34 Weeks

34 Weeks-- We are getting closer!  I have to admit that after swimming this past weekend I haven't had leg cramps and I am so relieved.  I have had some abdominal cramping and I think Braxton Hicks contractions but that is suppose to be normal.  When I talk to my other pregnant friends I am actually very thankful.  My one girlfriend has such swollen feet that she no longer fits into any of her shoes-- including her flipflops.  Thankfully I have not gotten swollen feet.  I am uncomfortable and always warm but I think anyone with a bowling bowl inside them would also be uncomfortable. 

Week 34 Pregnancy Symptoms:  (what no one talks about)

Flatulence: As your third trimester progresses, you may be getting gassier.

Constipation: Need to rev up those slow-moving bowels? Rough up your diet with some dried fruits, fruits and veggies, and whole grains. 

Increased vaginal discharge: As your pregnancy progresses, you could see an increase in vaginal discharge. Blame pregnancy hormones (especially estrogen) for this symptom — they increase blood flow to the pelvic area and stimulate the mucous membranes (making your juices flow).

Backaches: Your shifting center of gravity from back to belly puts more pressure and (ouch!) pain on your lower back.

Leg cramps: Leg cramps are most common around now, when the three main culprits — pregnancy weight, swelling, and fatigue — are at their peak.

Stretch marks: If you’re fair-haired and have a genetic predisposition toward stretch marks, you’re more likely to get them than someone who’s darker-haired (or skinned).

Mild swelling of ankles and feet: As you get bigger and your body tissues accumulate and retain fluids, you may experience swelling in your ankles, feet, and fingers.

Shortness of breath: As your pregnant belly gets bigger, your lungs won’t be able to expand as fully, so you may feel winded, even after a trip to the bathroom.

Difficulty sleeping: If you’re not worrying about your impending D-day, then leg cramps and trips to bathroom are banishing any chance of shut-eye.

Leaking colostrum: As your due date approaches and the third trimester wears on, your breasts may leak colostrum — yellowish pre-milk that will be your baby’s first drink. You won’t be leaking more than a few drops, but if you feel uncomfortable, try nursing pads.


What's Going on with Baby Woos?

Baby Woos has much stronger kicks that tend to hurt.  He also enjoys to move around a lot inside and change positions.  Hopefully we will find out on Monday that he is head down. 

Accoridng to What to Expect, Baby Woos is clocking in at five pounds and could be as tall as 20 inches by now, and the vernix (the white coating protecting your baby’s skin) is getting thicker. This week, a boy's testicles start making their way down from his abdomen to their final destination: his scrotum (look out below!). While about three to four percent of boys are born with undescended testicles, it's nothing to worry about — they usually head downtown before junior turns a year old. In other baby-related developments, those tiny fingernails have probably reached the tips of his fingers by now — and getting ready for that first postpartum manicure.