Inside Your Body

Your baby is looking cuter and cuter as his/her features develop.  He/she is now 1.6kg and 45.5cm tall.  Nature is now working on the lungs of your baby, as all other systems are well developed by this time.  All senses are functionally mature.  Your baby’s hearing has advanced from just hearing vibrations to hearing specific sounds.  So work on your bonding with your baby through speech or song.  Over time, your baby will recognise your voice.  Your baby’s brain continues to work wonders and starts learning.  He/she will also be getting more sleep, so you may experience long stretches of time when you don’t feel any movement.

Your Signs And Symptoms

Your body is getting ready for labor and you may start feeling Braxton Hicks contractions, which are sudden tightening and loosening of your abdominal muscles and only lasts less than a minute. These are painless but may be discomforting, especially if it comes on in the middle of your sleep. But don’t worry, this is just preparation for labor.  These Braxton Hicks contractions will gradually become stronger in intensity towards full term.

What Tests To Expect

Your doctor could be starting to examine your abdomen during this visit and future visits to ascertain:

• The position of your baby in your uterus, and if your baby has already entered your pelvis, if so, your delivery will most likely be vaginal.
• The presenting part of the baby i.e. whether your baby’s head or feet or back are towards your cervix.  However, this ultrasound will be repeated closer to delivery as your baby will change his/her position many times in the next few weeks.
• Fetal movements and heartbeats of your baby.
• Height of your uterus and ascertain its correspondence with your baby’s age