37-39 Weeks

37 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is about 48.6 cms in length from head to heal (19.13 inches) and weighs about 2.859 kgs (6.30 lbs). Your baby might be smaller or larger. If your baby was born now, it would be considered ‘full term’.

All the way through pregnancy your body has been trafficking stem cells to the baby via the placenta and will continue to do so after the birth via the breastmilk. What has recently been discovered is that your baby actually trafficks their stem cells to you during pregnancy with the most significant traffick occurring during the third stage of labour (placenta stage). Stem cells are able to become any type of cell required by the body. They are important for regenerating injured tissues for example, bones, skin and bone marrow. So your baby is able to give you these precious cells which migrating into your blood stream and target areas of your body requiring repair. Fetal stem cells have been found in mother’s hearts and even their brains. Mother’s who have carried male children have been found to have male stem cells in their bodies up to 50 years after giving birth. In this way, your baby looks after you so that you can look after them.

38 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby’s growth is really slowing down now, with about two weeks to go. Your baby is about 49.8 cms in length from head to heal (19.61 inches) and weighs about 3.083 kgs (6.80 lbs).

The fine hair called lanugo which has been covering your baby’s body is disappearing rapidly now, though some babies have small patches of it when they are born. Your baby’s skin is still covered with the white waxy vernix from the early trimester but this is gradually absorbed by the skin as they get closer to the 40 week mark.

Your baby's digestive system now contains meconium – this is the baby’s first poo a sticky dark green substance that includes waste products from the amniotic fluid and lanugo. Sometimes babies do a poo in their water, either before labour begins or during the labour. This can happen if the baby has become distresses for a period or if your baby is past its due date and the digestive system fires up early! If your waters have a green tinge to them when they break, let your midwife, GP or obstetrician know.

39 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is about 50.7 cms in length from head to heal (19.96 inches) and weighs about 3.288 kgs (7.25 lbs). Your baby is only putting on around 200 grams per week now and the length of their body will not change much now until they are born.

If your baby is born around this time congratulations! If your baby has not yet arrived – it won’t be long, any time from now until 42 weeks is normal.

Your baby's head may have engaged by now and your bump moved down a little, giving you some needed lung space for breathing! Sometimes the head doesn't engage until labour starts. The amniotic fluid level will also be dropping slightly from around now providing additional relief.

Boy babies’ testes have now descended from their groin area into his scrotum. Pregnancy hormones affect the genitals of newborn babies and can make them look swollen when they're born. Once the levels of these hormones drop they will soon settle down to their normal size.