Kalasek Kiddos: 38 weeks....

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His 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 he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he'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 he'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.) Fetal development is nearly complete as your baby tends to a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. He's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe. Most of the changes this week are small but important: He’s continuing to add fat (so he can take advantage of all those photo ops by sporting a round, cute baby look!) and fine-tuning his brain and nervous system (so he can deal with all the stimulation that awaits him once he makes his entrance into the world).

When will lil' E join us?

Now that you're 38 weeks pregnant, your pregnancy is technically considered full-term — which means you can safely go into labor any day now.The big mystery, of course, is just when labor will actually begin. It's anyone's guess when your baby decides to make his appearance (sociably early, or fashionably late — or precisely right on time?), but that doesn't stop your practitioner from taking a shot at it. Practitioners will perform internal checks of your cervix to assess your readiness for labor. Just what is she looking for? First, for dilation, or how far your cervix has opened (it needs to open to ten centimeters for the baby to pass through into the birth canal). Next, for cervical ripeness, which is the consistency of the cervix. (It starts out being firm like the tip of your nose and softens to the same texture as the inside of your cheek.Next she will check for effacement, or how thin your cervix is (it'll be 100 percent effaced before you push your baby out). The position of your cervix (it moves from the back to the front as labor approaches) will also be assessed, and last but not least, your practitioner will measure the station (or position) of the baby in relation to your pelvis (the lower down your baby is, the closer you are to delivery). Although it all sounds very scientific, it's actually not at all. Having a cervix dilated to three centimeters or being 50 percent effaced is no indication that labor is imminent. You can be very dilated and not have your baby for weeks. Or your cervix can be high and closed during an exam one morning, only to be open and ready for business — and labor — by noon.

We had our second internal exam on Friday. I am 1cm dialated and 75% effaced. That being said it really doesnt mean much besides that Im progressing and Easton is getting ready for his big journey! We cant wait! Dr. Berryman said she estimates he will be 6 lbs and however many ounces at birth so we will see. His head is down still which is good. He is just getting bigger and has less room to work with. I feel his pain as I having a hard time doing anything and everything. Getting in and out of bed, in and out of chairs etc. is a challenge that usually requires sometime of grunt or groan. I am definitely waddling on a regular basis and feel the lil guy squashing my bladder 24/7. I never know when I really have to go or not which means I now spend half my day in the bathroom. Ive started having small contractions (braxton hicks i assume) this weekend and have constant pressure on my lower stomach region. He is getting lower and his increased size is not helping matters. He tries so hard to stretch his little arms and legs which creates lumps randomly sticking out of my stomach and side. Poor little guy just wants more room! My stomach has been squashed to the size of a walnut so even eating these days has its challenges. Brian and I cant wait for our little prince to get here but we arent thinking he will come for another couple weeks. Dr. Berryman said if I keep increasing in dialation and effacement each week then he will arrive right around the Oct 5th due date they gave us. We will see. At this point its up to him. We are more than ready whenever he is. The bags are packed and in Brians car, the room is done, and mom and dad are excited to meet our baby boy!