As you are busy making preparations, changes and adjustments in anticipation of your soon-to-be born baby in your final month, your body is also busy preparing itself for labor and delivery. You may wonder at this stage, can your body grow any more bigger? But, that’s the beauty of pregnancy. Your body adjusts other organs internally to make enough room for the growing baby!
The most important question at this stage is knowing whether your baby has gained sufficient weight to be born healthy. Every month, your doctor checks on your baby’s development and if she doesn’t reach the mark, you will be asked to increase the intake of nutrient rich food and supplements.
9th Month Developments
You may continue to experience some of the pregnancy symptoms such as tiredness, breast tenderness, frequent urination, cramps, gastric distress, sleeplessness and irritation, but you may find some relief, as your baby moves lower into pelvis, making it easier to breathe. Baby drops lower, in order to prepare for delivery in the coming days and this eliminates the weight from your lungs. You may also find relief from acidity and constipation.
At this point, your baby positions herself head down, which is ideal for normal delivery. If she is in breech position of feet down, your Ob/Gyn may try to turn her into right position, or else caesarean may be an option.
At 40 weeks, you and your baby will be monitored closely. Your labor contractions may begin anytime now. But you may also have practice contractions, which can be confusing. You need to observe whether the contractions are intensifying in pain and getting closer every time, with the next one. If this is the case, then you may be in real labor.
If nothing happens even at 41 weeks, your doctor may suggest induction, because the baby may start getting a little cramped in the womb. This may depend on how much she has grown though. Some women may go into natural labor at 42 weeks and give birth to a healthy baby. Otherwise, induction of labor may be the choice, depending on your condition.
Baby’s Development
Your baby keeps gaining weight during the last month of pregnancy. She grows in height as well, till her birth. The weight of your baby in the ninth month needs to be about 3.3kg to 3.5kg. This is for reference, but any weight between 5.5 lb. and 8.8 lb. is considered as normal at birth. Your baby is almost fully developed at 40 weeks. All her vital organs are formed and senses are functioning. She is sensitive to light and sound. Her lungs are completely formed and ready for her to take breath as soon as she is born.
