too busy to join you for the afternoon, you can even use that as an excuse to put off this arduous but definitely necessary pre-baby task, right?
Wrong!
Putting together a cradle – as well as other must-have baby gear – is certainly not the most exhilarating way to spend an afternoon, but it’s something that you need to set aside time for sooner rather than later. After all, you don’t want to go into labor only to wrestle with anxiety over the fact that your baby’s car seat hasn’t been put together.
If you can’t help but procrastinate on this task, you can make it more enjoyable by encouraging your friends and family members to come over and help you. On your end, you can gain some much-needed assistance, while your loved ones can do their parts to help you get ready for the baby. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
You can also make this event more social by putting together a few dishes for everyone to nibble on when they arrive. If you’re not feeling quite up to the task, just order some pizzas or pick up finger sandwiches at a shop near your home. This occasion can be the stuff of lasting memories – and home furnishings.