Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
It doesn't seem like it can really be only 5 weeks away, but it is! (OR LESS!!) I realized this last week that my body won't be getting ready in 5 weeks, it's getting ready now!! Which explains the trouble walking, breathing, sleeping, you know, normal life!
I'm finally to where I feel I'm one of those pregnant ladies you see at the store and say under your breath to the person beside you "oh my she's pregnant!" I feel like Ashley could be here any day, but you wouldn't know that by the state of my house or any other normal baby preparations! It still feels like a long way off I guess. And I know from experience, she'll come when she's ready, not when the laundry's done or her bed is ready, or whatever is on my to-do list! Hopefully our "to-go bags" will be ready before she is! :)
I forgot to add that Ashely's baby hiccups are officially full-swing! They started really lightly a few weeks ago, maybe a few times a week. Now she's got them at least twice a day and they're fairly decent ones too lasting fairly long. Katelynn was a major hiccuper, so it's fun to get to "that stage" with Ashely. They were strong enough a few weeks ago that Katelynn got to feel them and that got her really excited! She usually doesn't keep her had on my belly long enough to really feel anything. She felt those!! And of course tells everyone about them! :)
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