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35 Weeks Pregnant
 The Baby Another milestone for your baby: he weighs over 5 pounds (2.5 kilos) now. With a length of 17 inches (43.5 cm) he is still a bit on the small side but with a weight of over 5 pounds there is a good chance that he will not have to go in the incubator if he is born now. After all, he is completely ready, except for his lungs! If he were born today, the neonatologist - a specialist in newborn care -- will check to see if the baby is premature. If his lungs are not fully developed, he may need to spend time in a special care nursery with medication. If he's healthy, though, he can even go home soon, despite his small size.Breastfeeding is very important for premature babies, because their immune system can still be underdeveloped. The chance of infections is greatly reduced through breastfeeding. The first milk, colostrum, is extraordinarily rich in antibodies and is an outstanding precaution against infections. Baby intestines can handle breastmilk better than formula and breast milk contains fatty acids which stimulate the development of the brain and eyes. Even though the baby is so tiny, he may still be able to suckle at your breast. If this is hard work for him, you can pump your colostrum and milk with a special pump most hospitals can provide you. Every single drop of colostrum is precious - you can feed it to him with an eye dropper or a syringe. If you can, avoid using bottles and pacifiers with your baby - it will only confuse him when he goes to suck at the breast. Ask you health care provider for advice, tips and tricks. If you have to place your baby in the incubator, go there as often as you can to be with him and cuddle him often, skin to skin. It is wonderful to hold your baby against your warm breast. In spite of all the tubes he enjoys this time tremendously and relaxes by listening to your heartbeat. Fathers can cuddle just as well and it is very moving to see the two of them together enjoying each other's warmth. Naturally, it is better for your baby to grow inside your uterus for a little bit longer; that is, in the end, the best incubator there is.
 MotherYou can call yourself "heavily pregnant" now. This is the best time to prepare for the birth, both mentally and physically. The nursery is ready and the contents of the layette are washed and ironed and lying in the cabinet. The suitcase for the hospital visit is filled and ready because you never know when your baby is going to appear. You have secured babysitting for the other children if the birth begins, and a solution has been thought out for the care of your dog or other pets also. There are numerous possibilities. What you have also come up with, no doubt, is names for your baby.  Or one name, if you know the baby's gender. When you choose a name, be careful with the initials, so that there are no weird combinations! Are you going to name the baby after someone, choose a popular, modern name or make up a name yourselves? What last name will the baby have? Remember that a long last name asks for a short first name and vice versa. A name that is difficult to pronounce can present problems at school and with friends. While you may think "Hezekiah" or "Apple" is a great name, your child may not thank you later on. Also think about the fact that what you may now consider a great name might not suit your child at all once he is born and you spend time with him. That's why some couples keep a few names in reserve. What if your sister or best friend has a baby shortly before you and chooses 'your name'? Will you go ahead and use ‘your name,' or will you use a reserve name? Yikes! In short, an appropriate name is not always easy to find, especially if you consider that your child will have that name for the rest of his life.
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Come up with names for your twins that don't sound the same and don't begin with the same letter. Let the names go together well but still have a certain uniqueness to them. This goes for the name of your new baby if there are other children in the family also. |
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Name sites and name books give a wealth of info regarding boy's and girl's names, their meaning and their origin. A good name site is www.babynamesworld.com, this site also has an eBook full of naming tips at www.babynamesworld.com/naming_tips/. |
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If you are having difficulty choosing a name or names together, each of you could make a list of your top ten baby names. Cross out the name that you find the least appealing, add a new one, and have him do the same. Repeat this a couple of times and you will automatically be left with your favorite names. |
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 Father
The birth is getting closer and closer. That's exciting, although every week extra in the uterus is a bonus. But the two of you think about what is going to happen more and more. Talking about the birth helps you both to prepare for the intensive last hours of the pregnancy. By talking about that early on, you will be prepared as best you can. Decide which role you see for yourself during the birth and ask her if she agrees with that. It is good to know what you can do when the time is there, what is expected of you and how you can make the birth go as smoothly as possible for her. She will need to trust you at that moment more than ever. Are you prepared to be completely present for her? What is that trust based on? How can you reinforce the confidence in each other? Preparing for the birth is also preparing for the time after the birth, when you must agree about the care and raising of your child together.Ask your partner what she wants and doesn't want you to do. Who can be there at the birth? Her mother? Your mother? A birth doula to help you both? How do you imagine it? Do you two want photos and if so, when? Who will take them? Accept that the birth revolves completely around the laboring woman and the baby. Talking about some of the details might make it easier to discuss things that are not so easy to talk about also: for example, your fear of being rejected and her fear of failure. The sooner you talk about it and the more you talk about it now, the easier it will be when labor begins. And what could be more wonderful than musing over your baby together in the evening, what he will look like, who he will remind you of and if you don't know yet: will you have a son or a daughter? |
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