Our 9 Months

Changes Physically

Wk 32, your baby is even more energetic and has periods of extreme activity. His/her movements will peak You will be able to feel her twist and turn.

Wk 33, your baby’s movements will become smaller because she will be too big to swoop around in the womb any more. She may hic-cough from time to time, causing small rhythmic bumps in the uterus. She may assume a head-down position in the uterus this month and hopefully will stay that way till birth.

Wk 35, your baby will fill most of your uterus and it may be uncomfortable if she moves around. She will do more body rolls now instead of the energetic movements she did earlier.

In your 8th month,your heartburn will continue this month, caused by the uterus pushing on your stomach. You may continue to have trouble sleeping at night, due in part to the frequent bathroom trips that you need to make. You may notice a bit of stress incontinence, which is a condition where a few drops of urine come out when you cough or sneeze. Hormones from the placenta will start to activate milk production in your breasts. Your blood pressure may be slightly raised and you may have swelling in your hands and feet, so make sure to take it easy and get plenty of rest. Always report any swelling to your health care provider.

This month, you will notice more and more Braxton Hicks contractions. You may have a backache because the muscles supporting the joints in the small of your back are softening and relaxing. You might also have aches and pain in your pubic area or down the insides of your legs. These pains are caused by your baby’s head pressing on your nerves and your pelvic joints softening in preparation for labour. You may also have pain under your ribs caused by pressure on your ribs from the expanding uterus.

At the end of this month, most babies are in the head-down position, although 4% are in a bottom-down or breech position. The baby will start to snuggle down into your pelvis, enabling you to breathe more easily but causing the need for more frequent urination. At any time, your baby may drop down into the pelvis in preparation for childbirth.

Your baby is really getting ready to be born. Every day in the uterus is said to be two less days your baby would spend in the hospital at this point. Red blood cell production is done entirely by your baby’s bone marrow. Amniotic fluid is still present and your baby urinates into it daily, about a half a liter of urine a day.

The baby’s irises can now dilate and contract in response to light. He or she opens and closes their eyes at will. Even the finger nails reach the end of the fingers. Some babies might even need a nail trim at birth! Your baby may have a lot of hair on their head or none, both extremes are normal.

The weight gain has been fairly incredible recently. Your baby has put on about 2 pounds of weight, mostly fat and muscle tissue, since last month, bringing the total to an average of three pounds eleven ounces (1.7 kilograms), and measurements to 40 cms or 15.8 inches!