Finally the countdown begins for the delivery as you enter the ninth month of pregnancy. By this time you must have put all your baby nursery things together and the excitement to have your baby in your arms grows with each day. So as you begin the final countdown, we wish all the mothers very big congratulations, for completing this incredible journey of nine months of pregnancy. At the ninth month of pregnancy, your baby gains about 1/2 pound a week. Your baby by this time has most probably dropped into a head down position and rests lower in the mother’s abdomen.

Your Baby

At 38-40 weeks your baby is known as a full term baby and is ready to be born. By this time the baby’s lungs are mature and ready to function on their own.

Your Body

In the ninth month of pregnancy, women may find their bellybutton sticking out. Backache is very common during the last month. You may be very tired. Your breathing will be easier as your baby drops, but you will have to urinate more as the baby puts pressure on your bladder. Swelling of ankles and feet may also increase this month. Your cervix will open up known as dilate and thin out as it gets ready for birth. With each passing day you will feel more and more uncomfortable as the pressure and weight of the fetus increases. Make sure you get plenty of rest. Pregnancy due date is a guess as to when your baby may arrive. The majority of babies will show up from two weeks before this date to two weeks after this date.

Prenatal Care Guide

After 36th week of pregnancy, you will need to visit your doctor every week. At thirty eight weeks, some doctors do an internal exam. This is to look for any changes in the cervix. You may not gain any weight at all this month, or even lose 1 or 2 pounds. You may have gained 8-10 pounds during the last three months. Finally the time has come for your contractions and face the labor pains. If you are not sure whether they are Braxton hicks or labor pains then drink some water and lie down. This change of positions is often enough to stop Braxton Hicks contractions. Real labor would continue to progress even after you lie down. If you have any of these symptoms then there is a good probability that you are going into labor.

Your contractions are regular or evenly spaced apart (every 10 minutes, for example).

• Happen more than 5 times an hour.
• Last for 30 to 70 seconds.
• Get worse as you move around.