Your baby

Your baby will now weigh about five pounds this week and will probably gain half a pound per week from now on, although these figures are increasingly rough estimates towards the end of pregnancy. Measuring about 31cm from crown to rump and 45cm from head to toe, your baby will become increasingly chubby as more fat is deposited on the arms and legs.

Your baby now responds strongly to pain, light and sound. As the uterus grows thinner, more light enters and influences your baby's waking and sleeping rhythms. The placenta has reached maturity and the volume of amniotic fluid is becoming less as your baby grows to fill almost all the space in your womb.

In preparation for birth, your baby is producing cortisol to help the lungs develop and is storing nutrition from you. At this stage, the digestive tract is still too immature for complete independence, which is why babies delivered around this time tend to lose more weight than a full-term baby.

Your progress

By now, you are probably feeling pretty tired and heavy, but as you enter the ninth month, your weight gain will probably slow down. You may feel a heavy dragging feeling in your pelvis, as the weight of your baby bears down. This pressure from the baby's head can cause you to leak a tiny amount of urine. If your bump aches, you could try using a support belt and avoid lifting and standing for long periods.

Some time soon, your baby might ‘drop’ (shift into your pelvis) so that your bump appears lower. This is also called ‘lightening’ and you may find breathing is easier and there is less pressure on your stomach. On the other hand, you’ll experience more pressure on your pelvis and an even more frequent need to wee. The good news is that once your baby has dropped, you probably have about two to four weeks to go – although some babies don’t drop until labour has begun.

What to think about

In most societies around the world, babies aren't delivered by doctors in hospitals, but rather at home or in birth centres tended by midwives who offer continuous labour support.

However, the vast majority of babies in the UK are delivered in hospitals and most of the care during labour is provided by midwives who work in shifts and care for other patients.

Yet research has actually shown that having positive social support during labour reduces a woman’s need for pain-killing drugs and the likelihood of medical interventions in labour, while helping a woman to have a more satisfying birth experience.

That’s why it’s so important to have a supportive labour companion to be at your side during labour and birth. Most women want to have their partner present during the birth, but you may want to ask a close friend or your own mother for support – or have more than one helper.

A birth partner can help you to get into comfortable positions during labour and breath through the contractions. He can give massage and back rubs to ease the pain and, most importantly, offer encouragement when the going gets tough. A birth partner can also act as your eyes and ears, interpreting your wishes and helping you to understand your midwife’s advice.