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Week 37: I can see the finish line!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 37

~length
19 in | 48 cm

~weight
6.3 lbs | 2.8 kg

If you haven't yet delivered, you've reached the calm before the storm. You're probably monitoring your body for those first Early Labor symptoms and wondering what you've forgotten.

Your smooshed-up baby is weighing in at around 6.3 lbs and 19 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls).

As far as their internal organs go, your adorable poop and blood factory has reached "term" - a medical term that means your sweet little bun is birth-ready and labor is welcome and normal at this point.

Despite being physically ready to land on planet Earth, your baby's immune system is quite weak and will continue to be that way for their first years of life.

Thankfully, your breast milk (aka "boob medicine") protects your child via protective antibodies that are present in your breast milk.

Breastfeeding Health Benefits

Breastfed children (vs. formula fed) are significantly less likely to suffer from virtually every disease and virus out there, not only as infants, but into their adult years.

Throughout their lifetime, breastfed babies are less likely to become obese or suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, ear infections, respiratory infections, eczema, allergies, asthma, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer.

This protection is specifically tailored to your baby's needs, as each mother's milk-production is informed via a bio-feedback cycle between your baby's saliva which is taken into your milk glands in trace amounts, and your body's milk production.

Breastfed babies also enjoy brighter brains, better vision, improved digestion, healthier skin and healthier overall growth.

So, it's no shocker that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first year of life, while the World Health Organizations officially recommends breastfeeding for at least two years.

Interestingly, mothers in native cultures - with no access to formula, often breastfeed their children into their third or fourth year, as there is no social pressure to stop sooner.

Lest we forget, there are critical benefits to you: breastfeeding mothers are less likely to suffer from depression, osteoporosis, breast/uterine/ovarian cancer, as well as ensuring easier postpartum recovery, weight loss and receiving natural birth control while breastfeeding exclusively.

Take home-message for this week: our breasts are first and foremost food and medicine for our babies.

Share your baby's development on Facebook!

MY BABY'S PROGRESS: WEEK 37

Only 3 more weeks to go

It's the calm before the storm. At this point my baby measures: 7 lbs and 20 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls). Happily, as far as internal organs go, they are now developed enough ...

Tuesday at 19:16 via Baby Gaga · Comment · Like

Rhiannan

Week 37 Calendar Girl

February 2012

Enter my photo!

And how's mom doing?

If you haven't yet evicted your wee lad or lassie from their first home, you're sitting here: big, ready and wondering when you're going to be in "real labor" - aka Active Labor.Without intending to, you can slow and even stop labor if you're afraid, distracted or stressed out

Well, relax, because your womb-loving baby knows what they're doing. They're not quite done bakin', mama!

Still, if you want to get things moving down there, stay upright and active (aka go for a brisk walk, with stairs - if possible) as your baby's skull will be pressing on your cervix, thus, being upright and active encourages cervical thinning (a process called "effacement") - which accompanies Active Labor as your cervix begins to dilate open.

If you're not in labor already, now's a good time to prep everything: double check you've all your newborn gear, go over your birth plan and clear your schedule conflicts or socially pressing interactions.

Helping Labor Progress

Once your body lets you know that you're in Active labor, you're going to want to get to the other side as soon as possible, because contractions aren't fun or easy to endure, and the sooner your baby's delivered, the sooner the pain is over.

CLEAR THE AREA and FOCUS

Nowhere is the mind-body connection so critical to life as it is during labor. Without intending to, you can slow and even stop labor if you're afraid, distracted or stressed out.

Active labor requires your full focus and attention, so turn off your phone and remove everything and everyone who would distract you from your work.

If you've ever tried yoga, you can appreciate the bodily focus labor requires - the emphasis on simple slow breathing, the attention to relaxing in order to accept the intense work of your muscles as good. Check out our pain management tips in week 37.

If you are open to your labor, accepting the contractions as a healthy normal part of your job, you'll need to focus all of your energies on the work at hand to ensure labor progresses at a steady rate.

Keep your laboring environment free of stress, anger, drama or anything that distracts you emotionally or mentally from focusing on the work of moving your baby out of your body and into your arms.

WALK

Make every effort to be mobile and upright during labor as gravity pulls your child downward and walking stimulates your uterine muscles to bring your baby down the birth canal.

Don't worry, taking breaks to lay down are fine. Just remember: as you move, so does your labor.

STAIRS = QUICKER

Stair-walking will help your labor progress even if they're a bit tough on you since they're harder work than a normal walk.

The two main benefits of stair-walking during labor: stairs provide you with a very clear goal (get to the top/get to the bottom) while the additional movement stimulates more muscles and helps thin your cervix more than you would on a normal walk.