All is still going well here. I haven’t had swollen ankles for a while now, even though the weather has been a bit on the warm side at times. Sometimes when the baby kicks I can actually see my belly move, though it’s not like I can see an outline of a foot or anything. I got a certificate from my GP a few days ago that says I’m pregnant and what my due date is. I need it to apply for maternity leave. It seems odd to be thinking about sending a letter off for leave, when I don’t even have a contract that goes past December 31.
The birth classes are quite interesting. I think that they have given us a much better idea of what to expect during labour. Don’t get me wrong, there is still such an unknown factor associated with labour and birth, but it is nice to have some ideas of what to expect and what we can do to make things a little easier. I guess time will tell as to whether any of the information is useful or not! The next couple of weeks are about caring for a newborn baby.
One of the things we talked about last night was cord blood donation. I just automatically figured that we’d do that if we could. After all, I’m happy to donate anything I don’t need….anything anyone wants after my death they can have, and I do try to remember to give blood whenever the blood bank is on campus at uni. Having been pregnant for most of the year, though, I haven’t managed to donate once this year! Anyway, I’d also figured that we’d have delayed clamping of the umbilical cord so that bubs can have everything it’s meant to have as far as mother nature is concerned. It seems, though, that these two ideas are mutually exclusive. To donate the cord blood you have to clamp straight after birth. I guess I hadn’t really given it that much thought, because it really makes sense!
A couple of times I have felt a regular sort of movement from the baby. I’m wondering if it was hiccups….
Info from Birth.com.au:
You are now 29 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 30.
At this stage your baby weighs about 1,350 grams and measures about 40 cm in length from head to toe. Your baby is now developing a special layer of fat called brown adipose tissue (or BAT). BAT is your baby’s main source of heat production after birth (similar to the fat of hibernating animals). Newborns have a limited ability to shiver, sweat or move to regulate their own body temperature. By 40 weeks, BAT makes up 2 to 7 % of your baby’s total body weight. Premature babies have trouble keeping warm after birth because they lack BAT. This is why they are cared for with overhead heaters or humidicribs in intensive care nurseries. About 11% of all premature babies are born between 28 and 31 weeks gestation and are regarded as being moderately preterm. Babies born around 29 to 30 weeks have about a 90% chance of survival.
Occasionally, a pregnant woman will describe a distinctive ‘click’ or ‘pop’ coming from inside her uterus, usually when her baby is moving during middle to late pregnancy. This is not very common, and it is hard to know what really causes it. One plausible explanation may be the baby’s joints rubbing or ‘clicking’ as they move, but we cannot be certain. In our experience, women who have noticed this clicking sound have gone on to have normal healthy babies, so we do not think it is anything to be concerned about. Perhaps it will remain one of those strange mysteries of pregnancy?
Bleeding during pregnancy is always of some concern. Significant bleeding (soaking a pad or more) after 20 weeks of pregnancy is referred to as an Antepartum Haemorrhage (APH). Lesser amounts of blood loss may be referred to as spotting.
A woman’s body changes dramatically during pregnancy. When looking in the mirror it can be hard to believe how your body has accommodated your unborn baby so far and if you will ever be ‘normal’ again. Some women (and their partners) love the look of pregnancy, finding it beautiful, sensual and fascinating. Other women just feel tired, big and uncomfortable.
Some parents choose to have their baby boy circumcised (removal of their foreskin). This may be for personal, religious or cultural reasons. At present there is no strong medical evidence that supports the routine circumcision of baby boys and rates are declining. However, parents who do choose to circumcise their son should find an experienced doctor who uses proper anaesthetics in a surgery or hospital that can deal with any possible complications.
Birth plans for labour or Caesarean. A birth plan is a written plan or verbal agreement outlining yours (and your partner’s) preferences for the environment and procedures pertaining to the birth of your child. A birth plan can range from a few ideas, to an extensive plan covering many contingencies and may also include requests unique to your philosophies or beliefs.
The process of labour is traditionally divided into 3 different stages. The 1st stage being when the woman’s cervix dilates, the 2nd when the baby is being pushed down the birth canal, and the 3rd being the birth of the placenta. However, prelabour is a phase that can precede 1st stage and some caregivers also refer to a 4th stage, being the recovery period for an hour or so after the birth.
A Caesarean birth is always a possibility if complications arise. Some women already know they will have a Caesarean birth and are planning for this. Others have had a previous Caesarean but would like to plan for a vaginal birth (called a VBAC – Vaganal Birth After Caesarean).
The Australian Cord Blood Donation Scheme is conducted by various Cord Blood Banks in most capital cities. They devote their resources to the collection, processing, storage and distribution of cord blood which is voluntarily donated from the placentas and cords (or afterbirths) of mothers who give birth to healthy babies over 36 weeks gestation. Donated blood is processed and stored for up to 20 years for use as a treatment to cure compatible children and adults suffering from leukaemia and some cancers. There are also a few private companies in the US, UK and Australia (totally separate from the Cord Blood Banks) who offer a service to collect cord blood from babies to store for fees (generally thousands of dollars).
