You are now
- Week 1
- Week 2
- Week 3
- Week 4
- Week 5
- Week 6
- Week 7
- Week 8
- Week 9
- Week 10
- Week 11
- Week 12
- Week 13
- Week 14
- Week 15
- Week 16
- Week 17
- Week 18
- Week 19
- Week 20
- Week 21
- Week 22
- Week 23
- Week 24
- Week 25
- Week 26
- Week 27
- Week 28
- Week 29
- Week 30
- Week 31
- Week 32
- Week 33
- Week 34
- Week 35
- Week 36
- Week 37
- Week 38
- Week 39
- Week 40
Days 267 to 273
- Your baby
In theory, this is your last week of pregnancy. But in reality, your pregnancy could take a little longer, as first babies tend to be later than 40 weeks. Movements from your baby are probably slowing right down now - there's just not enough space in there. The bones in your baby's skull are ready for birth. They can slide over each other and overlap, allowing the head to pass through the cervix.
See how your baby grows in our week by week image gallery.
You probably just want this pregnancy to end and have your baby safe in your arms. All in good time. Try to take your mind off things with some healthy distractions... like a spot of exercise (if you can) or why not escape with a girlie novel? If you're really fed up, try going for a walk to clear your mind.
Your body is making its final preparations for birth. Your cervix is softening, or 'ripening' and any day now you could have a 'show'. This is the mucus plug which keeps your cervix 'sealed', it comes away in the days before labour. If you're planning a home birth, your midwife should have left a pack of supplies (pads, bowls and other bits) with you, so it's there for whoever helps you give birth. Good luck!
Labour: raspberry leaf tea has been proven to facilitate labour by helping the muscles of your uterus to contract. Drinking this tea in the months before delivery (but not before 30 weeks) can help shorten the second stage of labour (great!). It also appears to reduce the risk of having an assisted delivery - which is good news all round. Why not give it a go?
Disclaimer
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