Welcome to your last month of pregnancy! Since your baby continues to put on weight, you may feel like there is no room left for your baby to grow and may be very tired of feeling so 'big'.

You may notice an increase in the amount of Braxton Hicks contractions. True labour will eventually follow. You may have your first internal exam to see if your cervix has softened, thinned (effaced), dilated, or if your baby's head is dipping into your pelvis.

The baby could 'drop' at any time now; the baby's head will move down into the birth canal. Everything down below gets squished, so prepare for gas, possible constipation and some new aches and pains!

Your Baby

Your baby is now about 350 mm long and weighs 2,750 grams - about the size of a large coconut.

The fine downy hair - that covered your baby's skin is beginning to disappear, along with the vernix caseosa. Vernix caseosa is the thick, creamy substance that has protected your baby's skin while she was submerged in amniotic fluid.

Your baby continues to grow and fill out during this 'finishing period'. Many of her wrinkles smooth out as she plumps up.

The placenta doesn't function as well in the last weeks of pregnancy as it did in the earlier stages, and this may contribute to the onset of labour.

Common Complications

• Your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Call your doctor if your water breaks, if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision.

It is okay if…

• You are not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point.

Stuff to Do

• Make a list of all the people you want to hear about your baby's birth and pass this along to a friend who can spread the news for you!

Special Care Tips

• If you have difficulty sleeping, try drinking warm milk, chicken broth or tea.
• Even if you are enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, avoid flying during your final month. Many airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within seven or sometimes 30 days of the flight.