6 Days to Full Term...

Week 37 is here. Sorry for the lack of a Week 36 Belly Pic, but there was little to no chance that Antoinette was feeling photogenic as under the weather as she was. So on to Week 37 we go. In 6 days, Antoinette will hit the magic mark that is the completion of her 37th week of pregnancy, which is the traditional finish line for full term pregnancy. Her premature contractions have all but disappeared as of late and there is every indication that she should make the entire 6 day window. Keep your fingers crossed. She is also feeling much better, although she is not quite 100% healthy just yet.

This week, the baby is putting on the finishing touches to his body. He should be a solid 21 inches in length and weigh in at about 6.5 lbs., give or take. His exact weight is anybody's guess at this point, so the numbers you get from here on out are just averages. Antoinette's uterus has more than likely stopped growing larger, which means that the growing baby is living in an even further cramped environment.

All signs at this point seem to indicate that Billy has "engaged" Antoinette's pelvis, or begun the process of lightening, which is the dropping of the baby into the proper lower pelvic position. This has led to even further easing up on Antoinette's breathing, but the relief is not without cost. Buzzing feelings and shooting pains in the groin and leg are common. The Baby's head is resting on the uterus which is pressing on the bladder resulting in constant trips to the rest room. And despite the freed up room, the Baby has his foot firmly wedged in his Mother's sternum with no sign of letting up. Its a battle for comfort and Mom is often coming out on the losing end. While Billy is technically fully developed and basically ready to be born, the final hours, days, and weeks are critical to important additional development. Billy has accelerated his fat deposit rate to about a half ounce per day.

First time Mothers tend to give birth closer to the due date, so if that holds true, Antoinette could still have a good solid month of pregnancy left. She's back to the doctor tomorrow and on this trip, she will have several key tests done. The following week, the doctor will begin testing for cervical changes and progression. Checks for leaking amniotic fluid, dilation, and effacement will also take place. The testing will involve the cervix and the measure of dilation (goal is 10 cm's to give birth) and effacement (typically reaches 90-100%, but currently at 0%)