Mother:
While you have been feeling movements for awhile, those other people in your life may not have been able to. Around this time it may become possible for them to begin feeling the baby from the outside. It is a really neat to share the experience with others.
Finding a comfortable position for sleeping is a new task! Between night time wakings to go to the bathroom, to get water or snacks, you need all the sleep you can get.
A body pillow will enable you to support your legs and your growing belly! If you don't have one, try making use of several regular pillows.
Baby:
Veins are visible through your baby's skin, although it is quickly changing from transparent to opaque.
Your baby can hear you and those around you. Although we assume that the uterus is a quiet place, the baby has been surrounded by noise for a long time. Things like your heartbeat, digestion, and other body functions are heard by the baby as well as external noises. Now you may feel the baby jump at a sudden noise.
The uterus also allows some light to be seen. So your baby is aware of lightness and darkness. S/he weighs 1 pound 12 ounces (794 grams) and measures 32.5 cms or 12.8 inches total length.
Dad:
If you're sleeping with a bunch of extra pillows in bed, you may notice that the amount of room available for you has decreased. Some dads choose to sleep elsewhere to avoid disturbances to their sleep, including the many trips to the bathroom she makes each night. This should be discussed together.
Twin Tips:
Do you feel funny? Perhaps you think your belly feels tight. Anything even remotely like contractions should be reported to your practitioner. Preterm labor is much easier to stop in the early stages and every day your baby stays inside are days it's not in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Your practitioner will probably have you go to the hospital for monitoring, you'll probably get an IV to ensure you're well hydrated and potentially you might be given medications to stop contractions if it is needed.
Suggested Reading:
The Pregnant Woman's Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden
A good resource for comfort measures for common pregnancy complaints, particularly at the end of pregnancy.
Click Here to Order
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Photo © J. Reid
