{"id":461,"date":"2010-07-19T21:05:33","date_gmt":"2010-07-20T05:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/streamdoubletrouble.com\/?p=461"},"modified":"2010-07-19T21:05:33","modified_gmt":"2010-07-20T05:05:33","slug":"your-child-at-35-weeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/streamoftheconscious.com\/your-child-at-35-weeks\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Child at 35 Weeks"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>You know it\u2019s time to leave the hospital when the nurse has to leave the pod and decrees, \u201cMom\u2019s here. She knows what\u2019s going on \u2013 she\u2019ll let you know if anything\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n The muppets are officially 35 weeks corrected gestation today. That means that today is the very first day they would have stood a chance of coming home without an extended NICU stay. It\u2019s been seven weeks. I like to think of them as being the Pod B Seniors. (The giraffe can be the team mascot \u2013 since that\u2019s the brand name of the isolettes all the NICU babes live in.)<\/p>\n The NICU is at capacity again; the last time they were full was when our little dudes were admitted. Yet, so many of the new babies are \u201colder\u201d \u2013 32-34 weekers. I admit to many bouts of jealousy. I look around our pod and see the brand new residents with no need for oxygen assistance. They immediately take their bottles with no need for feeding tubes. And they only stay for a week or two.<\/p>\n <\/a>So I decided to take a look back at what life would have been like if I was still waiting to meet them. One of my favorite sites<\/a> during pregnancy details the development of each week. Interestingly, my actual experience wasn\u2019t terribly far off.<\/p>\n Your child – 35 weeks Do you know the difference between real and false (Braxton Hicks contractions) labor pains? It’s normal to be nervous about labor and delivery. Planning to breastfeed? Ask your hospital’s labor ward if they provide on-site lactation consultants, or interview consultants you may want to work with after the baby is born. Your prenatal visits may be weekly now that you’re in the home stretch. Make a tape of music to listen to during labor. Pick songs that perk you up, inspire you, or relax you. <\/a>Feathering the nest? Look for fun freebies and coupons. Only 5 percent of babies are born on their due date, so don’t worry if yours comes and goes and you’re still waiting. How your baby’s growing: <\/a>Only 5 \u00bc? Although our little guys aren\u2019t quite there, the little porkers are already tipping the scales at 4.6 pounds. Not bad for guys already using a ton of energy out in the world. But yes, they will be spending the next few weeks (months\/years) putting on weight.<\/p>\n Search and Destroy started a new medication today. Supposedly it may help with their saturation swings and get them off the oxygen sooner. (Search\u2019s back on his nasal cannula. He got tired.) They\u2019re both getting so close.<\/p>\n I have high hopes for the next two weeks. Weeks 35 and 36 are the weeks twins are often expected, arrive and go home. So even if they\u2019re not quite ready to come home, they\u2019re well on their way. 35 weeks along, seven weeks old and almost five pounds \u2013 they\u2019re big boys now!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You know it\u2019s time to leave the hospital when the nurse has to leave the pod and decrees, \u201cMom\u2019s here. She knows what\u2019s going on \u2013 she\u2019ll let you know if anything\u2019s wrong.\u201d The muppets are officially 35 weeks corrected … Continue reading
\nDue date: Aug. 23, 2010
\nJuly 19 – July 25<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>You betcha! I had real labor pains for many moons. The docs gave the three of us Indocin to stem the contractions. (Dr. Meyer, our perinatologist, called the twins \u201clittle Indocin addicts.\u201d)<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Yeah, no kidding! Especially if you\u2019re terrified your babes are too young to face this great world, even if the tiny ones appear to think they\u2019re big bad boys. I was wheeled into the OR muttering \u201chealthy babies\u201d feverishly and incessantly. <\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>They do. Regardless of how long after birth you need them.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Well, they\u2019re not prenatal visits so much as postnatal. And they\u2019re not weekly, they\u2019re daily. But back before the muppets arrived\u2026nope \u2013 they were daily then too. (Granted, I was living in the hospital.)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Any calm labor plans went out the window when the muppets decided to grace us with their presence three months before any birth plan could be created. But I\u2019ve got songs for the boys now: songs I love and songs that ones I love have sent their way.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>The nursery is ready and awaiting homecoming! And freebies and coupons are a good idea now that our family is double trouble.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Seriously? Do I even need to comment on this one?<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Your baby doesn’t have much room to maneuver now that he’s over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1\/4 pounds. Because it’s so snug in your womb, he isn’t likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete \u2014 he’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.<\/span><\/em> <\/span>
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