Advice for soon-to-be parents
My pregnancy
37th Pregnancy Week
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
3rd Trimester: Pregnancy Week 37
Welcome to the world of parenting!
An exciting journey is about to start and Mothercare, through this journal, is going to be by your side and advise you throughout your pregnancy weeks.
Get informed about everything that parents need to know such as pregnancy, baby growth, body and psychology changes, doctor examinations and appointments and of course parturition, breastfeeding and baby care.
Our midwife and lactation consultant IBCLC Ms Georgia Leze every week is going to show you a special path to a healthy and happy baby.
Pregnancy Week 37
You and your baby have reached a real milestone this week, as from 37 week your little one has now reached full term! You’re now playing the waiting game, and this last stage can seem endless. Keep using this time as a chance to rest and relax – and daydream about finally meeting your new baby...
As your pregnancy is now full term, you may be having Braxton Hicks (practice) contractions. Most babies arrive around 40 week but just so you’re prepared the signs of labour to look out for include:
- your waters breaking, releasing the amniotic fluid around your baby
- contractions that feel stronger and more obvious than the practice ones
- the mucus plug covering your cervix popping out (usually called “the show”)
Υou at Pregnancy Week 37
You’re likely to be a mixture of excited, impatient and nervous! You’re not really experiencing any new pregnancy symptoms at week 37, so the main focus is on resting as much as you can. You’ll have an antenatal appointment this week, which is a great chance to discuss any questions about the birth with your doctor or midwife. He or she will check your baby’s position – although if the baby’s head is engaged, you’ll already feel the pressure of their head in your pelvic area. Labour is imminent and will happen to 5% of moms this week.
Υour baby at Pregnancy Week 37
Your 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. (Your baby simply swallows these and stores them ready for their first poo!) While your baby is shedding body hair, they are growing head hair, and by now their first hairstyle is in place!
Τhings to do in Pregnancy Week 37
If you haven’t already got your hospital bag waiting in the hallway, now’s the time to get packing. This is a lovely job, as getting your baby’s tiny first outfits ready is one of those really magical moments. If you’re planning a home birth, you’ll still need to pack a bag as well as getting everything organised at home, just in case you have to be transferred to hospital. Your doctor or midwife will help you sort out what you need for a home delivery. It’s also a good idea to take your maternity notes everywhere with you.
Do you have a labour plan? If not, now is the right time to make one! After the briefing you received with the preparation courses this is the right time to capture your own thoughts and decisions on paper. Make your own labor plan, noticing the parts that are important to you about the details of the maternity care you want to be given during labor and breastfeeding. Contact your doctor or midwife about this plan and discuss your options with them.
Do daily labor exercises and practice breathing! Labor is in your hands and through your actions during your pregnancy can become more painless and easy!
