So You're 36 Weeks Pregnant?

As mentioned before, I like to do a lot of reading and research about pregnancy.  I like to know as much as I can so that I am prepared for it all.  I know that the 36 week mark is a big deal, so I thought I would share the article that I read below.  I just realized that I didn't post a picture of Ashley at 35 weeks, so I am having her take a picture now and I will share it with you all later.

I hope you enjoy the article and I take no credit as this is the work of another writer.

So You're 36 Weeks Pregnant?

Author: Lisa Tong

You're getting close to the end and the arrival of your precious bundle when you're 36 weeks pregnant. If you go right to the end you only have four or five weeks left, but it is likely that you doctor has told you that you could go into labor at any time. You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point and finding it hard to get comfortable when you lie down. You might also be anxious that you don't have enough things bought for the baby or that the nursery is not exactly in shape.

It is at this time that you start to get a nesting feeling. You want everything to be clean when the baby arrives so you may find yourself cleaning the house or apartment more. This is one way of keeping busy and active. Your belly is very big at this stage, making it difficult for you to sit in a chair or to get up when you want to stand. You probably can't see your feet when you look down once you are in a standing position. At the same time, you will probably be a bit uncomfortable due to the itchiness of the stretch marks on your abdomen. The best thing to do about this is to apply lots of lotion on your stomach to help relieve the itchy feeling.

The baby probably weighs about 6 pounds by now and is about 13 inches long. At this time, the baby will start to move down into the birthing position. You may notice, or someone may tell you, that your stomach has dropped. This is one of the signs that the birth is very close. You may feel the dropping or you may feel nothing at all. It is also called lightening and once this happens you will feel more comfortable because there will be less pressure on your lungs and ribs. You may also feel urges to eat more and at unusual times.

Other changes that will start to occur at 36 weeks include changes to your bladder. You may have to urinate a lot more often and may not be able to hold the water as you once could. This is because the baby in the lower position is now pressing against the bladder. You can try to cut down on the amount of fluids you drink and lean forward as you urinate to ensure that you do empty the bladder completely.

Some of the other changes could include:

• Constipation
• Hemorrhoids
• Backache
• Pain in the buttocks
• An increased feeling of heaviness

By now, there is no danger to the baby if he/she were to be born at this stage. All the organs have developed and the baby would be able to breathe outside the uterus. Baby fat is developing on the arms and legs and there are dimples on the cheeks, knees and elbows. The sucking movements have developed so that the baby will suck the milk as soon as it is born. The gums have also hardened and the brain is rapidly developing. The baby is also blinking its eyes at this stage.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/so-youre-36-weeks-pregnant-479643.html

The Technology of a 4D Ultrasound

Tobias at 33 weeks

The article below was not written by me, it is merely something I wanted to share.  Every since I found out Ashley was pregnant, I do an awful lot of reading about pregnancy.  Every once in awhile I find articles that I am really interested in.  The article below is about the "4D" ultrasounds, which I really like because I love anything that has to do with technology. 

I really like seeing the "4D" pictures of Tobias and I wasn't aware that they really only do this for entertainment purposes.  I guess it makes sense, but it is just amazing how much this technology has advanced over the years.  The picture above is of Tobias during the 33rd week of pregnancy.  You can see in the picture that he is getting so big that his feet are in his face!

I hope you all enjoy the article and I will see you all tomorrow!

The Technology of a 4D Ultrasound

The 4D ultrasound scan is often called the keep sake ultrasound, meaning that some people may find it unnecessary. It is a great way for the parents to bond with their unborn child, because they can see him moving around and making faces in the womb. An ultrasound works by using sound waves that will bounce back and show an image of the baby. This type of baby ultrasound scan can help doctors determine if there is a problem earlier and can determine for sure what the sex of the baby is for the parents. There are studies that show that women take better care of themselves after they have a 4D ultrasound scan. They have a better bond with their child and want to eat right and make sure they are getting enough sleep. Keeping the baby happy becomes even more important to them.

The 4D ultrasound takes these sound wave pictures at a very fast pace allowing them to come back in real time, and creating a sort of animation show for the parents. They will actually be able to see their child moving in the womb. Using a display screen, an electronics console, and a hand held transducer the ultrasound device emits high frequency sound waves and when the waves bounce back they create an echo that shows up on the screen as a picture. There is no radiation involved in an ultrasound scan this process so it is healthy for the baby. The 4D ultrasound allows doctors to conduct examinations on unborn babies that were not possible before, because they can see the entire picture and captures the movement.

Ultrasounds are used by doctors to see how the baby is developing, determining how old it is, spotting twins, spotting abnormalities, determining the sex, and the weight of the baby. People were thrilled with the introduction of the 3D ultrasound which allowed them to see an amazingly clear image of the baby in the womb. The 4D ultrasound scans are even more amazing to future parents because they can see the movement of the baby in the tummy.

The original ultrasound is a blurry picture and it is very difficult to see the different parts of the baby. It is also very difficult to determine the sex of the baby accurately. This can lead to some mistakes when determining if there is a boy or a girl in the beginning. This has also led to doctors not detecting twins until later in the pregnancy. With the introduction of the 2D ultrasound doctors were able to be more accurate on the age, sex, and weight of the baby. They were more accurate with the prediction of due dates, and with the sex of the babies. The introduction of 3D ultrasounds allowed parents to actually see facial features of the baby and know at a 99% sure rate the sex of the baby. The advances in baby ultrasound scans have been quite significant in the past five years, and have come a long way from the original baby scan. It will be interesting to see what advances there will be in the next 5-10 years.

For more information about how a 4d ultrasound scan works, please visit: http://4dultrasoundscans.com/4d-ultrasound-scan-faq/4d-ultrasound-scans-faq/how-a-4d-ultrasound-scan-works/

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://nicolabusley1.articlealley.com/the-technology-of-a-4d-ultrasound-scan-2376856.html