Fully Formed

Great news! Your baby has pretty much completely formed into the wrinkly, red skinned ball of screams that you will cry over in just a couple months! The eyes are open and she can hear and even see.

The time to deliver is getting close, how ready are you to become a mother?

Look at You Now:

With the fully formed baby picking up weight comes a higher demand on your body, especially the circulatory system. You will likely start losing some of your energy and once again require naps whenever you can get them. There are some women that breeze through these last couple months happy and vivacious, but most of us are going to slow down a bit while our bodies work hard to support the extra work load of carrying the baby.

You also will start to pick up more weight, but as long as you are still following a healthy diet and exercising as recommended by your doctor, most of this is not going to be body fat. You are adding more amniotic fluids and possibly holding more water all over your body. Even your breasts pick up a lot of weight as they prepare to feed your baby!

No need to be alarmed if you experience more Braxton Hicks contractions as the time gets closer, or if you experience them for the first time in the coming weeks. This is your body preparing for delivery, though it can be scary and painful if this is your first pregnancy and you have not experienced real contractions yet.

Look at Baby Now:

Your baby is about to be a seeing human being! The eyes will open sometime in the next couple weeks, allowing light to be detected and processed through the brain. The retina is maturing so more and more light will be picked up as you near delivery.

The main job for your formed baby is to fatten up and practice all the body functioning skills that will be required for life after birth. Even those little fingernails continue to grow in expectation of the first trimming!

Tips for Now:

Well-intentioned loved ones often shower a pregnant woman with sweet treats or large portions of her favorite meals, but if you want to keep your added body fat to a minimum it is in your best interest to ask these people to stop. Simply explain that eating apple pie for two is not necessary and recommend non-food gifts you might enjoy more.

If you are showering yourself with food gifts to make yourself feel better, or simply because you feel it is your right as a pregnant woman, think about other things you could better spend your time doing.

You will not appreciate the work it takes to undo these “gifts” once the baby is born and you go back to your blue jeans or work clothes.