final week 35 - 40

Just want to share something with you of an interesting and exciting part of the end pregnancy journey of nine months before little ones arrive in this world.

THE DEVELOPING BABY

It is quire a snug fit inside the uterus now. The baby is usually curled up tightly, head pointing downwards. waiting for labour to start. Movements are more limited but you will probably notice regular changes in the contours of your tummy as the baby shifts position.

Your baby continues to gain weight steadily during this final stage of pregnancy, which is almost entirely due to more fat being laid down under the skin, around the muscles and around some of the abdominal organs. The average term of baby will have a plump rounded appearance and will weigh 3 - 4kg; it is common for boys to weigh a little more than girls. Although your baby is too cramped to move freely now, you should still be able to feel movement and you may experience the odd sharp twinge as your baby throws a punch and indents the uterine wall. Remember that any sudden change in the pattern of your baby's movements needs to be investigated as a matter of urgency.

READY FOR BIRTH

The lungs are fully mature, and the baby continues to produce large quantities of cortisol to ensure that plenty of surfactant is produced in the lungs and that the transition to breathing air in the outside world goes smoothly. The heart is beating at a rate of 110-150 beats per minute. Dramatic changes will occur in the heart and circulatory system at the time of delivery when the baby takes his first breath.

HOW THE HEAD ADAPTS

Your baby's head is relatively much smaller than it was earlier on in the pregnancy, but the circumference is still as big as its abdomen. By the full term, the head remains one of the largest parts of the baby's body, so delivering it safely through the birth canal during labour is an important consideration. This is one of the reasons why the fetal skull bones do not fuse together until much later in neonatal life, Although the baby's brain needs to be protected by bone, these are quite soft compared to an adult skull and can slide over each other and overlap. This allows the head to mould to the shape of the mother's pelvis, and greatly eases the passage through the borth canal and vagina.

* most paragraphs I did not add there as it is pretty long one and dont want to tire your eyes to read this. So I only take out the interesting parts to blog here to show you how much fun the pregnancy journey even though preggers have to bear numerous of sufferings in their bodies due to hormone changes. but it is greatly worth to experience this entirely and parenthood can be more challenge and interesting of every little precious ones. *