32 Weeks Pregnant Bumpdate (and a cleft lip/palate q & a)
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jumpsuit | shoes (various colors) | cross body (similar)
I am officially in my 8th month of pregnancy and I can’t believe it!! (Sorry on getting this post out so late! As of publish date of this post, I’m actually 34 weeks.)
Sometimes just the fact that I’m pregnant and that we’re going to be parents baffles me. But Praise God for His goodness and answered prayers!
Speaking of prayers… last blog post, I shared some big baby news with you all and I must say, we can’t thank you all enough for all the love, support and prayers we’ve received from you all. If you haven’t yet, you can read that blog post here: The Baby News I Wasn’t Expecting While Expecting.
Another thing that happened within these last 4 weeks is Calvin and I had a much needed baby moon! We decided to stay close and landed on one of our favorite cities - Austin, TX! I shared all about our trip on my Instagram Stories so if you don’t follow me there already, be sure to! Follow here —> https://www.instagram.com/crystalleewilliams/
You can see all we did on our trip under my Baby Moon highlight on IG!
As promised, a cleft lip and cleft palate Q & A can be found at the end of this post. I am answering your questions regarding baby’s diagnosis. Thank you for asking your questions and desiring to be more informed. My hopes is to continue to educate myself and our community on cleft lip and palate as well as just bring about more awareness all around.
32 WEEKS BUMPDATE:
How are you feeling? I feel tired. More tired than before. Also the discomfort is real. Very real.
How big is the baby now? At 32 weeks baby is as big as a yellow squash. At our last appointment, they shared that baby is still measuring bigger than normal. Baby weighs in at about 4.6 pounds now!
What’s your birth plan? I’ve gotten this question a lot more as we are nearing due date. Our plan is for a vaginal birth at Houston Methodist West Campus in Katy. As far as medication goes, I have spoken to my doctor about my plan to go natural as long as I can.
What do you feel like you’re having? I love hearing you all’s guesses on whether baby Williams will be a boy or a girl! After our in-depth ultrasound I referred to in my last blog post where we were able to see baby via 3D images… I think it may be boy. Something about that sweet little face that made me think… this is a boy! If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize to sweet baby girl if it ends up being a girl. Ha!
Where are you registered? We are registered at Target, buybuy BABY and Amazon! Two showers are planned for sweet baby Williams in the Houston area, but some of you out of town (and internet) friends have been asking me about registries. Which… IS JUST THE SWEETEST! :) If you would like to gift baby Williams anything, all 3 registries will ship directly to our home address. And thank you in advance!
Favorite part of these past few weeks? Baby moon!!!! Hands down. We had a blast in Austin. We took our fur-baby, Theodore Rex, our 4 year old yellow lab. He loved it. We loved it. It was a wonderful last little trip for our family before baby’s arrival filled with lots of relaxing, hiking, and delicious food and beverages. :)
Current baby movements? I’m feeling all the hiccups! They’re so precious. Baby is also now head down, so a lot of those kicks are now felt (and seen) at the top of my bump.
How’s the weight gain? I’ve now gained 33 pounds! Start weight was 145 and now I weigh 178! Despite the weight gain, I still feel great and am able to continue going on my walks and swim. I’m grateful for that!
What are you currently craving? Berries and ice! Lots of ice. It’s getting hot in Houston, y’all! So anything cold just feels great. I know it’s not the best habit to chew on ice, but if ice is what I want, ice is what I’m getting! And not just any ice… the Sonic and Chick-fil-A tiny ice! ;)
What symptoms are you experiencing? Well, my emotions are everywhere right now. Tears are a frequent thing lately, both happy and sad. #hormones Also, I’ve started experiencing my feet swell up more and just had my first case of sciatic nerve pain. Ouch!
CLEFT LIP / CLEFT PALATE Q&A:
Q: What is the difference between cleft lip and cleft palate?
A: A cleft lip is when a baby has an opening (cleft) in the upper lip. A cleft palate is when a baby has an opening in the roof of the mouth. Clefting results when there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip, and the tissue that is available does not join together properly while baby is developing early on in the womb. When a child is diagnosed with a cleft lip and cleft palate, the baby has an opening in both the lip and roof of the mouth.
Clefts can vary in both severity and type. 1 in 700 newborns are affected by cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
Q: Is cleft lip/cleft palate genetic? Or an abnormality?
A: Cleft lip/palate can be genetic but in most cases, it is an abnormality. In our case, cleft lip / cleft palate does not run on either sides of our families. This will be the first time we’ve all experienced this.
Q: What usually causes a cleft lip/cleft palate?
A: The causes of cleft lip / cleft palate are unknown. However in a family with history of it, there is a greater chance for it to be more common.
Q: Can cleft lip/cleft palate be surgically fixed?
A: Cleft lips and/or cleft palates are often treated with a combination of various surgeries, as well as, dental and orthodontic care. Speech therapy is often also needed as a part of continuous care as the child continues to grow.
Depending on the severity of the cleft, some treatment plans can last as little as 3-4 years, while others may last until the child is 16 or 17 years old. Here is a link to the treatment plan we’ve been given as a family given a cleft lip and cleft palate diagnosis: https://www.texaschildrens.org/sites/default/files/uploads/clefttimeline.pdf
Q: Where are you delivering? Where is baby having surgeries?
A: I am registered to deliver at Houston’s Methodist West Campus in Katy. However, baby’s appointments, surgeries and treatment plan will be with the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Medical Center downtown Houston.
Q: How do you explain a cleft lip and cleft palate to other little kiddos? What’s the best way to help them understand and not be worried for the baby?
A: I wish I knew what the best answer is to this question. Regardless, I thank you for asking it. I would have to say honesty is best way to go. Both Calvin and I have little nieces and nephews and if they ask us, we plan to be honest about baby’s cleft lip and palate. We plan to tell them how they were born with it, how baby is going to be cared for by great doctors, and how we will continue to pray for and love baby through their journey.
Next bumpdate will go up at 36 weeks!! By then, we will have another ultrasound and my doctor will be checking if I’m dilated any as she begins to check on me weekly. Till then, this girl still has a hospital bag to pack and a nursery to finish!
Thank you for reading, thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers. We feel them all. <3
Do you have anything specific you recommend I pack in my hospital bag? Let me know in a comment below!
Until next time,
- Crystal
To read more on my pregnancy, also check out:
The Baby News I Wasn’t Expecting While Expecting || 28 Weeks Bumpdate || 24 Weeks Bumpdate || 20 Weeks Bumpdate || How I Told My Husband I Was Pregnant || Our Journey To Pregnancy
