34 Weeks Pregnant

How my baby's growing:

My baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. Our baby can, and does, respond just as a newborn would by opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. He can also grasp firmly. It's comforting to know that if our baby was born now, he has a 95 percent chance of full and normal survival with medical intervention, however we'd still rather hold out until at least 37 weeks.

How my life's changing:

Fatigue has definitely set in again, though not with the same coma-like intensity of the first trimester. Given the physical strain I'm under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable, it's said to be quite understandable. Now's the time to slow down and save up my energy for labor day (and beyond).

And the belly keeps growing at 8 months/34 weeks.