Week 34 – November 16, 2010

Your Body: You are exhausted from hauling your bod around all day, so why can't you sleep at night? Is it because your bladder keeps crying out to be emptied every 30 minutes? Is it because you haven't been able to find a comfortable sleeping position since week 27? Is it because your mind can't stop making lists of things to do or replaying that shocking video you saw in your birthing classes? Yes, yes, and yes. It might comfort you to know you're not alone. Seventy-five percent of women in their third trimester have trouble sleeping. If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy. Certain sleep positions will help you to be more comfortable and sleep better when you're pregnant. If lying on your back is making you dizzy or lightheaded try sleeping on your side. Your body may also be really getting ready and you may notice that you have more and more contractions that seem less and less like practice! This is a great sign that your body is getting ready! Just remember to stay calm and cool as possible if you do have some contractions. Have you thought about how long you'll work before baby? Some women leave work before their due date or at their due date. Other women work until labor begins. Determine what's best for you!

Your Baby: Your baby kind of looks like it's coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects the skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When the baby's born you'll probably see some vernix lingering in some "hard-to-reach" places such as under the arms, and behind the ears. The soft fur, lanugo, that covered your baby's body for much of its stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. Your baby is now beginning to develop its own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first (I'll give you a couple of guesses, ha ha). If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. This week, your baby measures about 17¾ inches, almost as long as an American Girl Doll (how's that for a comparison), and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar, minus the cup you put in your decaf this morning.

"Okay you guys, not much longer now," announced Dr. Stevens as he completed his exam of Cameron that afternoon. "Baby's heart rate is perfect, ultrasound is normal. You two are going to have one very healthy baby by the looks of it."

"That's good," agreed Cameron as Chase helped her to sit up.

"Now, from now until you actually go into labor I want you to get as much sleep as you can. Because once junior gets here, it'll be three a.m. feedings and diaper changes."

"Even though we still have a month to go, I'll make sure she gets as much sleep as possible until then," acknowledged Chase.

"And I'll let Dr. Cuddy know that it's doctor's orders for you to show up to work a couple of hours late Allison. So don't worry about it."

"I'll try not to," she said as she got off the exam table. "Same time in a couple of weeks?"

"Yep, and then after that it'll be every week on the dot. In the mean time, have a great Thanksgiving," smiled Stevens as he opened the door for the proud parents-to-be. "And try not to eat too much, no matter how tempted you are." Laughing at that final comment, Chase and Cameron left the room.

When the couple was settling into bed, Cameron shifted her position for the umteenth time within half an hour, finally prompting Chase to turn the relaxation cd back on again, and crawling back into bed before wrapping his arms around his wife.

"I know you're uncomfortable, so just try to relax for a while okay," he whispered into her hair before kissing it.

"I'm trying to, but this baby definitely has a mind of its own right now," she moaned as she attempted to get comfortable, again. All of a sudden, she felt a tightness that made her cringe and gasp in pain.

"What? Are you okay?" asked Chase in obvious concern.

"I think so," she told him as she bore through the pain.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"I mean, I think I'm having another Braxton-Hicks."

"Okay, just try to stay calm while I get our things together," he said before she grabbed his arm.

"Would you chill out," she said. "It's just a false alarm, and it's nothing to get excited about right now."

"But honey," started Chase.

"Don't you 'but honey' me sir," she calmly told him sitting up to face him. "I am the one who is, and will be, experiencing some very serious pain in a few weeks. So I suggest that before you go all 'father knows best' on me, you calm down and relax before I break your hand before I plan to actually do it," announced Cameron, giving her husband the evil eye.

"Okay, okay," he said putting his hands up in surrender. "I'll calm down if you'll do the same and just relax. Remember, you're the one that has to rest a lot more now," he told her as she calmly laid back in his arms. After a while, he felt her breathing and body relax to the soothing sound of the music playing in the background. "Now, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay now."

"Are you having any more contractions?" he asked as he carefully rubbed his free hand over her baby bump.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's stopped," she told him before careening her head back to look him right in the eye. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. You didn't deserve that."

"Yes I did. I was going all-macho on you over one false contraction, and then you went macho on me. It's just the hormones on overdrive and running on adrenaline right now," he told her as he wiped the hair off of her face. "That's why you need to get some more sleep."

"I know, I know. But how can I when I have so much running through my mind right now?"

"Just take things as they come, one at a time," he told her as he went to turn the music off. "In the mean time, you need some sleep. And the sooner you do that, then the sooner junior will calm down and sleep as well."

"You're right as always," she buttered up to him as she turned over onto her side before kissing Chase goodnight. How much more can I take, being this pregnant and everything?

A/N: Almost done with catching up. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday.