30 Weeks

30 weeks - only 10 more to go! Baby has reached a hefty weight of about 3lbs, similar to a head of cabbage, and measures approximately 15.7inches from head to heel. Most of the focus this week has been on Baby's brain - it's starting to "fold" (or become more developed and function more like a human brain) and apparently this takes a lot of energy because there wasn't a whole lot of growing done this week. As it stands now, Baby has approximately 1.5pints of amniotic fluid surrounding him/her - this volume will slowly decrease as Baby gets bigger and bigger, taking up more space and leaving less room for fluid. Baby's eyes are open most of the time now (provided Baby's awake), but the vision's not so great just yet...Baby's only seeing 20/400, which means Baby can only see things that are a few inches in front of his/her face (not that there's much to see in there!), but he/she can definitely respond to changes in light! Other developments this week: fingernails/toenails have finished growing! Not looking forward to cutting them...eek! Also, Baby's bone marrow is now making all of the red blood cells Baby needs - this is exciting because, if he/she were to be born early, it's less likely they would need a transfusion (not that we're going to have to worry about that, right Baby?!). Lastly, the fine coating of hair that has been keeping Baby warm for the past several months is slowly starting to shed; now that he/she is gaining weight and adding fat, this extra coat of protection isn't needed as much. 

Definitely starting to run out of room!

As you can see in the above picture, Baby's starting to get a little cramped, which means I get to feel every single move. Although this is very exciting, lately more of Baby's "bony parts" have been jabbing me, which doesn't always feel pleasant :) Often times, I feel like we have a littly gymnast growing; I've never actually had this experience before (obviously!) but I honestly believe this is one of the most active children ever...must take after Mommy ;) Hope Baby slows down a little bit before he/she is born - Mommy and Daddy won't ever sit down (or sleep, for that matter!)! Baby is very good at keeping me awake on my night shifts - I think he/she is most active during this time (again, probably not a good sign for our dearly beloved sleep....). However, with all that being said, we LOVE feeling Baby move so much - it's a good reminder that we have a healthy, active child and it's really helping us bond with him/her :)


Here's a little 30 weeker - that scary Darth Vader mask? It's called CPAP and it's helping this little guy's lungs stay open for better gas exchange; it's one step down from a ventilator, so he's still breathing on his own but needs a little assistance.

As for me, I'm slowly starting to feel less and less comfortable and more pregnant, if that makes sense? I just have a general sense of feeling more "off" lately, I guess that's to be expected :) Definitely sleeping a lot more too, I've noticed. But I'm not sure if that's because of Baby's growth or because I've been working so many night shifts lately...probably a combination of both :) I finally had to break down and buy some larger scrub pants today (sigh...). As depressing as this was, I feel SO much better at work!! And, thanks to Walmart's wonderfully cheap scrubs, I was able to get 3 pairs of pants (enough to get me through a normal work week) for under $30! These should get me through the last 10 week stretch, one can only hope ;) Other new developments for us: we started childbirth classes last Wednesday! Super exciting, ok, maybe not. But I will say that I'm enjoying them and feel like it's giving me just a little bit of comfort knowing what's coming and how to best prepare (yes, I know how terribly painful it's going to be, but I also know there are lots of things I can do to try to best prepare and to help keep myself calm...I think...haha). These will continue for about 6 weeks...crazy to think that when we finish, we'll only have 4 weeks until due date!! Tyler's been keeping busy building our mantle - he's almost done and it looks fantastic! I absolutely love it :) Can't wait to hang 3 stockings on it this year at Christmas!


One more cute picture of a little 30 weeker who is able to breathe completely on their own!

Please continue praying for the health of our little one, and for me also, as this pregnancy starts to wrap up. I know the discomforts will probably get worse before they get better, but prayers for any comfort would be greatly appreciated :) Also, we're still searching for a dresser/changing table for the nursery - kind of minor as far as prayer requests go, but we'd really like to find one for a decent price before Baby comes! Lastly, please be praying for childcare - we're still on a waiting list at a daycare center in Portsmouth, but may need some alternative options before a space opens up (we do have some potential options, but please be praying for clarity and guidance in this area!).

Love and miss you all; we think of and pray for you often - can't wait to see everyone in a few short months!