When it comes to being pregnant, everyone is an expert. They have some anecdote to prove it. Witnessing the pregnancy of a spouse, mother or cousin (no matter how long ago) gives folks boundless knowledge on the subject. Everyone is eager and willing to tell me just what to do in pregnancy. I had a co-worker tell me, in the same breath, that I was sleeping with too few and too many pillows.
These experts are very well informed. I have students who have literally saved my unborn child's life! My favorite tidbit of information from the experts I come across on a daily basis is that raising my arms above my head tightens the umbilical cord. I could choke my baby!
While attempting to get the wee one to move around (poking my stomach), I heard another student mutter, "She's going to kill that baby." If it was that easy two things would be true.
1. We'd be in trouble as a species...
2. We would not have heated national/political debates about the legality of medical abortions.
I don't normally try to 'wake up' the baby - and frankly it doesn't work- but I'm quite certain that this system has been fine tuned. This baby is comfortable, content, and growing.
We're talking about a baby that is just under 3 pounds, is head up at 30 weeks, and is pretty gentle with the movement. Studies monitoring movement in utero, and again in childhood, show that these two things have a high correlation. I know that's not a lot to go on, but I feel like I'm getting to know my baby a little bit. It's like having a clue to the chili pepper's personality. A little piece of information to give detail to my imaginings about our future.
