37 weeks pregnant means that her lungs are now likely to have developed completely and when she isn’t napping, she spends her days exercising them by breathing in and out the amniotic fluid. She can also suck on her thumb in practice for breastfeeding.
Your munchkin now has a head that’s the the same size as her abdomen, shoulders and hips. She is over 48.3cmcm long and weighs between 3 and 3.5 kilograms. This shape will slowly change days or weeks after birth and she may have a full head of hair, depending on genetics.
Your changing body
Having a baby can be tiring and at 37 weeks pregnant you will experience exhaustion. The truth is that your little one can’t be hurried and will come on their own time. You should try keeping your mind occupied to relieve this anxiety. Some spas specialisespas that specialise in prenatal massage that you can visit to ease anxiety and pent-up pressure.
Practice contractions may now be happening more often and lasting longer. You are now on the home stretch and real labour may begin any time soon. Watch out for any bleeding during pregnancy, sudden gushes of clear fluid or regular contractions that have an increasing intensity. Your breasts which might be filled with milk might be overly sensitive to touch.
At this point, you may also discharge thick white mucus. This is known as the mucus plug usually lodged at the opening of the uterus to seal it off against infections. It may come in one swoop or it may just be a tickle. This is a sign that the cervix is softening in readiness for delivery but it doesn’t necessarily signal the onset of labour. Your baby could still be days or weeks away. If it is however tinged with blood, go to the hospital. It could mean that your cervix is dilating to offset the birth process and some vessels ruptured hence the blood.
Tip for the week: This is the time to check your hospital bag to make sure that you have the clothes that the baby will need. You should have already made arrangements with children hospitals in Nairobi. Also pack clothes for yourself to wear on your ride back home and make sure also that your hospital insurance card is well at hand.