27th January 2017
At 30 weeks pregnant my little Pip is about the size of a cantaloupe melon. She (yes, it's a girl!) is nearly 17 inches long and weighs around 3.5lbs. Here's what's been going on during my 30th week of pregnancy with baby number three.
Baby Development
When babies are in the womb they have a fine coating of hair called lanugo to help keep them warm, but as Pip is now gaining more fat each week she will begin shedding the hair as we get closer to the due date. Apparently she will gain about half a pound a week in weight between now and the birth. She can open her eyes but her eyesight is still developing so her vision is quite poor at the moment.
Body Changes
My skin is really sensitive at the moment and I seem to have been nesting, as I've been doing a lot of frantic cleaning and have given myself dermatitis on my hands! The doctor has prescribed some steroid cream so hopefully it will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, I shall invest in rubber gloves!
Pregnancy Symptoms
I still have the reflux I mentioned in my last update, and this week I have the addition of a really weird leg ache. My right leg keeps going really achey and heavy. It's not cramp and it's not a dead leg, but the only way I can get rid of the feeling is to get up and shake my leg around. I mentioned it to the doctor when I popped in about the dermatitis and she said it is the muscle aching, most likely related to the baby pressing down on a nerve.
My next appointment is with the midwife at 31 weeks. I will actually be 31 weeks and 4 days as the clinic is always on a Monday. I also have a scan at 32 weeks to check the position of my placenta, which so far is too low for a vaginal birth.
Antenatal Appointments
My next appointment is with the midwife at 31 weeks. I will actually be 31 weeks and 4 days as the clinic is always on a Monday. I also have a scan at 32 weeks to check the position of my placenta, which so far is too low for a vaginal birth.
Looking Ahead
Ian and I really need to make a decision on a name. I have one in mind that I really want, but Ian keeps suggesting names that I just don't like at all. He has named three out of his four children so it is only fair that I get to name this baby! The name I like is a bit of a variation of my great Nan's name; she passed away last year and I miss her like you would not believe. I wish she was here so I could share this journey with her.
