I have requested my PTOs and FMLA through my employer and I just can’t wait until I can finally get offs from work. Sometimes it’s not good to keep working while pregnant when work is so stressful or I’m focusing too much looking at pc and a backache kicks in.
8th OBGYN visit & Non-Stress Test
During my week 32, I had a 8th OBGYN visit. At that time, my first NST (Non-Stress Test) was performed. It appears that they attach 2 sensors on my belly, one is measuring my baby’s heartbeat rate and the other is for myself to measure contraction. Basically that’s it. You will be lying down on a bed and wait for 20min while constantly listening to your baby’s heartbeat. Usually you’ll start NST around week 36, according to my doctor, but since I have a gestational diabetes, other doctor suggested to start early. From now on until labor starts, I have to come in to the office and have NST every week. The results from week 32 and 33 were looking good, a nurse says.
HIV Blood Work
Another blood work request was ordered by my doctor, so I quickly run to the lab to do so.
It sounds like a health care provider are required by Illinois law to screen newborn for HIV if mother’s HIV status is unknown. I have never tested, so I guess it’s good to have it done so that our baby doesn’t have to do it.
It was pretty quick. No appointment is needed as usual for the lab work. Simply I just walked in and she took my blood. Within a min or so, I’m out of the facility.
Experiences
One thing I noticed during these weeks is that our baby’s kick is getting stronger. We can see now visually from outside when our baby is moving. It’s not at the point where you can see his hands and feet sticking out from your stomach yet though. Oh and he sometimes kicks my ribs and it kinda hurts too haha
Speaking of kicks, the kick counts are also going well. I can feel 10 times of kicks 100% within 15 min. He’s pretty active after dinner and 45 – 55 min of walk 🙂
Blood Sugar Level
Fortunately my blood sugar level was pretty stable these weeks.
Yes, I hit a perfect week for 2 weeks continuously!! No spikes at all. I don’t see much of differences from walking, but we are keeping our daily exercise anyways. At least 10,000 steps a day is our goal. What I found is how bad rice affects my blood sugar level. Even if it’s within a limited amount of carbs intakes, it still spikes. I’m now limiting myself not to exceed 2/3 cups of rice when I’m consuming.
Weight Gain
It’s been a while to talk about my weight gain and baby’s size.
So far, I’m right on a track of average weight gain and I can say that I gained about 23 lbs since pre-pregnancy. Not so bad. I will have another ultrasound appointment next week, so I’ll see how heavy our baby actually is ♥
A general size of your baby at week 32 is the size of a cantaloupe and at week 33 is a pineapple. It’ll be about 3.75 lbs and 4.73 lbs respectively. It’s not quite as big as a watermelon yet, but definitely our baby is getting there.
Next week will be pretty busy.
- Ultrasound appointment
- Phone call with a pediatrician
- 9th OBGYN visit + NST