For more information about week 37 in a twin or multiple pregnancy, tap here.
Another week closer to your due date! And this week, Baby is considered near-term.
How’s Baby?
Baby is over 6-7 pounds and 19 inches (48.9 cm) tall, the size of a honeydew melon. At 37 weeks your little honey is now considered near-term, meaning their systems are developed enough to sustain them outside of the womb, which is a big milestone. But growing in the womb for a couple more weeks can do nothing but help, as Baby continues to put on more of that adorable baby fat that you’re going to love spending so much time hugging and kissing! They also keep inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid as their lungs prepare to make their grand entrance into this open, airy world. Their digestive system also waits in the wings for the time when Baby will need it for something other than the amniotic fluid it’s been practicing with for all of these months.
Baby’s reflexes are quite strong by now, and if you were to put your finger in the middle of their palm, your baby’s hand would grasp around yours. By the time your little one is born, this reflex, and Baby’s grip, will be strong enough that you could almost lift Baby up this way (not that you should try it out!). In fact, when Baby first comes into the world, they’re already going to have a full set of reflexes that will help them thrive.
What’s new with you?
Many people start to notice thicker discharge or even their full mucous plug make an exit. As your cervix softens and thins, it’s common for this jelly-like substance to ooze out, either bit by bit or all at once. Sometimes you’ll see small amounts of blood along with it. Speaking of which, slight spotting can be pretty common at the end of pregnancy due to cervical changes. While this is common, especially after a vaginal exam or sex, contact your provider if you notice increased vaginal bleeding that requires the use of a pad.
And as your due date keeps approaching, make sure that you have everything in order for your trip to the hospital or birthing center and, more importantly, Baby’s first journey home! This means that if you’re using a car for the ride home, make sure you have an up-to-date infant car seat that you’re sure is properly installed. If you’re not sure that the car seat or base is installed correctly, look into car seat installation services in your area with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician or CPST. It’s also helpful to practice using your car seat. Most newborn seats come in and out of a base, so know how to do this, how to adjust the straps and any other bells and whistles. Hospital personnel don’t typically have training in how different car seat brands adjust and install, so it’s something you will definitely need to know for your first ride as a family!
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
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Sources
- P Nkadi, T A Merritt, D M Pillers. “An Overview of Pulmonary Surfactant in the Neonate: Genetics, Metabolism, and the Role of Surfactant in Health and Disease.” Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 97(2): 95-101. Web. 6/9/2015.
- “Newborn-Reflexes.” Stanford Children’s Health. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=newborn-reflexes-90-P02630.
- “Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy.” U.S National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus. September 25, 2018. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000627.htm.
- “Cervical effacement and dilation.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/cervical-effacement-and-dilation/img-20006991.
- Mark A Curran, M.D. “Fetal Development.” Perinatology.com. Perinatology.com. March 31, 2019. https://www.perinatology.com/Reference/Fetal%20development.htm#1.
