Day 262 of 280, third trimester
You are 37 weeks and 3 days
Give some thought to life after the birth, and make sure you have enough help and support lined up.
18 days until your due date
Even now, it may be hard to imagine your baby being born and living in your home. You and your partner may settle into life with a newborn easily and manage without help, but it's wise to have backup just in case.
What you may not be prepared for is how exhausted you'll probably be after weeks of poor sleep in pregnancy and the demands of labor. Add broken nights and the whole adjustment to parenthood, and you may well need people to help practically and emotionally.
A good support network set up in advance helps enormously. Ideally this means close family and friends you can rely on to drop in and help, but who also know when to leave you alone. Even an hour spent making you a nutritious meal, or holding the baby while you rest or shower, is a welcome break. Keep your lactation consultant's number handy for advice, and call the moms-to-be you met at prenatal classes; they'll understand better than anyone how you're feeling.
Focus on
Nutrition: Healthy snacking
Large meals are likely to leave you uncomfortably full late in the third trimester. But if you go too long between meals, you may feel light-headed and weak from low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), because the baby is constantly drawing glucose from your bloodstream. Healthy snacking is the key to eating well and comfortably:
- Keep plenty of fresh fruit in a bowl on display so you remember to eat it.
- Stock your cupboards with a variety of dried fruits and nuts.
- Keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge; a sprinkle of salt can quell a salt craving.
- Buy or make frozen juice pops for the freezer. Some women also find them refreshing to suck on during labor.
Explainer
Yogurt as a snack
Yogurt is a nutritious snack for any time of day. Sprinkle granola or dried fruit on top for variety and extra nutrients.
Explainer
Accepting help and limiting visitors
Don't be too proud to accept help with housework and shopping; knowing these are taken care of lets you relax and focus on your baby. Try to limit guests in the early days and warn them that visits will be short. You'll be desperate to show off your baby, but visits can be draining, so it's better to wait until some routines are established.
Appointments and key dates around now
- RSV vaccineFrom 28 weeks
Read the full 37 weeks pregnant guide
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.