You are 36 weeks and 6 days

If you're short of energy, try carb loading, which also works well in the days leading up to labor.

22 days until your due date

Carb loading comes from endurance athletes, who get 70 percent of their calories from carbohydrates for three days before a big event. This helps muscles take up fuel so they're fully stocked with glycogen, the form in which the body stores carbohydrates. If you're tired, and especially before being active, make sure you eat plenty of carbohydrates.

In the days before your due date, base your meals on carbohydrates so they provide up to 70 percent of your calories: cereal or bread for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and pasta, rice, or potatoes at dinner.

Good to know

Making the most of maternity leave

Maternity leave is a great chance to prepare for your baby's birth.

Rest. It may seem the ideal time to race through a long to-do list, but you need to save energy for the birth and the weeks after.
Pack your hospital bag, or gather what you'll need for a home birth.
Make a list of everyone you'd like told about the birth.
Put together some natural remedies for labor and afterward. Lavender oil can be sniffed during labor to relax and calm you, and ice packs or chilled witch hazel pads can soothe an episiotomy. Ask your doctor about safe pain medication for after the birth, or drug-free alternatives.
Make some freezer meals. There's nothing better than a healthy meal ready to go when your arms are full with your new baby and you lack the time and energy to cook.
Sort your baby's new clothes by size, so you're not searching through piles for something that fits.
Prepare birth announcements now, addressing and stamping envelopes or designing an email, so you only need to add your baby's picture and details at the last moment.
Get a manicure, pedicure, or massage. Time, and possibly money, will be tight after the baby arrives, so lift your spirits now.
Make something creative: paint the nursery, cross-stitch a little pillow, start a scrapbook, or write a letter to your baby for a keepsake box. These personal touches will be treasured for years.
Meet friends and family for lunch. It may be a while before you feel like going out once you're getting used to parenthood.

Explainer

Carbohydrate mini-meals

A baked potato makes a great mini-meal full of carbohydrates. Try different carbohydrate foods in the run-up to labor to see which you like best.

This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.

Making the most of maternity leave

Carbohydrate mini-meals

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