Day 275 of 280, third trimester
You are 39 weeks and 2 days
Your baby's bones have hardened to a degree, but the process will continue right up to the teenage years!
5 days until your due date
Your baby's skeleton has gradually changed from soft cartilage to bone (ossification), a process that starts in the center of each bone and spreads outward. By the end of pregnancy it's complete along the length of each bone, but the ends of the long bones and the tips of the finger and toe bones remain cartilage, which allows for later growth.
The bones of the upper skull are different, developing from membranes rather than cartilage. They don't fully fuse until several years after birth and stay separated by connective tissue, forming lines called sutures and, where more than two bones meet, wider soft spots called fontanelles. These let the skull bones move and overlap ("molding"), making it easier for the head to descend through the pelvis in labor, and they also help your doctor work out the position of the baby's head during labor.
After delivery, your baby's head is often elongated, but this soon changes as the bones settle back into their usual positions.
The lowdown
Placenta on toast?
The thought of eating the placenta may turn your stomach, but some women do exactly that. The organ is revered for its spiritual properties, and followers of placentophagy believe its nutrients, including vitamin B6, help prevent postpartum depression. However, the evidence for any health benefit is purely anecdotal.
A less controversial custom is to dress the placenta with herbs and bury it at a party celebrating the birth, seen as an important bonding ritual for the extended family. Art is another option: press the placenta onto paper for a tree-shaped print. Some cultures dry it to make herbal medicines. And if you want to cook it, you'll find plenty of recipes online, from pâté to lasagne, though understandably they're not to everyone's taste.
Explainer
An MRI view near full term
An MRI scan of a baby approaching full term can show the brain, spinal column, heart, liver, and lungs, as well as the umbilical cord.
Appointments and key dates around now
- RSV vaccineFrom 28 weeks
Read the full 39 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.