Being Pregnant :: Calendar

	Week 37: The baby continues to practice breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid. Sometimes the baby will get hiccoughs.

	Week 38: The baby may be gaining as much as 1 ounce (about 28 grams) a day at this point. At this time, though, your weight gain has probably slowed or stopped. If you haven't written a letter to your baby, now would be a good time to do so.

	Week 39: Did you know that the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby is continually replaced every three hours, even during labor? Not only is it the perfect environment for the baby, but your baby can practice breathing by inhaling the amniotic fluid. The meconium (bowel movement) in the baby's intestines will be shed as the first movement that the bowels make after birth.

	Week 40: Your baby is probably one of the 96% of babies who is head down with the head wedged into your pelvis. The infant's immune system is still immature, except for the antibodies it received from you through the placenta. Most of the lanugo (body hair) has fallen off the baby's body, although you may still find a little, particularly in the creases, and around the shoulders or ears. The average baby will be about 7.5 pounds (3.4 kilograms) and 20 inches long at birth. The placenta will weight about 1/8th as much as the baby does. The baby's umbilical cord will be almost the length of the baby.

By Week: 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 25-28 29-32 33-36 37-40
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