29 & 30 weeks

Here is what is going on with Elisha this week according to babycenter.com;

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Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Your baby's very active now. Your healthcare provider may ask you to spend some time each day counting kicks and will give you specific instructions on how to do this. Let your provider know if you ever notice that your baby is becoming less active. You may need a nonstress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby's condition.

Some old friends — heartburn and constipation — may take center stage now. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation, coupled with the crowding in your abdomen, slows digestion. Sluggish digestion can cause gas and heartburn — especially after a big meal — and contribute to constipation. Your growing uterus may also be contributing to hemorrhoids. These swollen blood vessels in your rectal area are common during pregnancy. Fortunately, they usually clear up in the weeks after giving birth. 

Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy. This happens when lying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might notice that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins," lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.

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Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

 

Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size. Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

 I am feeling good... not quite as good as a few weeks ago, but good.  I'm getting increasingly more tired, and have been napping a couple of days a week while Noah naps (which is completely uncharacteristic for me).  I've also been feeling nauseous again for a week or two, similar to how I felt around week 6 in my first trimester, nothing causing me to actually get sick or anything, but just not feeling all that well some of the time, especially after eating certain foods.  Other than that things are good though... I am very grateful to seem to have such complication-free pregnancies... the sickness is minimal, no heartburn at all, no swelling, no gestational diabetes, and so on.  I would say that at this point I am still enjoying pregnancy, but if I get much bigger things will start to become uncomfortable.  Fortunately my weight gain, although more than I would like, is still significantly less than it was with my last pregnancy.

Elisha is moving all of the time now, and responding to (not so gentle) pats on my tummy from Noah, or when Jeremy puts his mouth on my belly and talks to or prays for Elisha.  We had a doctor's appointment today that went well, and it is sounding like I will have a scheduled c section sometime around week 40 (May 25), unless I go into labor on my own prior to that, in which case, if things are progressing well, then we may be able to try for a VBAC.