...a Crenshaw Melon! Baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, which will form the contents of her first bowel movement. How fun!
At the end of this week, baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly. Another fun thought! About 27 days to go!
I confess--reading and posting this made me glad that I didn't know as much as you know when I was pregnant with YOU...simple times, simpler times. We didn't know the gender and we CERTAINLY didn't know about that first wonderful bowel movement! Hugs to you, Olivia's mommy!
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