Here are some terms that we thought you’d want to know exact details of: Early term: 37 weeks through 38 weeks, 6 days Late term: 41 weeks through 41 weeks, 6 days Full term: 39 weeks through 40 weeks, 6 days Post-term: 42 weeks and beyond Your due date is getting close now, but doctors don't consider your baby "full term" until 39 weeks. Spending the next two weeks in the womb allows your baby's brain and lungs to fully mature. Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. An interesting fact: at birth, your baby’s head is the same size as the hips, abdomen and shoulders! It will change shape through the first few weeks after the birth.

Garbha Vriddhi

तस्मिन्नेकदिवसातिक्रान्तेऽपि नवमं मासमुपादाय प्रसवकालमित्याहुरादशमान्मासात। एतवान प्रसवकालः, वैकारिकमतः परं कुक्षाववस्थानं गर्भस्य ॥ (चरक शारीरस्थान)

Ayurveda says the intrauterine stay of the fetus after the end of 10th month is abnormal.

Your Baby's Development

Baby’s size

There are variations, depending on race and parents’ genes. Still roughly speaking, the length (height) of a healthy newborn can range from 17 3/4 inches (45 centimeters) to nearly 22 inches (55 centimeters).3 Meanwhile, a healthy birth weight can range from 5 1/2 pounds (2,500 grams) to 10 pounds (4,500 grams).

Sucking and Swallowing

It’s practice time! The baby has been sucking and swallowing skills for a few weeks. Between 36 to 38 weeks, this coordination is getting perfected.

Baby hair variations

Some babies have really long hair at births, between 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. Some babies have just light fuzz on the head. Even the colour can change as the baby grows.

Firm grasp

Those little fingers have a lot of power and skill now. The baby can grasp onto smaller objects, like a toe or his nose. After birth, if those fingers manage to reach his hair, he’d be tugging at them and crying wondering why!

Digestive system

Meconium is accumulating in the baby’s intestines. It is made up of amniotic fluid, mucus, skin cells, and other substances your baby has swallowed in utero. Meconium stays in your baby's intestine until after birth, when it is eliminated as his first bowel movement.

Immune system

Your little one's immune system is completely developed and after its birth, your breast milk will provide it with necessary antibodies to stay fit.

Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Mucous Plug

Way back in the first trimester, cervical mucus clumped together to plug up or seal your cervix to protect your pregnancy. Now, as early as a few weeks before labor, changes in your cervix can loosen that protective plug. Part or all of the mucus plug may fall out. It can appear as a thick discharge tinged with brown or red streaks. When there's pink or red spotting along with the loss of the plug, it is known as the "bloody show." Of course, some women pass the plug without noticing it.

Braxton Hicks contractions

Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable.

Vaginal discharge or spotting

You might notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away – or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your doctor or midwife immediately.)

Lots of kicking

Keep monitoring your baby's movements, and let your healthcare provider know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though your baby’s quarters are getting cozy, he should still be as active as before.

Diarrhoea

When you’re 37 weeks pregnant, diarrhoea could just be diarrhoea or it could mean impending labor. That’s because as your hormones change to prepare for delivery, they can also stimulate your bowels.

iMumz Wellness Tip

Yoni pichu - Keeping a vaginal tampon with oil (make sure you have your doctor’s approval). Taking some oil on a piece of cotton and keeping it in the vagina overnight is a nice and easy way to prepare the tissues in the area for stretching. When the oil remains there for 7-9 hours, it softens the tissues, making them more elastic and less resistant.

Abhyanga - Applying warm sesame oil gently on the areas of lower back, hips, thighs, lower legs, groin, abdomen helps to strengthen the muscles of the lower body which plays a vital role at the time of childbirth. Many women go into muscle fatigue and land up in a caesarean section at the second stage of labour.

Regular Abhyanga massage will provide muscle strength to sustain for a longer time.

The last month of pregnancy is all about supporting the downward energy (apana vayu) and preparing the passageway. Practices like Abhyanga, Yoni pichu, perineal massage will help to give the proper direction to the apana vayu that will facilitate childbirth.  

Your Pregnancy check-ups

Your ultrasound schedule will vary based on where you live, how your pregnancy is going, and who your doctor is. At this stage of pregnancy, most women will have had all their ultrasounds already.

If you suspect that something is wrong, or that baby is moving less than she is supposed to be moving at this point, your doctor may opt to do a quick ultrasound to make sure that everything is okay.

A 37-week ultrasound will help to determine how the baby is doing in there, and to ensure that she isn’t in any distress.

Here are some questions you can ask your doctor in this week’s checkup:

• What happens if I go past my due date?
• Can I walk around during labor?
• Can I eat and drink during labor?
• What are the standard post-birth newborn tests and procedures?
• At what point do you decide if I will need an episiotomy?
• Will I have lochia if the baby is delivered via C-section?
• How long will I bleed after giving birth?
• When should I be expecting my period?

What should you eat in this week of pregnancy?

Calcium for you calcium for your baby Calcium is a much-needed nutrient for building strong bones and teeth; maintaining muscle function, helping blood clot; and maintaining nerve function. It helps your baby grow a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles as well as develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities Many seeds are good sources of calcium. For instance, 1 tablespoon (9 grams) of sesame seeds packs 9% of the RDI. Here is a yummy recipe with Sesame seeds!

This recipe has a nutty aroma that is so appetizing! It comes from the land of Nawabs, Hyderabad and is packed with the  goodness of sesame seeds, peanuts, and cashew nuts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1-2 red chillies
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts
• Oil
• For tempering:
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup cream
• For the rice:
• 2 tbsp desi ghee
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 cup uncooked urad dal
• A pinch of salt

Method

• Wash and soak the rice.
• Dry roast the red chillies in a pan. When they roast slightly add the sesame seeds.Once they brown take them off heat and make a coarse powder.
• In the same pan, add a little oil and fry the peanuts and cashew nuts till they are slightly brown.

For the tempering:

• Heat some butter. Add cream. Mix well.
• Add the fried nuts to this mix.
• Let it cook for a minute or two and then pour it out in a bowl. Pour this over the rice once it is cooked.

For the rice:

• Heat some desi ghee. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal.Mix well.
• Once the urad dal turns nice and golden add the ground sesame seeds and red chillies to it. Mix well. Add some water.
• As soon as the water starts boiling, put in the rice. Stir gently. Add a pinch of salt. Let it cook on low heat until the water evaporates and the rice is cooked through.
• When the rice is almost done, put in the nut and cream mixture that you made a while back for tempering.
• Mix well. Now cover it and let it cook for 2- 3 minutes.
• Serve hot with spinach raita!