What’s your baby up to?
Your baby now weighs about 1kg and measures about 37.6cm long from head to toe. The hair on his scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes continue to grow. Your little one keeps putting on fat, and his muscle tone is much developed by now. In fact, your baby looks every inch like a newborn.
Your baby’s brain is developing rapidly, and forming millions of neurons. He has different sleep cycles, and has started experiencing  the rapid eye movement sleep (REM) — the phase of sleeping when dreaming occurs.
How are you doing?
Welcome to your third and final trimester mom-to-be.
From now on you’ll be gaining about a pound per week, as is the case in most women. Half of this weight will be contributed by the weight of your growing baby.
Most women also start to feel a ticklish or tingling sensation in their legs, or an uncontrollable urge to move their legs or feet, especially when lying down in bed. This is known as the Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), it is pretty common and can be such a bother!
As your tummy continues to grow, getting a comfortable sleep might be a challenge, especially now that your are sleeping on the left side. Also, getting in and out of bed might have become an uphill task by now. If there’s no one to help you out of bed, shift to the edge of the bed and bend your knees, now use your arms to raise urself halfway, and get into a sitting position by placing your feet on the floor. Then stand up slowly.
Your gait might have become clumsy by now, and you waddle a bit as you move around, it’s all because of your burgeoning uterus which has shifted your center of gravity. You may also find that the need to pee regularly has returned, as your uterus now puts pressure on your bladder.
In addition, you may be experiencing breathlessness, heartburn after eating, and some Braxton Hicks contractions.
What should you do this week?
From now on, you’ll be seeing your doctor or midwife every two weeks, so they can monitor your progress.
You should also track your baby’s movement by doing a kick count. It will help you make sure that your baby is active. Go to a quiet room free of distractions and sit down with your legs raised, or lie down on your left side, and then start counting your baby’s movements. Any form of movement counts as a kick, be it a roll or a jab or a punch. Do this twice daily and at the same time each day when your baby is usually active (for instance after taking a walk, after having a meal or a cold drink). Up to 10 kicks in an hour, is a good indication that your baby is as active as he should be; Otherwise, you would have to see your doctor immediately.
For relieving heartburn, don’t lie down after meals; instead, prop yourself up in a sitting position to avoid reflux. Also, avoid having heavy meals at a go, spread out your food into smaller portions which you eat at different times of the day. Avoid eating acidic foods as well, and avoid drinking while you eat, as this may slow down the digestive juices. Drinking milk may also soothe you.
Regular exercises, stretching or massaging your legs, may help to relieve restless leg syndrome.
Finally, stay informed, healthy and inspired, by reading  Maternity Nest. Connect with other moms-to-be for moral support, by joining your Due Date Club in the The Nest.
