Oh, Hello 3rd Trimester

How quickly the last 7 months have gone.  I can't believe I'm 28 weeks!  Still so much to do and so anxious to meet this baby.

How your baby's growing:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of its head to her heels. It can blink its eyes, which now sport lashes. With its eyesight developing, it may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. It's also developing billions of neurons in its brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

How your life's changing:

You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester.

At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test.

And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.)

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS

Overall I'm still feeling great.  I'm starting to feel a little more tired in the evenings but nothing horrible.  I was borderline on the 1 hour glucose test and last Friday to take the 3 hour test.  It was a long 3 hours sitting in the doctor's office people watching.  I haven't heard anything back from the doctor so no news is good news and I passed.  I have started taking iron supplements as well, I don't see much of a change in those.