Lennon Update #22 (from 2/2/12)

It is really interesting to see a breakdown of the weight that moms can expect to gain by the end of the pregnancy. Chelsey found this for me and I thought it was quite fascinating so I thought I would share.  By the end of the pregnancy, a mom can expect to have an extra 28 pounds or more.  These are all rough averages, but the baby is about 7.5 pounds, larger breasts and uterus are about 2 pounds each, and the placenta and amniotic fluid are 1.5 and 2 pounds respectively.  Finally, the increased blood volume is about 3.5 pounds, the increased fluid volume is about 2.5 pounds, and the fat stores vary but average about 7 pounds.  Pretty interesting to see how much of the weight gain is not necessarily just fat to help the baby grow but other areas of the body.  This is the 30th week of the pregnancy.  Now that Chelsey is approximately 75% through the pregnancy she has gained a total of 20 pounds.   That is great news because Chels is right in the middle of the distribution for weight gain, hopefully that means Lennon is happy and growing well. 

Last night Chelsey and I were able to tour the maternity ward at Iowa Methodist, where she will be delivering.  This was the highlight of both of our weeks as we both left the tour feeling very excited about the arrival of our little guy.  It was very nice to see where Lennon will be born.  The maternity area of the hospital was amazing, they have done a lot of renovations over the past few years and it makes it feel very warm and less like a stark hospital.  We were also able to peak into the nursery and see some of the little babies that had just been born.  More good news, Chels has been sleeping better almost all week and there were no food aversions or cravings this week either.  Her belly button continues to hang on as a both in and out, it will likely be out by the update next week.  Now for the not so pleasant news, Lennon is now carrying pretty low, which means that Chelsey is waddling more and having to take potty breaks more frequently.  She is really missing her mobility.  Additionally, Chelsey had experienced a couple of Braxton Hicks contractions over the past week, which have unfortunately occurred during her workouts.  This week we are both looking forward to the Super Bowl (food) and seeing everyone for the baby shower next weekend. 

Hope this reaches all of you well and thank you for keeping Chelsey and Lennon in your thoughts and prayers!

Love,
Patrick, Chelsey, & Lennon