The Full Moon is Fast Approaching ... Within HOURS

As previously discussed on our blog, it seems to be a fact that more babies are born on a full moon than non-full-moon times. It has just occured to us that the full moon hits tonight just before 11:00pm (after doing some research and time conversions).

Now, who knows what the odds are that I'll actually go into labor. Frankly, I'd rather not think about it.

Bottom line: Baby Lucero might be ready to come out, but I'd like him to stay in a bit longer.

Furthermore, the labor and delivery unit at our hospital in Santa Fe is rather small. I don't want to be one of 23 women in labor. And that also keeps the beloved epidural man busy. Perhaps too busy to administer an epidural when I need one the most.

If you're the praying kind (and we all should be), then please join us in prayer that tonight is not the night.

In the meantime, I've got a house to finish cleaning!!! :)

Jennifer

The Baby at 38 Weeks

Week 38: Approaching the Runway

Only two more weeks (or plus two more, max) before your baby makes his or her appearance. And what an adorable appearance that will be! Your little one isn't so little anymore — weighing in at close to seven pounds and hitting the height charts at the 21-inch mark (or less).

As you prepare (best you can) for baby's ETA, he or she is also getting ready, big time. Vernix and lanugo continue to shed from your baby's body into the amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows that amniotic fluid (yum yum?) and some of it winds up in his or her intestines where it — along with other shed cells, bile, and other waste products (triple yum) — will turn into your baby's first bowel movement (meconium) and perhaps your first diaper change.

Your baby's lungs continue to mature as more and more surfactant is secreted (remember — it helps prevent the lungs from sticking to each other when your baby begins to breathe…definitely a good thing). All systems, almost go!

18 Days til D-Day

We technically have 18 days til our due date. However, only 4-5% of babies are actually born ON their due date. So really ... the due date is any day now.

Traditionally, maternity wards get very busy during a full mooon with expectant mothers going into labor. Sounds hokey, I know ... but I've looked into it and it appears to be true.

When is the next full mooon, you may ask? THIS FRIDAY!

I'm still waiting for that famouse "nesting instinct" to kick in. I've read some amazing stories about the kinds of nesting women do (i.e. fertalizing their lawn on a steep hill in the middle of the night, removing all doorknobs in the house to clean behind them, etc.).

So I either don't have a really intense nesting instinct, or labor is still too far off for it to kick in with any rigor.

Although, I do get antsy if too much laundry has built up ... or there are too many dishes in the sink. I know we'll be having visitors after the baby is born and I won't have time to clean the house after he comes. So, I'd better get a move on. I can't have visitors in a less than spotless house.

We have another ultrasound on Friday, so we hope to get some good pictures of the baby. I keep thinking, "I hope he doesn't come before we get the ultrasound done." And then I laugh at myself and and realize that if he does come before then, I'll get to look at the baby himself and not just some fuzzy ultrasound photo. :)

Jennifer