31

This weekend makes 31 weeks along! Gees! If he is early (like maybe 38 weeks or so), like I’m thinking he might be, he’ll be here in about 7 weeks! That is crazily exciting! But if for some reason he is punctual, that means we only have 9 weeks. That is just 2 months and a week! I’m getting a little more nervous, to be honest. There is so much to think about – like deciding whether or not I’m really in labor, etc. VERY SOON, I plan to pack my bag (should’ve already been done by now, actually). I think that will help me feel more prepared. When I’ve expressed how nervous I feel about “the day”, several people have told me to just think about how I need to go with the flow and try to stay relaxed because I don’t want to be pregnant longer! At first, I found that funny but as me and my little one continue to grow larger, that statement speaks to me! :)

This week, my emails from various sources all had good info. So, I’ll share some from each update with you. Remember, my comments are in italics.

Linea Nigra
That vertical line on your belly is a pregnancy trademark that shows up on moms-to-be of all stripes. What it is: The dark vertical line that often appears between the belly button and the pubic area. What causes it: Hormones are behind this weird little stripe — which you’ve earned just by becoming pregnant.
It isn’t real dark, but I can definitely see my “linea nigra”. I’ve been reading about it for a while and wondered if I would get one. Well, I wonder no more! I’ve had it for a little while, but I can see it easier in the last 2 weeks or so. I can now say I’ve earned my stripes! ;)

Your baby is continuing to grow and has reached 15-16 inches in length and weighs anywhere from 3 ½ to 4 pounds.
It is hard to believe that what was the size of a bean at our first sonogram is now about 15-16 inches long and between 3 ½ and 4 pounds!! My guess it that he is closer to 4 pounds! :)

His belly is Buddha-like, round and hard because his liver is busily producing red blood cells.
Yeah, I bet he does have a little round, Buddha-like belly! :)

Some babies have a full head of hair by the 31st week of pregnancy, while others are bald as eggs.
We were told by our sonographer (several weeks ago) that he has a good bit of hair. So, that is what we’re expecting. And that makes sense because both Ray and I were born with a lot of hair.

It’s common for babies to hiccup at this stage and for the hiccups to be strong enough to wake you in the middle of the night.
Baby Tse’s hiccups haven’t ever awakened me. However, I feel them every single day…sometimes he gets them as many as 5 times a day!

Your baby's brain is developing more folds and connections. Bones are hardening and the skin is getting thicker.
This is good info. Now I know he is packing a harder punch and has more powerful kicks because his bones are getting harder. Ow.

Your little one is also putting on fat and getting chubby cheeks (both kinds). The fat stores energy for his trip through the birth canal. He may be preparing for the journey by pointing his head down.
In preparation of the day he arrives, he needs to point his head down. If he only knew how much preparation his dad and I have done for his arrival!!! ;)

Your baby sees a good amount of light now, so he's tuned in to the passing of day and night. He has clear, complex, and sustained sleep and activity cycles, often coordinated with Mom's rest and waking times. Some research suggests that dream sleep, called active sleep in the fetus and infant, begins at this stage.
If he does dream, I wonder what he dreams about. Hopefully not that someone breaks in our house to kidnap him, the way I did recently! I would call it a NIGHTMARE rather than a dream.

With more baby than amniotic fluid, there's not a lot of wiggle room in the womb. You feel those stretches and kicks. And you can see the movement too, since your uterus is thinner. How active your baby is now—and how he responds to light, sound, and movement—is somewhat a part of his personality.
Oh yeah, I feel his stretches and kicks alright! I can see his movements too! It is amazing! How active our boy is being a possible indicator of his personality type cracks me up because one thing I’ve noticed is that when Baby Tse gets the hiccups (many times a day), he often starts kicking and punching about! I interpret this as his way of fighting them. Ray and I are both spunky people, but where on earth does that feistiness come from?! ;)

~T.T.