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37 Weeks Pregnant
 The Baby The baby and his amniotic fluid now fill the uterus to the max. Your child can still be sitting in the upper part of your stomach -- more common in a subsequent pregnancy-- but normally he is already engaged. His head is pushing heavily on your bladder and slowly sinking deeper towards your cervix. Luckily, this gives your stomach a bit more room. During this period you can start to experience pre-labor contractions. These are effective contractions that may last up to a minute and make you pay attention. They work on toning your uterus and softening and thinning your cervix. Sometimes, they even start to dilate your cervix! Remember, though, you can walk around with your cervix dilated for three or four weeks without true labor beginning. This just means that you've gotten lots of work out of the way before the labor begins. All of these contractions are doing work! If you are concerned, call your health care provider (HCP). No matter what, he only has a small space in which to move. From time to time you'll feel him, a big stretch, a wriggling hand or a kicking foot, but he will also sleep a lot. When you notice that his movements are less powerful or that he doesn't move at the same times he used to, contact your HCP.This week his nails are longer than his fingers and he may already be scratching his own face, his vernix and downy hair is almost all gone and he may have real baby hair on his head (or still be completely bald). Or, in other words: he is full-term. He continues to gain weight, at a rate of ½ to 1 ounces per day-- up to a pound per week!. The placenta should still be working well but at some point the way it functions slows down and then the birth will start. Normally about 9 quarts of blood per minute flows past and through the placenta at this stage. It's filled with oxygen and food for your little one who weighs approximately 7 pounds (3100 grams) now and is about a foot and a half long (46.5 cm). Of course, babies vary widely in size - some full term babies weigh 5 ½ lbs, where others weigh 11!
 MotherThis is the time that your child is completely ready, and that you yourself are ready to give birth and everything that goes with it. Only then are you really at peace. You will also become tired from having to drag your belly around all day. It's like there's a 33-pound (15-kilo) backpack full of kittens hanging on the front of your body and that is really something. . The baby will use up more and more energy from you. He fills himself day and night with (your) oxygen, food, precious proteins and minerals.  Everything goes to the baby. It's no wonder that you feel dead tired sometimes. In addition, you are extra sensitive and sometimes your emotions are volatile. Your senses are heightened, especially your sense of smell. Your living environment is getting smaller and your resilience is lessening as well. You also become forgetful and your ability to concentrate is considerably diminished. You bump into all kinds of things with your big belly and sometimes you are so top-heavy that you almost topple over.The urge to nest is something unique. It's a well-known phenomenon that most pregnant women cannot escape. Passionately and perfectly, the last chores in the house are completed. A curtain is quickly sewn or a cabinet painted. Try to resist moving heavy furniture to clean behind it! Your drive is enormous and you yourself are surprised by your nervousness and indefatigability. Will this be the lead-in to the delivery? It very well could be! But if you rub your belly at night and you feel your baby kicking, you are happy that he sits where he sits and you enjoy these beautiful moments in your pregnancy twice as much.
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Give in to the nesting urge. What you can do now, you won't have to do later. Maybe after the birth you won't have the energy and then it's great that these last chores are all done. Try to keep smiling, though. |
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For security against leaking amniotic fluid, use a sanitary pad. If your water breaks you have an emergency measure in place. Some moms like the additional comfort of putting a towel or waterproof pad under their side of the bed, just in case their water breaks at night. Since this can be quite the gush of fluid, it might be worth protecting the mattress.Most moms wake up if their water breaks with a pop, but if it is just a trickle, you might just wake up and think, "oh no, I wet my pants!" |
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The second pregnancy usually goes differently than the first, but it doesn't have to. Childbirth is often faster.The contractions during the 2nd pregnancy are often much more intense and from 5 centimeters of dilation on everything can go really quickly. Your pelvis is suppler so the 2nd or following deliveries may require less effort.But, every pregnancy is different, and you won't know till you get there. |
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 Father
You are expected to get more involved with the household chores and the care of the other children and pets, if you have them. Maybe that's not always easy, you also have your limits, but it is for a good cause: the baby.It's a good idea if you take care of the "delivery bag." That's the bag with all of the necessary things for the birth and first few days in the hospital. Count on a couple of days, then it's great if your family comes home even earlier. Once the bag is ready, leave it in the hall. If you know what's in it, where it is and what it's for, you are doing your pregnant partner a big favor. Don't forget to put a couple of snacks in there for yourself. Have a little cooler, too, and at the last minute, put in there all the nutritious, light snacks she thinks she might want to eat during labor: granola, yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, popsicles, crackers, and other starchy foods. You both need all of your energy during the labor. It's always smart to check and see if everything is in the bag:- A t-shirt, nightgown, or robe for her to wear during the birth. While a hospital will offer their own gown, some moms feel more in control when wearing their own clothes. Choose something she won't mind getting stained!
- Two nightgowns or pajamas for postpartum. Find something that opens down the front. Better yet, treat her to a new pair of nursing pajamas with an easy-access front!
- bathrobe
- slippers
- warm socks; feet get cold during labor as blood leaves the extremities to go work elsewhere
- toiletries - especially deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash for you. She will be extremely sensitive to your body odors during her labor!
- pregnancy underwear; her belly will still be big for a while and she'll have a humongous maternity pad inside
- nursing bras
- camera, video camera and charger
- reading material; magazines or a relaxing book to read if labor slows down. If she opts for an epidural, she may be able to play games or watch movies.
- the stuff she wants to help her relax: music CDs, family photos, stuffed animals, a prayer book. If your birthplace doesn't offer a CD player or MP3 player, bring your own.
- if necessary, an extra pair of glasses and contact lens supplies
- a plastic bag for dirty clothes
- first clothes for the baby (rompers, jumpsuit, socks, jacket, hat)
- roomy, comfortable clothing for your wife when she returns home
 Brother / SisterLast night the whole house was in complete chaos. You woke up and Papa said that you had to be quiet as a mouse, because the baby wanted to come out. Mama had tummy squeezes and they had to go to the midwife's place. But after a short visit, they came home and Mommy and Daddy went to bed again.It's all very exciting. You don't really want to go to school because you want to be home if the baby comes. But when he'll come, nobody knows. Mommy said that the baby will pick the best moment to be born. This can happen at any moment but it can also take a few more weeks. That is difficult. And Nina had her birthday too. Mama made party snacks and you also bought special treats with Papa. You can take them to school for everyone to share when the baby comes. Pink or blue candy cigars, depending on if it's a boy or a girl. What will it be? You don't know yet.Your sites put her new pink doll in the cradle. This is for the baby in case he comes out of the tummy. Mommy keeps going to the nursery to check and see if all of the baby clothes look good. You play a lot of games also and Mama reads a lot of books. About having babies and all sorts of other exciting stories. On the wall in the nursery there are pretty drawings that you made and Daddy said that the birth book is ready. He'll take time off from work when the baby comes, that's a party! |
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