38 Weeks

 How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. It weighs about 6.8 pounds and it's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). It has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold its hand for the first time! Its organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If it's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If it's born with steel-gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time it's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after it's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

How your life's changing:

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.

Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

After our 38 week appointment I am still only 1cm dilated.  So the doctor thinks that I should still be after my due date.  So that gives me just over 2 weeks left.  It is nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel, however, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable every day.  The good news from the appointment is that my blood pressure is back down after being high last week (we celebrated a birthday at work just before the appointment) and my weight gain has stopped.