Your baby

Your baby is now around 32cm from crown to rump and weighs about five pounds, nine ounces, although babies vary a lot at this stage. Your midwife may palpate (feel through your abdomen) to estimate the weight of your baby, but this is really only a good guess. As your baby gets more confined by space, he may squirm vigorously to get comfortable.

During this final period of your baby’s development, fat is being laid down under the surface of your baby’s skin, which can be used as energy and which will help your baby to maintain an even body temperature. Your baby’s growth has slowed, but he is still gaining about half a pound a week. As these fat deposits are laid down, your baby gets dimples at the elbows and knees and creases at the wrists and neck.

Your progress

Welcome to your last month of pregnancy – it could be a long one! You may have begun your maternity leave by now and may be wondering how to spend your time. It’s likely that your energy levels will be fluctuating wildly, from having the urge to spring clean every single cupboard (a sure sign of ‘nesting’ behaviour) to feeling horribly fatigued and fed up with the whole thing. So take the opportunity to rest whenever you can.

From 36 weeks, you will see your midwife or GP every week until you give birth, who will check to see whether your baby has dropped. Now that your baby’s iron stores are almost complete, you may find that your haemoglobin level begins to rise again. If you are feeling uncomfortably heavy by now, water may be the easiest way to relieve the pressure, so try going for a gentle swim or having a warm bath.

What to think about

Help after the birth

If this is your first pregnancy, it may be hard to for you to imagine life with a new baby. Even so, now is an excellent time to start thinking about the help you will need in the early days and weeks after your baby is born.

Why might you want help? Well, newborns rarely sleep for more than three or four hours at a time. Of the seven hours they spend awake during the day and night, about half of that time is spent crying. In other words, you’re likely to be tired and stressed – even in the most loving of couples.

While you're struggling to care for your baby's day and night demands, your own body will be gradually recovering from the physical demands of pregnancy, healing after the delivery and your hormones will be shifting back to normal. Just two weeks later, your partner will probably return to work, so an extra pair of hands will probably be most welcome!

Family support can be incredibly reassuring and most couples with newborns call upon relatives to lend a hand, at least at first. But make sure you ask for the support you really need – your mum may be happier holding the baby, than cracking on with household chores.

Enlist any willing friends and relatives to give you a hand with the housework, or just take the baby for a walk while you have an hour to yourself.