Growing Brains

You are so close that it is very hard not to wish the baby would just come out right now! You feel so large already; you are probably thinking that the baby will not grow much bigger, right? This is the way most women feel this close to the end of pregnancy, but your baby is still growing and making crucial developments so it is best for you both if they stay in there until they are good and ready to have a birthday party.

Look at You Now:

You may have gained over 30 pounds at this point! It can feel devastating to step on the scale and see that number, especially if you have gained much more than that even. Since there is nothing you can do to reverse weight gain right now, why not just put the scale away? No need to torture yourself with those numbers when what matters is a healthy baby at this point!

The time for recreating that itty bitty waistline or making yourself even hotter than you were before conception will come, but right now just focus on successfully becoming the mother of a healthy bouncing baby boy, or girl!

Look at Baby Now:

The brain is still growing furiously and increasing the size of the head. Since you learned much earlier that the head outsized the body by huge proportions, it is great to know that the body has now caught up and is more proportional to this little brainy baby you are now developing.

Surfactant is now also present in the lungs. This is the stuff that coats the alveoli and will help your baby breathe in air after birth. This means there is less risk of premature apnea if your baby were to be born now.

Tips for Now:

Now is a good time to do some of the things you might miss once the baby is born. Go out to dinner with your loved one, or take your bigger kids out to a park. You may not feel your absolute best doing such things, but it is nice to spend time with the family you have right now before it all changes completely.