Pregnancy Week 37
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Inside Pregnancy Week 37
Congratulations! Your baby is officially full term this week! That means while every day baby stays in the womb is good, if your baby were to be born this week, everything should go smoothly. The baby is likely over 19" and around 6 1/2 pounds, but now is the time for considerable variation depending on your family genes, the individual pregnancy, and gender. Yep, baby boys tend to be heavier. While baby doesn't have the room for the gymnastics of just weeks ago, the baby is staying quite busy practicing for being a newborn, "breathing" by inhaling/exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on thumb or fingers, blinking and playing an interuterine version of flashlight tag. The uterine wall is thinning these last weeks, making light more able to penetrate to baby. Baby will turn towards the light now.
Pregnancy Symptoms You May Feel During Week 36
Amniotic fluid is on the decrease, and Braxton Hicks contractions are on the increase. While baby is practicing for life outside the uterus, your body is focused on preparing for labor. One sign that you're nearing the end is when you lose the mucus plug, or have your bloody show. The mucus plug is just what it sounds like and has been present at the opening of your cervix throughout your pregnancy to prevent bacteria from entering. When the cervix begins to thin and dilate, you will eventually lose that mucus plug. It can be clear and stringy, or pink or blood-tinged and sticky. Some women may not even notice losing it, as the vaginal discharge has become so heavy towards the end of the pregnancy. While it's a sign labor is on the way, don't take that bag out to the car just yet. Labor might be mere hours away, or days or even (sorry!) weeks off. However, if the discharge is suddenly bright red and adds up to more than a couple tablespoons, call your physician immediately. That could signal a placenta problem and requires quick care.
Visit With the Obstetrician
You're probably seeing a great deal of your health care provider at this point, probably every week. The big focus now will be on looking for signs of labor. The doctor will be checking the baby's position in relation to your pelvis, termed "engagement." The doctor might tell you what station the baby's head is at. (If indeed the baby has cooperated and is now heads down. Approximately 25% of babies opt for breech presentation.) Don't be thrown off by unfamiliar terms, just ask for a clear explanation. Next, the doctor will see if your cervix seems to be ripening. The closer labor is the softer the cervix will be. Is it thinning out, and moving towards the front of your vagina? Has it started to open or dilate yet? For birth you will dilate to 10 centimeters. However, the mystery will remain no matter what station baby is at, or how dilated and effaced your cervix is. Some women progress slow and steady, like a slow cooker, while others will go from dilated to 1 to labor in an afternoon, like a microwave.
Preparing for Baby
Since baby can be born anytime now, this would be an excellent time to go through those bags you have packed and make sure everything is accounted for. Then you could take a trial run to the hospital to make sure you've got it down. The quickest route may not always be the best route depending on how intense and far along your labor is when you start the journey. If you can spare a few minutes, you might relish the smoother main roads as opposed to the rough back ones for instance. Nothing like potholes during the peak of a contraction! It's always a good idea to have an alternative route as a back up.
Pregnancy Lifestyle
Sometimes Mother Nature gives you a bump in energy the last couple weeks of pregnancy, and you might be lulled into thinking life will be simpler with baby than reality will reveal. For that reason, do everything ahead of time that you can. Have that nursery stocked and ready to go. Get those baby clothes washed up, folded and put away. Have everything you need put together, set up and ready to go. Make some meals ahead of time and freeze them. Buy some simple convenience meals, and have take out numbers and pizza coupons handy. Don't waste any of your stored up meals when you have help with you. Wait til Grandma goes home to break out the frozen chili. You'll be glad you did!
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I'm 37 weeks today and excited to know that meeting my little baby girl is near!! im just a little curious to know if anyone is experiencing any watery white looking leak in underwear(sorry tmi) it usually happens when i go pee! should i be concerned? or could it be the beauty of pregnancy and just be urine!! lol
37+1 days today had a brilliant pregnancy but now i'm feeling every single ache and pain suffering with bad back abd pelvic pain aswell as sickness doc said i'm in early stages of labour so could be days or weeks can't wait to meet my little man
I will be 37 wks monday. having my first baby and its a girl. my doctor has me coming twice a wk and i have to be hooked up to the fetal monitor every time. possibly will be induced at 38 wks....worried but so excited:-)
I am 37 weeks now and am getting so excited. i have stayed active all throught this pregnancy working out 5 days a week and am feeling way better than i ever thought was possible. i completely attribute it to the excercise and a balanced nutritious diet. i have mild back pain at night but that is probably the only real bothersome symptom that i have had. that and the occasional kick in the rib.. :) i am so thankful for making it up to this point and cannot wait to hold and cherish my new little man!!
Hey i'm due december 10th hurting really bad but that's just pregnancy can't wait to see my little girl her name will be erica marie she will be my second i already have two year old litle girl she is also ready for her sister to get here
I am so excited this is my third child only this is going to be a girl my little princess i am 37 weeks due in two weeks
37 weeks having so much back pain so hard to get a good night sleep but cant wait to meet my new baby
37 weeks and i so cant wait to meet my little girl and nor can my 2 yr old son or her daddy, ive got realy bad back pain
I am 37 weeks now. my back pain kills me. but at the same time i am waiting to see my boy soon ,the god should help.
Woop woop i will be 37 weeks tomorrow- not long to go! yes my back hurts, my legs are sore and look like giant balloons and i am getting terrible braxton hicks but hey atleast am almost done. this is my second baby and i cant wait to meet her. nor can her daddy and her 2 year old brother:)
Mother of 2 gals, 37 weeks today and feeling pretty good besides the back pain and pelvic pain, 21 days til my due date and i'm so excited!! can't wait to meet my first son!! :)
Mother of two gals, 37 weeks and feeling pretty good besides the pelvic pain and back pain, 21 days til my due date i'm so excited to meet my first son!!!!!
37 weeks and i am so ready to have this baby my belly is so big i dont think that it can get any biger
I am 37 weeks now and have had horrible sciatic nerve pain and pretty bad pelvic pain but other than that feeling great! i am so excited to meet my little khali ann!
I am 37 weeks now and i can't wait to see our third child and it would be a first baby boy.im so excited.
Hey ladies. i'm 37 wks woke up with contrac they were 30 mins apart very painful but cerv stil thick.they sent me home. just wait it out good luck to all!
I am 37 weeks 1 day acording to my doctor, my pelvic bone is hurting so bad, and my lower back is killing me..this is my 6th child,5 girls, and yahoo this is a boy, c-section scheduled for jan 21,2010 im excited ...cant wait to meet u sebastian... and getting my tubes tied too...
Hello, i'm 36weeks now and i feel so heavy. looking foward to d d-day,i have a feeling it might come early.fingers crossed xxxx
I am so excited.i went to the doctor today and they said the head is really low!!i am due december 15th,but i hope it is sooner!
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Wondering if my little man will make an appearance soon as keep having sharp pains and struggling to walk. also he is measureing week to week exactly and one have any info as im new to the pregnancy thing :)
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