37 WEEKS PREGNANT

• Sometime during the third trimester, your doctor or midwife recommends a test to check your baby's well-being.
• A common indicator of your baby's well-being is a measurement of the amniotic fluid.
• This can also be part of a test called a biophysical profile, which also includes examining the baby's various movements. In this scan, the sonographer is measuring the deepest pocket of fluid in each of the four areas of the uterus.
• As you can see, the baby is getting a bit crowded in there!

• During the next few weeks, your baby will just be putting on a little more weight but not drastically as much as he/she did in the past few weeks leading up to this one. In week 36, your baby still weighs a little over two kilograms and measures up to about 19 inches and a half.
• Your baby has probably already settled into an upside-down position, getting ready to come out into the real world. As the bones in your baby's skull have not fused yet, it makes it easier for him/her to move the head in the birth canal.
• If you were to give birth to your baby right now, rest assured that his/her immune system is developed enough to fight off infections all on its own. Blood circulation has also reached perfection by this point in time. However, his/her digestive system, which although has almost fully matured will take a few more days to be completely and fully developed.
• If there is one thing that has not changed from the previous week and will continue to be the same are your baby's movements. Your restless little one will continue to move about like it is nobody's business.
• As your baby's growing body is capable of functioning on its own now, the placenta takes a step back and produces fewer hormones. Your baby has become quite the stud already! Also, your baby is getting extremely close to being able to breathe on his/her own.
• Lanugo, the thin hair that has been covering his/her body will start to disappear along with vernix caseosa, the waxy-like substance covering your baby's skin and they blend with the amniotic fluid. Along with bile and mucus, your baby will be swallowing the amniotic fluid and its contents. These things will eventually make your baby's first poop once born.

• Vaginal discharge : Are you spotting blood along with normal white discharge? Don't worry, your cervix is dilating or opening up.
• Leg cramps : Now that you are in the 37th week, it is no wonder that you have severe leg cramps. Your body is carrying all that weight, day and night. Take rest and relax your legs as much as you can. We hope your calcium levels are okay.
• Heartburn or indigestion : You may find them unbearable at this stage. Apart from small regular meals, drink lots of water and go out for a walk after meals.
• Varicose veins : Are you sleeping on your left side now? That's the best position for maximum blood circulation. Also, try keeping a soft pillow for better support for your legs.
• Changes in fetal activity : The baby now has less room to move around. Also, the baby almost has a sleep pattern as well now. Thanks to this, you may feel the fetal activity is less. Do keep a close watch now.
• Pelvic pain : Note that your baby's head is now putting pressure on your pelvis, thus causing all the pelvic pain. If it is too painful, do see the doctor.
• Sleepless nights : We understand that sleep is almost like a distant dream now. Hang in there, just a few more days!

Check out mylo's solution to your sleepless nights

• Feeling any drastic changes in your body or feeling about the same past few weeks?
• Don't be surprised if you don't find that your body is changing at all, as the last few weeks are pretty much the same.
• However, you may be feeling contractions occurring quite often.
• Most women often confuse these with Braxton Hicks contractions.
• You may be feeling a bit nauseous and experiencing intense pain in your lower back.