MONTH NINE

Week Thirty-seven

Your Baby
Your baby will begin to produce the hormone cortisone which will help their lungs mature and around this time your baby will be practicing their breathing movements to prepare for birth. The fine hair (lanugo) which has been covering their body will begin to wear off from this week.

You
You will now experience an increase in vaginal discharge due to the increase in cervical mucous as your body prepares for labour. You will probably be feeling very hot all the time as there is more blood circulating and burning more kilojoules in the body. If you haven't done so already, you should consider packing a bag for the hospital if this is where you have chosen to deliver.

Week Thirty-eight

Your Baby
Your baby now weighs around 3 kilograms and measures around 36 centimetres. They are now very close to their full-term size and if they are born now they will be considered full-term. Their hair will continue to grow and their nails will be quite long now - you may need to trim them within the first few days after the birth.

You
You may experience false labour contractions at this time, which may occur in various parts of your body such as your back and lower abdomen. True labour contractions will start at the top of the uterus and move through the uterus and down the pelvis and you will not receive relief from these by simply changing your position. You should put on very little weight from this point.

Week Thirty-nine

Your Baby
Surfactant production is increasing in the lungs and the rest of the lanugo is falling off your baby's body. Your baby is now positioned ready for birth and there is very little room for them to move inside the uterus.

You
Almost there! You will no doubt be feeling pretty ready by now and your cervix should start to soften and may begin to open partially. Lightening may occur which should relieve the pressure on your lungs and allow you to breath more easily. Unfortunately it places added pressure on your bladder and that means more trips to the toilet! The size of your bump may also be affecting your ability to get comfortable to sleep.

Week Fourty

Your Baby
Your baby is now made up of around 15% body fat and is likely to be head down and ready to arrive. It's important to remember that only approximately 3% off all babies arrive on their due date. If you haven't already given birth, your chances of doing so within the next 14 days are at around 80%.

You
Your cervix is fully dilated when the opening reaches 10 centimetres. You may experience an additional rush of energy around this time but it is important not to overdo it. If you are considering breast feeding and you haven't already done so, now is the time you should be looking at purchasing a maternity bra which is designed specifically for nursing. If there's no sign of the little one yet, don't worry as it is not considered post-due until you reach 42 weeks. Best of luck!

TAKING IT EASY

Take time to chill out and be stress free with your baby before it arrives. This is often the most trying part of the pregnancy mostly because of your size and inability to get comfortable. Most mothers say that they wished that they had plenty of rest the month before the baby came to give them the energy to cope after it arrived. Do things that make you feel good about yourself. Get a massage or have your hair and nails done so that you don't have to worry about them after the baby is born. Make sure that the nursery is prepared way before this time arrives, and that all of the baby's clothes have been washed with low allergy washing powder and rinsed well - especially if they are new, to remove the chemicals that are on the fabric after manufacture.

You may wish to take this time to catch up with your good friends so that you can have some family time after the baby is born without feeling any pressure to meet with family or friends. You will want the time after the birth to get to know your baby and allow you to develop a routine that suits you both.

The Birth Day