Your Pregnancy at 31 Weeks

I had another Dr. appointment today and everything is fine!   My blood presure was great again, I passed the diabetes screening, my iron levels are fine, etc.

I asked if there was anything different that would happen since I'm 38 years old, and he said that for women my age, each week (starting at week 37), I will be sent to the hospital for an ultrasound and a "non-stress test" (where they put a monitor around my belly and I just sit there for a while and they watch things).    And that is about it.

I double-checked on the c-sectin date, and it will indeed be January 6th.   However, between now and then, I will be closely monitored for any possible complications that would require an earlier c-section.  But, for a healthy, problem-free pregnancy, c-sections are performed one week before the due date.

Of course, lil Biscotti might have plans of her own - you never know what babies are going to do.  Today my dentist told me that all four of his children were born one month early when his wife's water broke and she needed to have immediate c-sections.     Not the kind of story a 7 month old pregnant woman wants to haear.

Really, only God knows when Lil Biscott will enter this world.  Jonathan has suggested that December 31 (or sooner) would be good for our taxes - ha ha!!

For me, though, depsite the day-to-day discomforts that are mounting, I want her to stay and "cook" for as long as possible - for it is the best place for her to be.

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This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.