37 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations! At 37 weeks pregnant, your baby has now considered to be full term. This means that if your baby is delivered today, he or she will be able to survive without many problems. There are very few chances that your little one will need to have specialist care.

You could find that your baby arrives at any point within the next three weeks, although some may wait an extra week or two. While around 5% of babies are born on their due date, many are born around it, whether a few days early or late.

Just to let you know, my sister and I were both born at 37 weeks. I was the smallest at 5lb 5oz, but was able to leave the hospital after just a week (I was born by c-section).

Changes in Your Baby at 37 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby will likely be around 6.3 pounds, but that can differ. My sister was 6lbs 12oz when she was born! The average baby measures at 19.1 inches from head to toe. While the growing part is not likely to happen as fast now, the putting on weight is. This whole part of development is to get ready for the world outside.

Hair will start to grow from now, and you may find that your baby is born with a full head of hair. This is not the case for all babies, and at pregnancy 37 weeks, you baby may not have any hair at all. The color of the hair will not be the same as yours or your partners in many cases. The hair is usually much darker at a younger age and can get darker over time. Most babies rub their hair out, usually along the back of their heads. From there, the natural color will grow through. This happened with my daughter, who went from having a dark head of hair to very fair hair.

Knowing the Signs of Labor

37 weeks pregnant is the time to be prepared for labor. It is important that you know about the signs. There are chances that you suffered with Braxton Hicks contractions. Labor contractions feel the same, but they will get closer together and will become more painful over time.

Your water will also break. This is when the amniotic sac breaks and the fluid comes out. Most of the time, the contractions will start first and the water breaking is usually a small trickle and not a gush like is commonly seen on TV.

If the sac does break at this time then you should go straight to the hospital, or to call your midwife for your home delivery preparations. Your baby needs the fluid to be protected from infections and it will be more at risk of them now. It is best not to delay.

There are some women who find that they go into nesting mode at 37 weeks pregnant. This usually means that you will gain a sudden burst of energy, and will want to clean the house or organize the shelves. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of this energy, but be careful not to overdo anything. You will need your energy when it comes to labor and delivering the baby.

There may also be an increase in the amount of vaginal discharge when you get to 37 weeks pregnant. This is known as “the show,” and will usually look different to any extra discharge that you have seen until now and may have some blood in it – usually pink or brown. There is nothing wrong with this. While it means labor is on its way, it can also take a few days or weeks for contractions to start. If there is a lot of blood, then you should go to see your doctor immediately.

Changes in You at Pregnancy 37 Weeks

While you will be tired at this time, there are chances that at 37 weeks pregnant you are suffering from insomnia. This is because your belly is making it difficult to find a comfortable position to lie. You will also find that you need to urinate regularly since your baby is pushing on your bladder. The trick is to rest during the day if this becomes a major issue.

Nap during the day if you can. You may have decided to stop working around now because of the tiring feeling of being pregnant. This is especially the case if you are on your feet all the time. One trick to getting comfortable is with a pregnancy pillow. It’s great for placing between your legs to support your hips. You can also place it under your bump to make it easier to get comfortable.

When you do sleep, intense dreams are extremely common. You may be anxious about labor or bringing your baby home for the first time. Try to remain calm and talk to your partner, friends or family members about it. Your mom is an excellent person to talk to if you can. Remember she has been through it all too!

Don’t worry too much about labor. Your midwife will be able to go through the stages if you’ve not been to any antenatal classes. There are also DVDs or videos online that you can watch. Try to enjoy these last few weeks. Your baby will be hear very soon!