My baby and I have reached a real milestone this week, as from 37 weeks pregnant, my little one has now reached full term! I’m now playing the waiting game, and this last stage can seem endless. I keep using this time as a chance to rest, relax – and daydream about finally meeting my new baby...
As my pregnancy is now full in term, I’m having Braxton Hicks (practice) contractions. Most babies arrive around the 40th week, but just so I’m prepared, the signs of labour to look out for include:
Here are the pregnancy symptoms for week 37:
I’m likely to be a mixture of excited, impatient and nervous! I’m not really experiencing any new pregnancy symptoms at week 37, so the main focus is on resting as much as I can. I’ll have an antenatal appointment this week, which is a great chance to discuss any questions about the birth with my doctor. She will check my baby’s position.
My baby is about 48.6cm long from head to tiny toes, and weighs 2.8kg. They usually start to shed their soft, downy coating of hair, called lanugo at this stage. Babies in the womb are also covered with a white, cheese-like substance called vernix caseosa, which is also now starting to go. While my baby is shedding body hair, they are growing head hair, and by now their first hairstyle is in place!
I have already got my hospital bag waiting in the hallway, now’s the time to get packing. This is a lovely job, as getting my baby’s tiny first outfits ready is one of those really magical moments. My doctor helps me sort out what I need for my delivery. It’s also a good idea to take my maternity notes everywhere with me.
