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Female: This is it, in mere weeks or days your baby will exit your uterus and enter your arms.
Dr. Joshua Fink: You have reached your 37th week, and that means your pregnancy is technically full term. You could safely go into labor at any day, but some pregnancies may stretch out as long as 42 weeks.
At this point, you baby is probably between 20 and 21 inches long, and could weigh in at 6 and a half pounds or heavier. Your baby’s systems are pretty much ready to go, so what is he or she doing all day? More practicing of course.
Your little one is simulating breathing, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking and moving from side to side. While your baby is getting ready to make his or her debut, you are getting ready too. You may have noticed that your breast have started to leak a yellowish fluid which is called colostrums.
Colostrums is a precursor to milk that will arrive during the end of your pregnancy, or in the early days of your nursing. Not all women experience this leakage before delivery, but if you do, you can wear nursing pads in your bra.
You will continue having those practiced Braxton Hicks contractions this month, but they are probably be coming more frequent, and can be mildly painful, one of the first signs that your baby maybe on the way is your bloody show.
This is a mucous discharge that is tinged with blood. Your bloody show occurs when the blood vessels in your cervix rupture as it dilates and prepares for delivery.
While you are pregnant, your cervix becomes blocked with mucous that prevents bacteria from getting to your baby. As your cervix starts loosening, this mucous is dislodged, and you may notice this discharge.
Another event that may occur is your water breaking. Less than 15% of pregnant women experience this prior to the onset of labor. What people call water breaking is actually the rupturing of the amniotic sac. The fluid is usually clear, and means that your baby is definitely on the way.
You maybe wondering if you will know when you go into labor and the answer is yes. You will feel contractions as a rhythmic pain in your lower back or abdomen. Contractions tend to occur irregularly and far apart at first, and then become progressively stronger and more consistent.
They are usually described as feeling like strong menstrual cramps. Whether it is week 37 or week 42, your baby is really on the way. You can be proud of providing a wonderful environment for your little one to develop in, congratulations mom!
Female: Want to learn more? Check out other videos and sources on this site for more information.
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