Baby class

Betsy and I were in a baby class all yesterday. We both enjoyed it for the most part, and we both learned quite a lot.

This was the class where you watch videos of the mother's labor and the actual birth. It was amazing. Both our eyes were a little misty...

From my perspective I learned how to help more effectively.

I think it calmed Betsy's anxiousness about the actual birthing process quite a bit.

But it made us all the more anxious for the little guy to arrive!

Here are some tid bits that I shamelessly copied and pasted:

Week Thirty-Three

• Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.
• Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
• Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give him the skills he needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, he may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
• While most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
• You baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
• If your baby is a boy, his testicles will be descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Sometimes one or both testicles won't move into position until after birth.
• Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

Third Trimester -- Congratulations! You're in the homestretch! Right now you may be bubbling over with excitement -- this is the time of decorating the nursery, baby showers, childbirth classes, and packing that suitcase to head towards the hospital! As the anticipation rises though, so may those feelings of anxiety -- maybe even a bit of fear. Don't worry, as all these emotions are perfectly normal.

This pregnancy is suddenly very real. That due date that was once so far away is looming ever closer. Your baby is making his or her presence known with karate kicks, twists and turns until there simply is no more room. You may find yourself alternating between discomfort and bursts of energy. Be sure to cherish these last few weeks together with your baby nestled so snugly within your womb. From birth on, time appears to speed up.

Babies born this trimester have an great chance of survival with all major organs functioning! Consider the third trimester as the one where the finishing touches are added. By the beginning of this trimester your baby will have all of his/her bones -- 300 to be exact! Now he'll be building fat stores and muscle mass. Your baby's hair will be growing, replacing the lanugo that protected her skin in the womb. By the end of this trimester your baby will be approximately 7 pounds in weight and about 20 inches long. Her lungs mature right up to birth so don't become too anxious to deliver early. Each day in the womb (up to 42 weeks gestation), helps prepare your little one for the world outside!


Things on our to do list include:

1. pictures for the nursery.... we found a couple cute monkeys at TJ Max we thought might work, but now we aren't so sure....
2. We want music to be a part of the birthing experience for two reasons. One, music is a celebration and we want to celebrate(!) and music will help Betsy to relax,... so we are putting together an iPod playlist for the big day.
3. Pack "the bag." Probably not something we need to do today, but something in the next couple weeks, because yo never know!

Thanks, as always, for tuning in.