Week 36: Anticipation*

I am now 36 weeks pregnant and officially four weeks from my due date. However, at my appointment yesterday the doctor said she thinks I have about five weeks left. I'm really not sure what to think of that but I'm going to stick with my prediction of April 15.

My newsletter from Fit Pregnancy tells me:

Your due date just suggests a time when the baby's likely to be born. In reality, you could go into labor any time between now and six weeks from now!

They also say that Baby is about 6 pounds now and 20 1/2 inches. Obviously this is the "normal" size at this point. Based on measurements my doctor takes of my uterus, she says I am on track. So I'm not worried about him being too small or too large yet.

The newsletter goes on to say, "Five to ten percent of all mothers report that babies start to slow down as they grow larger and get more cramped for space." I have yet to experience that. Baby is moving as much as ever. I'm pretty sure he thinks he can make more space by pushing and kicking. It's a bit like sharing space on the couch with my dog -- she may be little but she thinks she needs lots of room.

Still, I think Baby's pretty comfortable in there at the moment because I haven't experience the lightening I keep reading about:

You may feel a lightening sensation on your ribs and organs as your baby descends into your pelvis. Breathing and eating will be easier, but you'll be running to the bathroom more often than ever, and the change in pressure may cause shooting pains in your groin or leg.

I still have trouble catching my breath and I'm going to the bathroom constantly. I think Baby is doing a lot of stretching out in there. Like I said, I think he just keeps making himself comfortable. Sorry, dude, you're going to have to come out pretty soon.

*Anticipation - expectation; hope (If today's title has you thinking of ketchup, you are a reader of a certain age.)