You are 37 weeks and 2 days

Your baby will benefit from extra time in the uterus, but her development is almost complete and she's now "full term."

19 days until your due date

Your baby now behaves exactly like a newborn: she turns toward light, yawns just as often, and keeps practicing breathing amniotic fluid in and out with regular, rhythmic movements.

There's less space to move now, and she'll soon settle, if she hasn't already, into a comfortable head-down position. The shape of the uterus encourages this, and once she's there, turning would take a major effort. There's still plenty of amniotic fluid to cushion and protect her, and she'll keep trying to be very active in this more confined space.

The lowdown

Hair down there

A dilemma rarely discussed, but much pondered, is whether to shave or trim your pubic hair before the birth. It's a personal choice and depends how much it bothers you. Don't feel pressured just because your best friend had hers waxed; for one thing, itchy regrowth is unwelcome in the days after the birth.

You might want to trim, tweeze, or shave any stragglers for postpartum hygiene, since postpartum blood loss clings to the hair. If you're having a planned cesarean, at least the top inch of pubic hair will be shaved in hospital, so you may prefer to do it yourself at home.

Explainer

Cramped quarters

Your baby is very cramped in the uterus, but it won't be long before she's head down and starting to engage in the pelvis, ready to enter the world.

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.

Hair down there

Cramped quarters

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