The way she/we were: 26 weeks

Last week was the last week of my first ever graduate-level city planning class. I turned in my paper. I gave a presentation (and kinda still pretended not to be pregnant!)

Last week I was 26 weeks pregnant. Below, deets from the emails that come to my inbox from BabyCenter.

"How your baby's growing:
"The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days."

Ross has been talking to the belly a lot lately. Or, rather, INTO the belly. He asks her a lot of questions. And then hums or sings. It tickle. And it's funny to me that he's doing this more and more as her ears are developing more and more. Really, it's that the belly is more and more... so, yeah, why not talk to it, into it. Whatevs.

And now, for me! or what my bod could/should be dealing with:

"How your life's changing:
Are you rushing around trying to get to childbirth classes and prepare your baby's room while still taking care of all your other daily tasks? Make sure that you also continue to eat well and get plenty of rest. Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly, although it's probably still lower than it was before you got pregnant. (Typically, blood pressure falls toward the end of the first trimester, and it tends to reach a low at about 22 to 24 weeks.)"

As for the below
--No lower back pain yet
--I am sleeping with a leg cocked up on a pile of blankets when I'm on my side.
--But I still don't feel the need to avoid sleeping on my back.
--Legs and feet do get sore, though, from walking on cement in mid day, if it's warm.
--I think I'm kinda done with bikram for a while. I want to swim when it's warm now...

"If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen."