37 weeks pregnant
For information about weeks 36 to 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. And 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. And 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 working with for all of these months.
Baby’s reflexes are also 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 by the hold that they can grab onto your hand with (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 the reflexes that will help them thrive.
What's new with you?
While Baby may still do a little more growing, you’ve probably grown as big as you’re going to during pregnancy, and you might start to notice new stretch marks in different places as your uterus reaches its largest size. You might also be continuing to deal with some uncomfortable heartburn. And you could even see some spotting around this time, as your cervix may be beginning to dilate and get thinner as it prepares to pass Baby through. As your cervix thins, you might start seeing a bloody mucus discharge that indicates the blood vessels in your cervix are rupturing as you prepare to give birth. While this is common, especially after a vaginal exam or sex, contact your provider if you notice increased vaginal bleeding.
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 you have a safe, secure, infant car seat that you’re sure is properly installed. If you’re not sure that the car seat is installed correctly, look into car seat installation services in your area (which are often done at hospitals, fire or police stations, or auto dealers).
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.