The child
Your baby is now about 18.1 inches (46 cm) long in total and weighs about 6.1 pounds (2.79 kg) at the start of the week —and about 6.5 pounds (2.97 kg) at the end of the week.
Your baby is preparing for life outside the uterus by, for example, sucking her thumb. The suckling reflex is important so that the baby can breastfeed later.
Remember that as a mother-to-be, you should still be feeling your baby move every day. If not, contact your health care provider at any time, day or night. Continue to do fetal-movement counts daily. The baby should generally move at least once or twice every few hours. However, once a day, mostly during afternoon, your baby should be active enough to move ten times in two hours.
Most babies get into position for birth at around this time, moving their heads down into the pelvis. 3 to 4 % of all babies end up with their bottoms or feet projecting down into the pelvis. This is called a breech/footling presentation. An attempt may be made to persuade the baby to turn to a normal position. This process is known as external cephalic version.
Mother
At this point, many women are starting to look forward to giving birth. They’re starting to feel really heavy, and having their sleep disturbed is a nuisance. Braxton Hicks contractions—when your uterus tightens and then relaxes—are perfectly normal. These contractions are uncomfortable and similar to, or worse than, menstrual cramps. Many women who have given birth before experience such strong Braxton Hicks contractions that they mistakenly believe labor has started.
The tension rises, and expectations increase as you approach the birth. Start packing the bag that you’ll be taking with you to the hospital or birthing center. The checklist here in the app can give you some ideas on what to pack. Now is a good time to review your birth plan with your health care provider.
