What’s happening to the mother?
Because the uterus is pressing on your bladder, frequent urination is common. The uterus gradually drops and it becomes a little easier to breathe.
Even if the baby has not yet been born, milk may leak from your breasts. Some women find it difficult to sleep because they cannot get comfortable when lying down.
It is normal to experience mood swings and be happy, sad and irritable. The birth is approaching and most people both dread and look forward to it at the same time.
Development of the foetus
By now, the foetus is often about 47 cm long and weighs between 2,600 and 2,700 grams, although both length and weight can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy.
The foetal brain is now largely developed and, towards the end of this period, the nerve cells will start to develop a protective layer of fat. This contributes to effective communication between cells. Foetal weight increases with the addition of more subcutaneous fat.
The lungs are among the last organs to mature and development continues until birth. At the same time, the volume of amniotic fluid gradually decreases.
The foetus now has longer and more distinct periods of both rest and activity. You may recognise this pattern after birth. After birth, most newborns will sleep for between 14 and 17 hours, but anything from 11 to 19 hours is normal. Sleep is fragmented and newborn babies do not distinguish between night and day. During the early postnatal period, sleep is closely linked to the baby's need for food, body contact and support.