So we're finally on the home straight - the third trimester. On Friday I had the 32 week scan - well strictly speaking, it was 31 weeks but anyway...
It was quite hard to get a good view of the baby thanks to its funny position. Yes, the little one is clearly going to be more gifted than me in the gymnastics department as the picture below shows - the legs are doubled back right over the head. What with all the arms, legs and even the umbilical cord in front of the face it was a miracle to even get one half decent 3D shot.
The baby is currently in what is known as a 'frank breech' position - head up, bum down with the legs flat back over the face. For those not in the know, babies usually come out head first, so breech position is not ideal to say the least. However between week 32 and 37 the baby usually turns head down. To help it on its way though, there are various techniques I can try, including:
The baby is currently in what is known as a 'frank breech' position - head up, bum down with the legs flat back over the face. For those not in the know, babies usually come out head first, so breech position is not ideal to say the least. However between week 32 and 37 the baby usually turns head down. To help it on its way though, there are various techniques I can try, including:
- Placing a bag of frozen peas on the baby's head (baby hates cold things)
- Playing music and shining a bright light near the pubic bone (the carrot approach rather than the stick this time - encourage the baby to move towards the source).
- Swimming and doing handstands in the water (sounds like synchronised swimming to me!)
- Getting on all fours and sticking my bum in the air and my head and chest on the ground (best make sure the curtains are closed before doing this one I think!)
- Something which I haven't entirely figured out yet involving lying on an ironing board propped against the sofa(sounds like extreme ironing?!)
- Specialised pregnancy reflexology (manipulation of pressure points on the feet) or moxibustion (a form of acupuncture)
The long things on the right hand side are the legs,folded back towards the face
My obstetrician says the little bundle of joy is currently estimated to be 1.8Kg (about 4 pounds). Or to put it another way, it's about the size of a large chicken. It certainly feels like I've got a family bucket of KFC in there, little wings and drumsticks poking around like mad!
