You are 37, 38 or 39 weeks pregnant or in your 38th, 39th or 40th weeks of pregnancy respectively (Counting from the first day of your Last Menstrual Period).
Your baby can be born anytime!
Keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary. For variations and details, please talk to your doctor.
What’s happening to the baby?
- Your baby is now ready to be in your arms! But you might have to wait a little. Very few babies are born on the due date.
- Each day your baby is in your womb, he will continue gaining layers of fat. This fat will help him regulate his body temperature outside your womb. The baby will continue to put on weight each day.
- In India, anywhere from 3 kilograms to 4.5 kilograms is the typical and acceptable birth weight. One needs to take into account genetic predisposition, family constitution and mom’s prenatal history. For example, if mom has gestational diabetes, the baby might be bigger than usual or if mom has IUGR (Intrauterine growth restriction), then the baby might be smaller.
- All of baby's organs are fully developed—the lungs and the brains though will continue maturing and developing through childhood. The lungs are increasing production of surfactant (the substance that helps to make the air sacs expand and contract as you breathe). This will help the baby in breathing when born.
- You have been passing your immunity or antibodies to the baby via your placenta in the last few weeks. These will help your baby against infections till 6 to 12 months of age. After which his immune system gets developed fully and “kicks in”.
- The lanugo (fine hair covering the body and protecting the skin from fluid) and the vernix (the white substance covering the body and protecting the skin from amniotic fluid) have almost disappeared. But the baby might have some lanugo on the back and shoulders and some traces of vernix on the body when born.
- The baby has been accumulating meconium (baby’s first blackish green bowel movement) in her intestines. This the product of the amniotic fluid that the baby swallows and the waste cells, shed lanugo and vernix cells in the amniotic fluid.
- The baby’s hair and nails are growing each day.
- The baby might not move as frequently because of less room in the uterus. But do observe the pattern of the baby’s movements and if there is a significant change in the pattern, do call your doctor. During these last couple of weeks, many women find themselves going for non-stress tests often because of changes in the pattern of baby’s movements (Babies might start moving less before childbirth). But, when in doubt it is best to be careful and call your doctor.
What’s happening to mom?
- You are feeling awfully uncomfortable and fatigued by now and are tired of “expecting” and waiting for your baby. Your baby will be in your arms any time. Meanwhile, your body is in the thick of preparing for childbirth.
- Your baby might have moved downwards, lower in your pelvis pressing heavily on your stomach and urinary bladder. This is called “lightening”. This will add to your discomforts - you will find it difficult to walk and will need to make many trips to the bathroom.
- The doctor will also examine the position of the baby. The baby should be in the head-down position in your pelvis by now. If the baby is not in this position, the doctor might wait a little and then take actions to change the position of the baby manually. Read about breech babies.
- Each day you will continue to “dilate” (your cervix will expand) and “efface” (your cervix will become thinner and softer). All these will enable the baby to exit via the birth canal. You might even lose your mucous plug (mucous membrane that seals your cervix and prevents bacteria from entering your uterus). When you lose your mucous plug, you might notice a vaginal discharge that is thick and yellowish like mucous, and tinged with blood. It is also called a “bloody show. If you lose your mucous plug, call your doctor and do not engage in sex (bacteria can enter your uterus).
- Even if you dilate, efface or lose your mucous plug, it does not necessarily mean that you are going into labour in the next few hours. It could be hours or days before you go into labour. But your body sure is preparing for labour.
- Your Braxton Hicks contractions will intensify. These are a kind of practice drill to prepare your body for childbirth. You will experience tightening of your uterus or mild contractions. Have water, empty your bladder or have a warm bath to relieve these contractions. But if the contractions get painful, regular and start accelerating, you might be in early labour. If so, call your doctor.
- Real labour vs. false labour
- “Braxton Hicks” typically precede “real labour” and it might be difficult to distinguish between real and false labour. That is why many women get rushed to the hospital at this time only to find that it is not the real thing. Do not worry about that. Listen to your body and when in doubt, it is best to call the doctor.
- For some women, labour starts with their “water breaking”—meaning that their amniotic sac is ruptured and their “water” or amniotic fluid is leaking or gushing out. Water breaking is a sure sign that you are in labour or that labour will start in a few hours. So you will need to call your doctor. But this does not happen for most women. For many women, labour starts and their “water needs to be broken” or amniotic sac ruptured by a doctor to expedite labour. Some women might not even realise that their “water has broken". They might confuse amniotic fluid with urine leakage that happens a lot in the last few weeks. Remember that amniotic fluid is clear and does not smell while urine has it’s own particular smell.
- Read Parentree's article on How do you know that you are in labour?
- If it is 41, or even 42 weeks and you still have not gone into labour and had a baby, the doctor might medically induce you. Read Parentree's article on medical induction of labour.
- After delivery
- When your baby is born, the doctor will suction out the mucous from his nose and mouth and place him on your belly. How will your baby look at birth?
- Are you expecting a baby looking straight out of one of those TV advertisements? You might be disappointed. Your baby might have bruises, have a cone-shaped head, have enlarged genitals caused by your hormones, have vernix etc. All are the ravages of being in your body for 9 months, and childbirth. Very soon your baby will look different.
Checklist for mom
- Be mentally prepared that the baby can come anytime. The most important thing for you right now is to stay calm and relaxed. Stress and anxiety can make your muscles tense and hinder the production of oxytocin, a hormone that helps to make labour progress naturally. So take a deep breath and relax, relax, relax…
- Practice the breathing exercises or other exercises you might have learnt in your childbirth class.
- Stock up on nutrients and muster up all your energy for childbirth and the baby. Have a nutritious diet.
- Be prepared for some level of “baby blues” or post partum depression after baby is born. Many women find hormones making them moody and emotional and the changes brought about by the new baby.
- When in doubt, do not hesitate to call the baby’s paediatrician.
- Read Parentree articles on breastfeeding - Breastfeeding tips, Common questions about breastfeeding.
If you have not already
Ideas for dad
- Be mentally prepared that the baby can come anytime.
- Plan on how you will manage visitors in the hospital and ensure that mom gets to rest and can focus on breastfeeding and bonding with the baby. While it feels good to have well wishers come and meet you, it can be disturbing. Tip: Have visitors visit during a narrow timeframe instead of any time.
- Help mom to relax and practice the breathing and other exercises she might have learnt in the childbirth class.
- Help mom by lending her a hand in the remaining pre-baby domestic and shopping chores.
- Make sure that your car is full with petrol or diesel at all times You might need to take mom to the hospital any time in the next few weeks.
In case you have not already
Other tidbits
- Remember that once the baby is born, you will add another doctor to your family’s health “ecosystem” - the baby’s doctor or paediatrician. For problems with your body, you will need to check with your doctor (for reproductive concerns your gyne and for general health concerns, a general doctor) and with health concerns about your baby it will be your baby’s paediatrician. There might be some “grey areas” where you might not be sure who to call like breastfeeding and problems relating to that in your baby and your body. In that case you could start with your baby’s doctor and she/he might direct you to your gyne if necessary.
- Prepare mentally for successful breastfeeding. It can be a challenge in the first few days especially for first time moms. Some key pointers for successful breastfeeding:
- Contrary to the popular notion, it does not come all that “naturally”. You have to know the basics and be focused on the baby and breastfeeding and “work at it”.
- At the same time, mom and baby have natural instincts for breastfeeding, so stay “tuned” to those. For example, the baby has the “rooting reflex” and as soon as he smells you he will instinctively try to open his mouth and latch on to your breasts.
- In first day, the tricky thing can be for the baby to “latch on” properly. This means that the baby should grab the nipples with the areola (the dark area around the nippes that activates milk production) properly. You should ensure that the hospital nurses verify that the baby has latched on properly.
- Refresh Parentree articles on breastfeeding - Breastfeeding tips, Common questions about breastfeeding.
Useful Parentree articles for this stage of pregnancy
Hang in there, relax and good luck!!
Pregnancy - Week by week
See what's happening with baby and mom
Checklists - things to do, shopping, tests, scans, doctor visits
Ideas for dad
Interesting information and facts
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