Pregnancy Week 36-40 and Baby’s Development:
- Your baby will gain approximately half a pound of weight every week from now onwards till birth.
- The average birth weight is between three thousand to three thousand five hundred grams.
- The baby has developed fully now.
- The testicles in baby boy will descend and can be seen in an ultrasound of ninth month.
- Lungs are the last organs to mature fully. The lungs will now have sufficient level of surfactant. This will allow the baby to breathe outside the womb.
- A dark mixture of amniotic fluid, fetal waste and skin cells collect in the baby’s intestine.This substance is called meconium. It will be passed in the baby’s bowel movements during first few days of life.
- The movement of the fetus will become less vigorous as due date approaches and the baby is short of space.
- A healthy baby will however make his presence felt.
- You will be advised to count fetal kicks. Select a time of the day when the baby is active. Normally there should be around eight to ten kicks or movements in about two hours. The movements will be slow if the baby is sleeping.
- Drink a glass of water or juice to wake up the baby if it is sleeping.
- Call the doctor immediately if the movements of the baby have reduced considerably or have stopped.