40 weeks

Well, here is the last baby update before we all get to see the real pictures of precious little Mia. Tomorrow evening, at 8:30 PM, I will go in to be induced! We are so excited to see our little baby. Please pray that everything goes smoothly. Here is your last update:


My Baby
The moment you push your baby out (or feel him being lifted from your belly) is one of intense relief and joy -- at least for you. Odds are your darling baby will be screaming his head off. And can you blame him? Your baby just got squeezed out of his dark, cozy home (through an extremely small opening, we might add) and into a world filled with dizzying sights and sounds. The first hour or so of a newborn's life is definitely action-packed. Strange hands pick him up, wipe him off, and suction his nose and mouth to help him gasp those first breaths of actual air. Your baby will have his heart rate, breathing, skin color, muscle tone, and reflexes checked and graded (0-2 points each). This sum will determine baby's Apgar score -- an initial measure of his health (most healthy babies have an Apgar between seven and nine). What else: Your baby will have his umbilical cord cut, receive antibiotic eyedrops, and get an injection of vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting. Then he'll be inspected from top to bottom by birth attendants to make sure he doesn't have a dislocated hip (which can happen during delivery), heart murmur, or urinary tract abnormality, for example. Most of the time, you can hold and even try to start breastfeeding the little guy right away.
When you do see your baby for the first time, it will be a pretty mind-blowing experience. As amazing as it is, don't be alarmed if your baby's not exactly, um, as good-looking as you imagined he would be. Those delivered vaginally tend to have temporarily misshapen heads and puffy eyes. And your baby will probably be coated with vernix, but most of it will be washed off during the first bath. It takes most newborns a few weeks to get that adorable, chubby-cheeked baby look down pat.