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At thirty-seven weeks pregnant, you are officially in the second week of the ninth month. After being in your womb for several weeks, the baby could lock eyes with you at any moment between now and three weeks. The baby is making the finishing steps for life on earth and has become gentle.
Meanwhile, you should start preparing for life with your little one and get everything they will be needing. You might also need to learn labor practice. This is to avoid getting caught off guard.
Your baby is most likely sucking her thumb a lot these days in preparation for her postpartum feeding sessions.
Your baby would be considered early term if they were born this week, but will be full term by week 39. She’s getting ready for her grand appearance by inhalation and exhalation of amniotic fluid, eye movements, and turning around in your tummy.
Little one’s fingers have become more skillful. She can now hold onto smaller objects, such as her toes.
Your baby is most likely sucking her thumb a lot these days in preparation for her postpartum feeding sessions.
Your baby would be considered early term if they were born this week, but will be full term by week 39. She’s getting ready for her grand appearance by inhalation and exhalation of amniotic fluid, eye movements, and turning around in your tummy.
Little one’s fingers have become more skillful. She can now hold onto smaller objects, such as her toes.
By now, your baby should be positioned head-down in the pelvis and would remain that way for delivery. Belly mapping can let you know if the head is down. If that is not the case, you should reach out to your doctor.
Your baby is now big and grown-up to be kicking and punching. Instead, they do more stretching, twisting, rolling, and turning. The womb wall gets thinner with each passing week, allowing more light to pass through. For the baby, that means adapting to a more regular schedule.
This week, your baby will practice a lot. They will practice with different parts and organs of their body to carry out their functions. The baby is practising breathing by using the lungs to inhale and exhale amniotic fluid. Even though they can now inhale air, the lungs are still developing, but you do not need to worry as your little one will be perfectly fine if they were born this week.
The baby is also practising finger dexterity. Their fingers are becoming more coordinated as they are now grasping body parts like their toes and nose. Your baby also continues to improve his sucking ability by sucking on the thumb. You will have many feeding sessions with them, and they need to put in hours mastering sucking.
In other news, the baby is now sensitive to light from outside. They can move towards or turn from the light. The baby’s head is also still growing to accommodate an enlarging brain.
At week thirty-seven, your baby weighs 2859 grams, gaining about half a pound a week. They are about the size of a swiss chard, standing at 19.13 inches. This week your baby’s growing head will be roughly the same circumference as their chest.
At this stage, your baby is well developed, and you would be heavily pregnant with a large bump that looks lower down your belly. You will feel much relieved upward if your baby has dropped into your pelvis, but unfortunately your bladder will pay the price as you may feel the need to pee often.
At 37 weeks pregnant, you have 3 more weeks to complete your pregnancy journey.
Everyone tries to assume when your baby will arrive. Will he be early, right on time or late? However, this does not prevent your physician from guessing when labor will begin.
What does your doctor want to see? First, check your cervix dilation or how far it has opened. Your cervix must open to 10 centimetres for your baby to pass through the birth canal.
Your doctor also examines cervical ripeness. It begins to firm as the tip of your nose and slowly softens to the texture of the inside of your cheek before labor. Your physician will then examine your cervix for effacement. The cervix should be entirely effaced before you push your baby out.
Your cervix’s position, which shifts from back to front as labor approaches, will also be examined. Finally, your midwife or doctor will assess the baby’s position in relation to your pelvis. The lower your baby is, the closer you are to giving birth.
Even though it all appears to be evidence-based, it is not. These processes can occur gradually for weeks or a month, or even suddenly in some women. So while they are indicators that you are progressing, they are far from sure bets when determining the exact beginning of labor. For example, it is possible to be fully dilated and not have your baby for weeks. Alternatively, your cervix may be high and closed during an exam in the morning, only to be open and ready for labor by noon or evening.
A common symptom you will experience this week is nausea. Nausea was frequent at the onset of pregnancy and will also arise this week. For mothers-to-be, it is a sign of delivery. To help yourself, try eating four or five smaller meals instead of the regular three meals. Eating drab foods like rice and bananas could also help curb the bout.
The need to apply oils or stretch mark cream increases this week. Your skin extends, especially your boobs and belly, as you approach the end of your pregnancy journey. Also, take note to drink lots of water. It helps.
A newborn is coming at any moment, which is enough to put your emotions on edge. You would likely be going through a rollercoaster of emotions. It might range from excitement, fear, hope, and anticipation to anxiety. But do not worry. It would turn out well. Just spend time being with the ones you love and be grateful you will have another to add to that circle.
Your partner might not like this, but they will endure it nonetheless. You might go through some breathing changes during pregnancy. They are due to hormonal changes. As you approach the end, the mucus in your nose begins to dry. In a bid to clear the nose at night, you will likely be snoring. Alleviating this requires a moist environment, a humidifier will help.
You may find yourself still thinking about how to make the house baby-proof. It is part of nesting, a maternal instinct that kicks in because of the baby’s impending arrival. As you are working on that, try to conserve your energy levels and involve others to help you.
You look pregnant, and your body adjusts to that. Your centre of gravity had to adjust to cope with the weight gain. It is much easier for you to fall. It is challenging to move around with your baby, amniotic fluid, and placenta in your body. Now that the baby has dropped, the weight distribution might change again.
Your bump might inflict some downward pressure on your body. The pressure causes some of your blood vessels to pop out. When that happens, you have piles. Piles are painful and can be inside or outside your anus. You should talk to your midwife about managing them if you experience this.
You are going to experience contractions. They may feel like menstrual cramps but are Braxton Hicks contractions. These are practice contractions that are irregular and painless. However, you should meet your healthcare provider if the contractions are regular, getting more painful, and not subsiding. Take note to time your contractions and the duration.
You will likely experience constipation, heartburn, headache, and swollen feet.
A common symptom you will experience this week is nausea. Nausea was frequent at the onset of pregnancy and will also arise this week. For mothers-to-be, it is a sign of delivery. To help yourself, try eating four or five smaller meals instead of the regular three meals. Eating drab foods like rice and bananas could also help curb the bout.
The need to apply oils or stretch mark cream increases this week. Your skin extends, especially your boobs and belly, as you approach the end of your pregnancy journey. Also, take note to drink lots of water. It helps.
A newborn is coming at any moment, which is enough to put your emotions on edge. You would likely be going through a rollercoaster of emotions. It might range from excitement, fear, hope, and anticipation to anxiety. But do not worry. It would turn out well. Just spend time being with the ones you love and be grateful you will have another to add to that circle.
Your partner might not like this, but they will endure it nonetheless. You might go through some breathing changes during pregnancy. They are due to hormonal changes. As you approach the end, the mucus in your nose begins to dry. In a bid to clear the nose at night, you will likely be snoring. Alleviating this requires a moist environment, a humidifier will help.
You may find yourself still thinking about how to make the house baby-proof. It is part of nesting, a maternal instinct that kicks in because of the baby’s impending arrival. As you are working on that, try to conserve your energy levels and involve others to help you.
You look pregnant, and your body adjusts to that. Your centre of gravity had to adjust to cope with the weight gain. It is much easier for you to fall. It is challenging to move around with your baby, amniotic fluid, and placenta in your body. Now that the baby has dropped, the weight distribution might change again.
Your bump might inflict some downward pressure on your body. The pressure causes some of your blood vessels to pop out. When that happens, you have piles. Piles are painful and can be inside or outside your anus. You should talk to your midwife about managing them if you experience this.
You are going to experience contractions. They may feel like menstrual cramps but are Braxton Hicks contractions. These are practice contractions that are irregular and painless. However, you should meet your healthcare provider if the contractions are regular, getting more painful, and not subsiding. Take note to time your contractions and the duration.
You will likely experience constipation, heartburn, headache, and swollen feet.
Ensure you are eating nutrient-dense foods and cutting back on simple carbohydrates. Your baby still needs calcium to build its nervous system and bones. If you do not get enough of it, they will look to collect calcium from your bones and make you weak, so, its essential you maintain a well-rounded diet to minimize the risk for you and the baby.
Get your protein intake from lean meat, poultry, and fatty fish. Your daily iron intake target should be 27 milligrams.
This week and the coming ones are filled with unexpected signs, Should you notice any sign of labor, consult your health care practitioner.
Your frequent trip to the bathroom this week is not surprising, but you still need to drink water. Your body and the baby will thank you. Drink lots of water in the morning and afternoon, and reduce the intake in the evening.
It might be hard now to do this, but you need to. Go on regular light exercises. It would help to have someone who will remind you to exercise regularly. Light stretches will go a long way to help you in delivery. Going on walks is also advised.
Emotion: Your primary focus this week should be yourself. Pay attention to your emotions and mood swings. Ensure you treat yourself well and get adequate rest. You deserve it for having gone this far.
Labor signs: Continue sleeping on your sides preferably on your left side, this is ideal and the safest position for you and your baby-to-be. Be on the lookout for labor signs, and consider getting labor relief. Take note of your baby’s touches. If you notice reduced fetal movement, reach out to your doctor.
© Mindsmaking 2024
