37 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips

Short Answer: At 37 week pregnancy, your baby is about 48 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a bunch of Swiss chard or a small winter melon, and weighs around 2.8 kg. Your baby is now early term, the lungs are mature enough for most babies to breathe without help and the head is usually down. The top of your womb is about 36 to 37 cm above your pubic bone. Labour can start any day now, or not for another three weeks. You may notice pelvic pressure, a mucus show, loose stools, stronger Braxton Hicks tightenings, backache and trouble sleeping. This week, learn the difference between early labour and false labour, what to do if your waters break, how to cope with early labour at home, how to care for your newborn in the first week and which traditional practices to avoid. Go to hospital for regular contractions, waters breaking, bleeding, a change in your baby’s movements, a severe headache with blurred vision or any sign that something is wrong.

Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Thirty-seven weeks pregnant means about thirty-five weeks since conception. You are in your ninth month, with about 3 weeks to go.

For the week before, read our guide to 36 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.

38 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips

Week 37 at a glance

Sizes differ a little between guides, because they use averages from different groups of babies. Healthy babies at this stage range widely, from about 2.4 kg to 3.5 kg. Your own scan results and your doctor’s measurements matter more than a chart.

Your baby at 37 weeks

Growth. Your baby gains about 150 to 200 grams a week now, which is slower than before, and growth in length has almost stopped. Fat makes up about 15 percent of body weight and will keep building until birth. The cheeks are full, the skin is smooth and the limbs are plump.

Lungs. The lungs are mature enough for most babies born now to breathe on their own. They keep making surfactant, which stops the air sacs from sticking together, and continue to mature until about 38 weeks or later. A baby born at 37 weeks still has a slightly higher risk of breathing problems than one born at 39 weeks, which is why planned births before 39 weeks are only done for medical reasons.

Brain. The brain keeps growing fast. At birth it is about a quarter of its adult size, and it will triple in the first years. Your baby spends most of the day asleep, with cycles of deep sleep, dream-like sleep and short wake periods.

Digestion. The gut is ready for milk. Meconium, the first dark, sticky stool, fills the bowel and is usually passed within the first day after birth. The sucking, rooting and swallowing reflexes are strong.

Senses. Your baby hears your voice, your partner’s voice and the sounds of your home, and may calm to them after birth. The eyes open and close, and the pupils react to light. Newborns see blurry shapes best at about 20 to 30 cm, the distance to your face during feeding. Eye colour is not final, because pigment develops over the first months.

Skin and hair. Vernix, the white waxy coating, is thick, though it may be thinner on a baby born closer to the due date. The fine lanugo hair has mostly gone. Hair on the head can be thick or sparse, and either is normal. The nails reach or pass the fingertips, so keep a soft nail file or mittens handy.

Bones and skull. The bones are hard, apart from the skull, whose plates stay soft and loosely joined so the head can mould as it moves through the birth canal. The soft spots on top and at the back of the head, called fontanelles, close over the first months and years. A baby’s head may look pointed or lopsided after a vaginal birth and usually rounds out within days.

Immune system. Your antibodies cross the placenta in large amounts in these last weeks. They protect your baby against infections in the first months, and breastfeeding adds more.

Position and movement. Most babies are head down, and the head may already be in your pelvis. About 3 to 4 in 100 are breech at term. With less room, movements feel more like rolls, stretches and pushes than sharp kicks. The total amount should stay about the same until labour. Hiccups are common and normal.

Boys and girls. In boys, the testicles are usually in the scrotum. In girls, the genitals may look swollen at birth because of your hormones, and a little vaginal discharge or bleeding in the first days is normal.

Your body at 37 weeks

Womb. The top of your womb is about 36 to 37 cm above your pubic bone. If your baby has dropped, the measurement can fall a little, and that is normal.

Weight. Weight gain slows near the end, and some people stop gaining or lose a little. By now most people have gained about 11 to 16 kg in total. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.

Breathing and digestion. If your baby has dropped, you may breathe more easily and have less heartburn, but more pressure on your bladder and pelvis. If not, breathlessness and heartburn may continue.

Cervix. The cervix is softening and may start to shorten and open a little, called effacement and dilation. This can begin days or weeks before labour, and it cannot be felt by you. A vaginal exam cannot predict when labour will start, so you can decline it.

Loose stools. Hormones that prepare the body for labour can cause looser stools or mild diarrhoea. Drink more water, and call if it is severe or comes with fever.

Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face and a dark line down the belly. Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Itchy red bumps on stretch marks, called PUPPP, are harmless but very itchy, so ask your doctor for a safe cream. Intense itching on the palms and soles needs a doctor the same day, because it can be a liver condition called cholestasis.

Breasts. They are larger and heavier. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, may leak. A supportive nursing bra and breast pads help.

Hands, feet and legs. Mild swelling is common, especially in hot weather. Tingling in the hands from carpal tunnel syndrome is common too. Varicose veins and piles can appear or get worse.

Tiredness and mood. Tiredness, impatience, vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. A burst of energy and the urge to clean and organise, called nesting, is also common. Avoid climbing, heavy lifting and strong cleaning fumes. Many people feel excited and anxious at the same time.

Early term: what it means for your baby

From this week your baby is called early term, which runs from 37 weeks to 38 weeks and 6 days. Full term is 39 weeks to 40 weeks and 6 days.

What this means in practice. If labour starts now, you do not need to try to stop it. Your baby is ready. Most babies born at 37 and 38 weeks do well, though they may be a little sleepier, feed less well at first and be more likely to have jaundice. Watch feeding and jaundice closely in the first week.

Planned birth. Unless there is a medical reason, such as pre-eclampsia, poorly controlled diabetes, cholestasis, poor growth, a placenta covering the cervix or a breech baby, it is safest to let labour start on its own, or to wait until 39 weeks for a planned induction or C-section. Ask your doctor why a planned birth is advised, and what the alternatives are.

Signs that labour is near

Labour can start any time from now, and a first baby often comes a little after the due date. These signs show your body is getting ready, though none can tell you the day.

A show is not an emergency. It is usually a small amount of mucus tinged with pink, brown or a little red blood. Fresh, bright red bleeding that soaks a pad is not a show, and needs urgent care.

Early labour versus false labour

It is often hard to tell whether labour has started. The best guide is a pattern that gets stronger and closer together over time.

How to time contractions. Write down when each contraction starts, how long it lasts and how long until the next one starts. A phone stopwatch works. Measure from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.

What early labour feels like. Many people describe it as period-like cramps, a tight band around the belly, pressure in the pelvis or a dull backache that comes and goes. The first stage of labour, when the cervix opens from 0 to 5 cm, is called the latent or early phase. It can take many hours, and in a first labour it can last a day or more. It is often slow and irregular at first, and it does not mean anything is wrong.

Coping with early labour at home

Most people are better off waiting at home in early labour, where it is familiar and comfortable, than waiting in the hospital. Go to hospital when it is time, or if there are danger signs.

What helps:

• Rest and sleep. If it starts at night, try to sleep between contractions. You will need your energy.
• Eat and drink. Take light snacks, such as a banana, toast, plain rice, a boiled egg or dates, and sip water or oral rehydration solution. Avoid heavy, spicy or oily food.
• Keep moving. Walk slowly, sway your hips, lean on a wall, a chair or your partner, or sit on a birthing ball. Change positions often.
• Warmth. Take a warm shower or bath, or put a warm cloth on your back or belly. Skip a bath if your waters have broken.
• Breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose for about four counts, and out through your mouth for about six, letting your shoulders and jaw go loose. Sigh or hum out.
• Massage and counter-pressure. Ask your partner to press firmly on your lower back during contractions, or to rub your back and shoulders.
• Pass urine often. A full bladder can slow labour.
• Keep the room calm. Dim lights, quiet voices and soft music help you relax.
• Do not time every contraction. Check the pattern every hour or so, and otherwise focus on coping.
• Stay in touch. Tell your doctor or the hospital that labour may be starting, and ask when they want you to come.

What to avoid: do not take strong painkillers, herbal mixtures, castor oil or anything to speed labour unless your doctor advises. Do not put anything in your vagina. Do not travel far from the hospital.

When to go to hospital

Use the guide your doctor gave you. If you have no other advice, these are common rules.

Go when:

• Contractions are regular and strong, about every 5 minutes, last about a minute and have done so for an hour. This is often called the 5-1-1 guide. If you have had a baby before, or you live far from the hospital, or roads may be slow or flooded, go earlier, for example when they are every 10 minutes
• Your waters break
• You have bleeding that is more than a show
• Your baby moves less than usual
• You feel something is wrong

Go at once, or call 999, if:

• Your waters break and the fluid is green, brown or bloody, or smells bad
• You see or feel the umbilical cord at the vagina
• You have heavy bleeding, or bleeding with severe pain
• You have a severe headache, blurred vision or fits
• You have constant severe pain with no break between contractions
• The contractions are very strong and very close together, or you feel an urge to push
• You have a fever of 38°C or more
• Your baby moves much less than usual or not at all

On arrival, tell the staff how many weeks pregnant you are, how long you have had contractions, whether your waters have broken, your blood group, whether you carry group B strep and about any allergies and medical conditions. Show your prenatal card and test results.

If you are not yet in active labour, the staff may advise you to go home, walk or rest, and come back later. That does not mean you are wasting their time. Early labour can be long, and it is often more comfortable at home. Ask what signs mean you should return.

If your waters break

Your baby is surrounded by a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac. When it breaks, the fluid comes out as a gush or a steady trickle. About 1 in 10 labours start with the waters breaking, and for most people, contractions begin within a day.

What to do:

1. Note the time, and the colour and amount of the fluid. It should be clear or pale straw-coloured, with a faint sweet smell.
2. Wear a clean pad, not a tampon, and do not put anything in the vagina, have sex or take a bath.
3. Call your doctor or the hospital, and go to hospital straight away, even if you have no contractions. Take your prenatal card and bag.
4. Go at once, or call 999, if the fluid is green, brown or bloody, smells bad, you see or feel the cord or your baby moves less.

Why it matters. After the waters break, germs can travel up into the womb, so the risk of infection rises with time. If the fluid is green or brown, your baby may have passed meconium, which can be inhaled and needs a check.

What will happen at the hospital. The staff will check that the fluid is amniotic fluid, listen to your baby’s heartbeat, check your temperature and pulse and examine you. If labour does not start by itself, most doctors advise induction within about 24 hours at term, to lower the risk of infection. If you carry group B strep, you are given antibiotics. Before 37 weeks, doctors weigh the risks and benefits, and may give steroids and antibiotics.

Leaking urine or fluid? In late pregnancy, many people leak a little urine. Urine smells of ammonia, is yellow and stops when you squeeze your pelvic floor. Amniotic fluid is clear and keeps trickling. If you are unsure, wear a pad and lie down for 30 minutes, then check, and call your doctor.

When labour is brought on for medical reasons

Most people go into labour on their own. Doctors may advise induction, which means starting labour with medicine or other methods, when the risks of waiting are greater than the risks of induction.

Common reasons at or near this stage:

• Pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure
• Diabetes, especially if not well controlled
• Cholestasis of pregnancy, often at 37 weeks
• A baby who is not growing well, or reduced fluid
• Reduced movements with other concerns
• Waters broken at term without labour starting
• Twins, often at 37 to 38 weeks
• Being overdue, usually offered between 41 and 42 weeks

Common methods:

What to expect. Induction can take a day or longer, and may involve several steps. Contractions started by medicine can feel stronger and closer together than natural ones. Your baby’s heartbeat is monitored. There is a higher chance of needing pain relief, a vacuum or forceps delivery or a C-section, especially in a first pregnancy and when the cervix is not ready.

Questions to ask:

• Why do you recommend induction now, and what happens if we wait?
• How and when will it be done, and how long may it take?
• What are the options if it does not work?
• Can I move around, and what pain relief is available?
• Can my companion stay with me?

You can ask for time to think, unless it is an emergency.

Common symptoms and what helps

Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.

When to call a doctor

Bleeding. Any bleeding more than a show needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Painless bright red bleeding can be a sign of placenta praevia, and bleeding with pain and a hard belly can be a placental abruption. Both are emergencies. Do not examine yourself internally, and go to hospital at once.

Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.

Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.

Your baby’s movements. Keep tracking them. Learn the usual pattern, and if you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. If you notice a clear drop or change, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait until the next day or rely on a home Doppler.

If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.

Caring for your newborn in the first week

The first week is a time of rapid change for a newborn. Know what to expect, and what to do.

Feeding.

• Start breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, and breastfeed exclusively for the first six months, with no water, honey, sugar water, formula or other food.
• Newborns feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, day and night, and a feed can last 20 to 40 minutes. Feed when your baby shows early hunger signs, such as stirring, rooting or sucking on hands, and not only when crying.
• The first milk, colostrum, is thick and yellow, and comes in small amounts. It is all your baby needs in the first days. Mature milk usually comes in on days 2 to 5.
• A good latch has a wide-open mouth, the chin touching your breast, more of the darker skin above the top lip than below the bottom lip and deep, rhythmic sucks and swallows. It should not hurt after the first few seconds.
• Signs your baby is getting enough: from about day 5 or 6, at least 6 wet nappies a day, soft yellow stools and a content baby after most feeds. Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days and regain it by about two weeks.

Nappies and stools. Day 1 to 2, the first stool is dark and sticky meconium. By day 3 to 5 it turns greenish, and by day 5 it is soft and yellow. Wet nappies increase each day, from one on day 1 to six or more by day 5 or 6. Change nappies often, clean with warm water and pat dry.

Sleep. Newborns sleep 14 to 17 hours a day, in short bursts of two to four hours, and wake to feed. Place your baby on the back, on a firm, flat surface, with no pillows, loose blankets or soft toys. Do not let anyone smoke near your baby, and do not share a bed if you or your partner smoke, have taken alcohol or are very tired. Keep the room warm but not hot, and dress your baby in one more layer than you need.

Crying. Newborns cry for many reasons, such as hunger, a wet nappy, tiredness, wanting to be held, wind or being too hot or cold. Check these, then hold your baby skin-to-skin, rock gently and speak softly. Crying peaks at about six weeks, and it can be exhausting. Never shake a baby. If you feel you may lose control, put your baby down safely in the cot, and step away for a few minutes, then ask for help.

Cord care. Keep the cord stump clean and dry, and let it dry naturally. Fold the nappy below it. In Bangladesh, health workers may apply chlorhexidine gel to the stump after birth. Follow their advice, and do not apply oil, ash, turmeric, mustard oil or other substances. The stump falls off in one to three weeks. See a doctor if the skin around it is red, swollen or has pus or a bad smell.

Bathing. Delay the first bath for at least 24 hours. Until the cord falls off, give a sponge bath with warm water, in a warm room. Dry well, especially the skin folds, and wrap your baby warmly.

Skin. Newborn skin may peel, have small white spots (milia) or a blotchy rash called erythema toxicum. These are usually harmless and clear on their own. Do not use powder, strong soap or creams unless advised.

Jaundice. Mild yellow skin on the face and chest is common on days 2 to 5, especially in early term babies. Frequent feeding helps. Go to a doctor the same day if yellow appears in the first 24 hours, spreads to the belly, legs, palms or soles, lasts beyond two weeks, or if your baby is sleepy, feeding poorly or has pale stools.

Weight and checks. Your baby should be examined by a doctor or nurse within the first day, and again at about day 3, between days 7 and 14 and at six weeks, along with your own checks. Early term babies need especially careful watching for feeding and jaundice.

Vaccines. In Bangladesh, the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunization gives free vaccines. BCG is given at birth, and more doses from about six weeks. Keep your baby’s vaccination card safe, and ask your doctor or local centre for the schedule.

Newborn danger signs. Go to hospital at once if your baby has:

• Fever of 38°C or more, or a very low temperature, cold to touch
• Poor feeding, or refusing to feed
• Fast breathing, difficulty breathing, grunting or chest drawing in
• Fits or jerking movements
• A floppy, very sleepy or hard-to-wake baby
• Yellow skin in the first day, or deep yellow on the belly, legs or soles
• A red, swollen or pus-filled cord, or a bad smell
• Not passing urine or stool, or vomiting green fluid
• A blue or very pale colour
• Bleeding from anywhere

Trust your instincts. If you think something is wrong, get help.

Traditional practices: what helps and what harms

Many families have traditions around newborn care, and some are helpful. Others can harm a baby. The list below is a general guide. Ask your doctor if you are unsure.

Taking your baby home

Before you leave the hospital:

• Make sure your baby has been checked by a doctor, is feeding well and has been weighed
• Get your baby’s vaccination card, with BCG recorded, and the date for the next vaccines
• Ask about danger signs, and where to go in an emergency
• Ask for your discharge papers, and the date for your postnatal check
• Ask about contraception, and your own danger signs
• Ask for help with breastfeeding before you go, if you need it

Getting home.

• Plan safe transport. If you travel by car, use a car seat. In a rickshaw, CNG or bus, hold your baby securely in your arms or in a sling against your chest, shield from dust, smoke and rain, and avoid rough roads if you can. Do not carry a baby on a motorbike.
• Keep your baby warm, with a cap and a light wrap, but not covered in so many layers that the baby overheats.
• Keep the first journey short, and avoid crowded places.

At home.

• Set up a firm, flat sleeping space with a mosquito net.
• Wash your hands before touching your baby, and ask visitors to do the same. Ask anyone with a cough, cold, fever or diarrhoea to stay away.
• Keep visitors few in the first weeks, so you can rest and feed your baby.
• Keep smoke, from cooking fires, cigarettes and mosquito coils, away from your baby.
• Ask relatives to cook, clean and look after other children.
• Plan postnatal checks at about day 3, day 7 to 14 and week 6.
• Rest. Sleep when your baby sleeps.

Look after yourself. Eat well, drink plenty of water, take your iron and calcium and walk a little each day. Call your doctor for heavy bleeding, fever, foul-smelling discharge, severe pain, a red painful breast or leg or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

Your mood. Many mothers have the baby blues in the first two weeks, with tearfulness and mood swings. Postnatal depression affects about 1 in 7 mothers, and is more likely if you had depression before, have little support or have had a difficult birth or violence. If sadness, hopelessness, worry or trouble bonding lasts more than two weeks, tell your doctor. It is treatable, and it is not your fault. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, go to the nearest hospital or call 999.

Food, exercise and sleep

Food. Eat small, frequent meals, with protein, iron-rich foods such as leafy greens, lean meat and lentils (with lemon or guava for vitamin C), calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt and small fish eaten with the bones, whole grains, fruit and vegetables and plenty of water. Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt. Limit caffeine to about 200 mg a day, and avoid alcohol, tobacco, raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurised dairy, unwashed produce, large predatory fish and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.

Dates. Some studies suggest eating about six dates a day in the last weeks may help the cervix soften and shorten labour. The evidence is limited. If you have gestational diabetes, ask your doctor first, because dates are high in sugar.

Exercise. Keep walking, about 30 minutes on most days. Gentle yoga, swimming, sitting on a birthing ball and pelvic floor exercises are good. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports and heavy lifting. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, regular tightenings or fluid leaking.

Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do 10 repetitions a few times a day, and practise relaxing fully after each squeeze.

Perineal massage. If you plan a vaginal birth and your doctor agrees, daily gentle massage from about 34 to 35 weeks reduces the risk of deep tears, especially for first-time mothers. Ask your doctor first if you have a low-lying placenta, bleeding, an infection or waters broken.

Sleep. Sleep on your side, with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Sleeping on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Do the same for naps. Rest as much as you can, because labour can start at night. Keep a fan, loose cotton clothes and water by the bed in hot weather.

Final preparations

Hospital bag. It should be packed and by the door, with your prenatal card, test results, scans, National ID, loose cotton clothes, maternity pads, nursing bras, baby clothes, wraps, nappies, a phone charger, cash and snacks.

Transport. Know the fastest route to the hospital, and a backup. Fill the vehicle with fuel, or agree with a driver who can come at any hour. Save the numbers of the driver, an ambulance service and a neighbour. In heavy traffic, rain or floods, allow more time, and leave earlier if you live far away.

Emergency plan. Know your blood group, arrange two or three healthy adults with a matching blood group as donors and keep money and documents ready. Agree with your family that if there is bleeding, fluid leaking, a drop in movement, severe pain or a severe headache, you go to hospital at once, with no waiting for permission or for morning.

Birth plan. Keep it to one page, and share it with your doctor and companion. Include who you want with you, movement and positions, pain relief, skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping, breastfeeding in the first hour and rooming-in. Stay flexible.

Numbers to save: your doctor, the hospital, an ambulance, your driver, a relative and the national emergency number 999.

Help. Arrange who will look after other children, the house and visitors when you go to hospital and after you return.

Birth registration. Register your baby’s birth with the local authority after the birth. It is free within 45 days, and the certificate is needed for school and many services.

Family planning. Ask your doctor about contraception before you leave hospital. Waiting at least 24 months between births is safer for mother and baby.

Work and money. Under Bangladesh’s labour law, working mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, eight weeks before and eight weeks after the birth, and government employees receive six months. If you are still working, confirm your leave and paperwork in writing. Ask the hospital for a written estimate of costs, and what is paid in advance. Government hospitals provide delivery care, including C-sections, at low or no cost, and you should not delay going to hospital because of cost.

If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.

Checklist for this week

• Keep your weekly visit, and check your blood pressure, weight, womb size, baby’s position and hemoglobin
• Ask about the group B strep result and the plan if your baby is breech or you need an induction
• Ask about the whooping cough and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines if you have not had them
• Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt
• Keep tracking your baby’s movements, and call the same day if the pattern changes
• Sleep on your side every night, including naps
• Learn the difference between false and early labour, and how to time contractions
• Know when to go to hospital, and what to do if your waters break
• Keep your hospital bag, documents, cash and transport ready, and fill the vehicle
• Confirm your hospital, doctor or midwife and who will be with you
• Learn newborn danger signs, and which traditional practices to avoid
• Arrange blood donors, family help and care for other children
• Plan your first 40 days after birth, including postnatal checks and contraception
• Tell someone if you feel low or anxious
• Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number

FAQ

How big is the baby at 37 weeks?
About 48 cm from head to heel and 2.8 kg, roughly the size of a bunch of Swiss chard or a small winter melon. Healthy babies at this stage range from about 2.4 kg to 3.5 kg.

Is 37 weeks full term?
No. A baby is early term from 37 weeks to 38 weeks and 6 days. Full term is 39 weeks to 40 weeks and 6 days. Most babies born at 37 weeks do well, but they have a slightly higher risk of breathing and feeding problems than babies born at 39 weeks or later.

Can I go into labour at 37 weeks?
Yes. From 37 weeks, labour is no longer considered preterm, and doctors do not try to stop it. Go to hospital when you have regular contractions, your waters break or you have any danger sign.

How do I know I am in labour?
Regular contractions that get stronger, longer and closer together, and do not stop with rest or water, a show with regular tightenings or your waters breaking. Braxton Hicks tightenings are irregular and ease with rest.

What does the mucus plug look like?
A thick, jelly-like discharge that may be clear, pink, brown or streaked with a little blood. It can come away in one piece or in pieces. Labour may start within hours to days, or not for a week or more. Bright red bleeding that soaks a pad needs urgent care.

What should I do if my waters break?
Note the time, colour and amount of fluid, wear a clean pad and go to hospital straight away, even if you have no contractions. Go at once if the fluid is green, brown or bloody, smells bad, or you see or feel the cord.

Is it safe to give my newborn honey or water?
No. Give only breastmilk for the first six months. Honey is unsafe under one year, and water and other drinks are not needed and can cause infection.

Is kajal safe for a newborn?
It is not advised. Kajal can cause eye infections, and some kohl products contain lead.

Is it safe to exercise at 37 weeks?
Yes for most healthy pregnancies. Walking, swimming, gentle yoga and pelvic floor exercises are good. Avoid contact sports, heavy lifting, hot yoga and lying flat on your back during exercise.

Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting, fluid leaking, a change in your baby’s movements or any symptom that worries you.