In the 37th week of pregnancy, you are in the 10th month of your pregnancy. There are now only about 3 weeks left until your baby will finally be born. The anticipation is likely mixed with excitement and various anxieties. In this final phase of your pregnancy, your baby will continue to grow while your body slowly prepares for birth.
In our pregnancy calendar, we summarize for you how your baby develops in week 37 and how big it is by now. You will also find out which symptoms you are experiencing now and which final preparations are still important before the due date. In the process, we introduce you to the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep along with its unique benefits.
Development of your baby in the 37th week of pregnancy
In week 37, you are close to the birth of your baby. In the past weeks and months, it has continued to develop: all organs and reflexes are now fully formed. If your baby were to be born now, it would be completely developed and could already breathe on its own.
In the last weeks before birth, babies gain a significant amount of weight. Your baby gains around 20 to 50 grams per day. So it is quite possible that it will gain 350 grams in the 37th week. Your baby is building up fatty tissue that will keep it warm after birth. It also draws energy from the fatty tissue for the upcoming birth and the time afterwards.
During week 37, the lanugo hair that has covered your baby's body until now recedes. Instead, fine hair is now growing that your baby will have at birth. At the same time, the vernix caseosa, which protects your baby from the amniotic fluid, is reduced.
Your body and your baby are slowly adjusting to the fact that birth will soon begin. In about three weeks, you will finally be able to hold your baby in your arms. If you want to offer your baby a cozy nest after birth, then you should take a look at the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep: it rocks your baby to sleep with gentle movements. Over 170,000 families are already convinced by our innovative cradle.
Size & weight in week 37: On the way to birth weight
You have now been pregnant for 37 weeks. Your baby has undergone enormous development during this time and is now almost fully developed. In the past few weeks, your baby has primarily gained weight and now weighs approximately 2,900 grams. By the time of birth, the weight will increase to around 3,500 grams.
Your baby is not only gaining weight but is also getting taller. In the 37th week of pregnancy, it has a size of around 48 centimeters. It will grow a few more centimeters until birth. The resident in your belly is now the size of a Hokkaido pumpkin.
From the 37th week onwards, the baby is considered late preterm. So it is still a premature birth, but a late one. From the completion of the 37th week of pregnancy, your baby is then considered a full-term newborn and usually requires no additional medical care.
These are the symptoms you have as an expectant mom in week 37
The 37th week of pregnancy marks the beginning of the last month of your pregnancy. Your baby bump is now large, and the size and weight of your baby are taking their toll. Shortly before the calculated due date, the following symptoms are to be expected:
Restlessness:
Many pregnant women are very excited and restless in week 37. The onset of labor could happen at any time, as most babies are not born on the calculated due date. Try to stay calm and gather strength for the upcoming birth. You should talk to your midwife if the anxieties become overwhelming.
First contractions:
In week 37, you will likely continue to have descending contractions. Your baby's head is sliding deeper and deeper into your pelvis. Pre-contractions and practice contractions are also possible. Real contractions are characterized by the fact that they occur regularly and become more intense – this is how you can distinguish them from practice and descending contractions.
Nausea & heartburn:
Your baby is now taking up a lot of space in your belly. It presses not only on your organs and your bladder but also on your stomach. This can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and heartburn. Prevent this by eating smaller portions and avoiding very fatty meals.
Back pain:
The weight of your baby now represents a heavy burden on your back. You are likely suffering from back pain as a result, which is further intensified by the loosening round ligaments. Heat and light stretching exercises can help you relax your back.
Abdominal pain:
Your belly is now sinking further and further, and your baby is sliding into your pelvis. This can cause abdominal pain. A hard belly is also not unusual in the 37th week of pregnancy. With these developments, your body is preparing for the upcoming birth.
You certainly can't wait to finally hold your baby in your arms. For many women, the last weeks of pregnancy are exhausting, and they look forward to the time after birth. You should be particularly vigilant now: in week 37, it is quite possible that your water will break.
This does not necessarily have to involve large amounts. A little amniotic fluid can also leak out gradually. If in doubt, contact your midwife or doctor and have it clarified whether your water has actually broken.
If, on the other hand, week 37 passes quietly, then you can devote yourself to final preparations. We recommend the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep, which is recommended by midwives and osteopaths. It helps your baby to fall asleep relaxed and to sleep better through the night.
Hospital bag & co.: Prepare for the upcoming birth
In the 37th week of pregnancy, you should make the final arrangements for your baby's arrival. Check once more that your hospital bag contains everything you and your baby will need in the hospital. Be sure to also remember to take all necessary documents and IDs with you.
Talk once more with the people who will help you around the birth. Decide who will accompany you into the delivery room and tell that person how they can best support you. Also go through once more who will drive you to the hospital and who will take care of any children and pets while you are in labor.
So that your child can travel home safely with you, the infant car seat should ideally already be firmly installed in your car. If you make the final arrangements in advance, you will be perfectly prepared for the birth and can concentrate fully on yourself and your baby.
Mucus plug detaches: Birth is now imminent
If this is your first pregnancy, you are probably wondering how you will recognize the onset of labor. Initially, it can be difficult to distinguish real contractions from descending contractions. However, there is a sure sign that birth will soon begin: the detachment of the mucus plug.
Throughout the pregnancy, the mucus plug seals your cervix. This prevents germs from entering your uterus, thereby protecting your baby. Shortly before birth, your cervix becomes increasingly soft (cervical ripening) and then opens for birth. Once this has happened, the mucus plug detaches.
This clearly indicates that birth will begin in the coming hours or days. If you have the impression that your mucus plug has detached, you should discuss this with your doctor or midwife.
The most important thing, however, is that you stay calm and try to remain as relaxed as possible. The birth will be physically demanding for you: it is all the more important that you stay calm and gather strength in the last weeks and days before the birth.
So that you also have time for recovery after the birth, we have developed our automatic baby hammock. With gentle up and down movements, it rocks your baby to sleep and calms it.
Automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep: Relaxation for parents and babies
The time until birth will likely fly by in the coming weeks. There are now only three weeks left until your baby will be born. With the innovative automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep, you offer your baby a secure nest after birth.
It lies snugly enclosed in the hammock: the feeling reminds your baby of the time in your belly. This makes it feel particularly comfortable and allows it to fall asleep more easily. The intelligent and silent automatic baby hammock motor rocks your baby up and down in gentle movements.
170,000 families as well as midwives and osteopaths have already been convinced by the unique effect of the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep. It offers an intuitive reaction to child movements in the hammock and can be controlled via an app.
