10.0 – Month Ten (Week 37-40th)

Sources:

1.     The Everything Pregnancy Organizer by Paula Ford-Martin

2.     http://www.babycenter.com/

10.1            Checklist

1.     Install your baby’s car seat.

2.     Create an online birth announcement.

3.     Make a baby watch list.

4.     Stock up on light entertainment.

10.2            Baby Development

Week 37th - Baby weighs close to 2.8kg and may be about 48.6cm long, like a stalk of Swiss chard - Baby’s head is now cradled in your uterus by your pelvic cavity, surrounded and protected by your pelvic bones - This position clears some much-needed space for her growing legs and buttocks - Many babies now have a full head of hair, with locks up to 3.5cm long - Dark-haired couples are sometimes amazed when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes - Most of the downy coat of lanugo that covered baby from 26 weeks has disappeared, and so has most of the vernix caseosa, the protective whitish substance that also covered him - Baby will swallow his lanugo and exterior coating, along with other secretions, and store them in his bowels - These will become his first poo, a blackish waste called meconium - Baby is now considered to be full term, even though your due date is three weeks away - Baby’s lungs should be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the uterus

Week 38th - Baby weighs between 3kg and 3.2kg - She is nearly 50cm long, about the same as a leek - Baby’s true eye color, be it brown, green, grey or blue, may not reveal itself for weeks or months. The color of baby’s eyes in the first minutes after born won’t last - Exposure to light changes a baby’s initial eye color - Baby continues to build the fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth - Baby has a firm grasp, which you’ll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time!

Week 39th - The average baby is about 51cm long and weighs about 3.4kg, the weight of a mini watermelon - Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls but if your baby is anywhere between 2.5kg and 3.8kg, that’s a healthy weight - Your amniotic fluid, once clear, is now pale and milky - This is because baby has been shedding the greasy, white substance (vernix caseosa) which has been protecting her skin - The outer layers of skin are also sloughing off as new skin forms underneath

Week 40th - The average newborn weighs about 3.5kg, a small pumpkin and is about 51cm long - Her skull hones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a but if it’s a snug fit through the birth canal during labor - This is called molding, and it’s the reason baby’s head may look a little conehead-ish after birth which is normal and temporary

10.3            My Body

Estimated Due Date (EDD):

	Week 37th	Week 38th	Week 39th	Week 40th
Date
Time
My weight

Check off which of the following symptoms you experience, note when they occur, and call your doctor with any questions:

	Groin soreness
	Backache
	As your cervix things and dilates (opens), the soft mucous plug keeping it sealed tight may be dislodged
	Increased need to urinate
	Feel shockwave through your pelvis as your baby settles further down onto the pelvic floor

10.4            Activities Recommended

Week 37th
	Book for a hair appointment
	Make a meal and freeze it

Week 38th
	Submit to the nesting instinct
	Check your hospital bag – again!

Week 39th
	Be lazy!
	Pack some snacks for your hospital bag
	Book a lunch date

Week 40th
	Write down who to call after the birth
	Keep busy as waiting game can be very frustrating

10.5            Concerns and To Read

Week 37th -       Is it safe to take sleeping pills during pregnancy? -       Health: Positions for labor -       Eating Well: Cooking ahead: bolognese -       Your Life: What I wish I’d known about labor

Week 38th -       Is it safe to use a car with an air bag during pregnancy? -       Health: Early labor tips -       Eating Well: Are there any foods I shouldn’t eat when I’m breastfeeding? -       Your Life: Creating the perfect environment for birth

Week 39th -       Is it safe to have sex this late in pregnancy? -       Health: Newborn checks -       Eating Well: Eating and drinking in labor -       Your Life: Savoring your time

Week 40th -       Is it safe to take blue cohosh and black cohosh to bring on labor? -       Health: Induction -       Eating Well: Eating to bring on labor -       Your Life: Getting the help you need

10.6            At the Doctor’s Office

Prenatal Visit Notes

My Weight
Week of pregnancy
Fundal height
Blood pressure
Baby’s heart rate
Tests	Results
Additional Notes:

10.7            Milestones and Memories

Here is a place for you to record the thoughts, feelings, and physical changes you experience during your first month of pregnancy.

Time until due date: Firsts: Concerns: Looking forward: Questions for the doctor next month: Reflections from the Heart: Baby’s latest moves I felt my first Braxton-Hicks on Besides the obvious, this part of my body is swollen, too How I’m feeling about my body How I’m feeling in general My most recent clumsy moment Recently I dreamed The best pregnancy advice I’ve gotten lately I’m most sick of hearing The nicest thing my partner has said to me The nicest thing my partner has done for me What I’ll miss the most about being pregnant What I’ll miss the least What I’m looking forward to the most about becoming a mom My message to baby Dad’s message