33 Weeks

Jared and I just got back from a weekend at the Wisconsin Dells with the Nourse family!
It was fun to bob around in the lazy river and enjoy the comfort that cool water brings on a hot day. I was not allowed to go on many slides, but I did make it down a few very tame ones riding on a tube with Jared. It was just about as much as I could take anyways! I have not been propelled anywhere that quickly for many months and my body doesn't remember the feeling very well!


I got my first stretch marks this week. They are not very big, but there is a tiny cluster of them just below my belly button. We continue to rub lotion on my belly every night, which both smells good, and is very soothing to my stretched skin.

The comfort level continues to decrease with each passing day. My belly constantly feels full and heavy. It has started to pull on my back now too, which is unpleasant. I have discovered that the only way to gain any level of comfort while sitting down, is by tucking a pillow behind my back for support. I have also added extra pillows and a down comforter to my sleeping ritual. After everything is bunched and tucked in its proper place, I am pretty much engulfed in a nest of comfort! I just can't move then for the rest of the night. ;) If only. Obviously, that is impossible, since the baby likes to play "punching bag" with my bladder. It is just a pretty big process when I do need to move for any reason!

My appetite has significantly decreased as well. I am estimating that my stomach is roughly the size of a small lemon these days, and I fill up after only a few bites. Then I need a few snacks a couple hours later. Then another small meal. This is how my days go.

Tonight we finish the last "Preparing for Birth" class at Woodwinds. We have both learned a lot about what to expect during labor and birth. I am abundantly thankful that we took this class. I feel a lot less stressed, and glad that I know what to expect when the time comes.

Baby's Approx. Stats:
Weight: 4-5 lbs
Length: 17 inches

I read this week in my pregnancy book that Precious would be completely viable outside the womb now. If I were to go into labor at any time from this point on, baby would (most likely) be just fine! All the major organs and systems are up and running! From now until the end of the pregnancy, Precious is just gathering fat to pad its body for warmth. I also learned that the baby lives off these stores of fat during the first few days after birth, while it is learning to breastfeed.