Week 37 of Pregnancy

First trimester weeks

Congrats! During the first trimester, you’re getting used to the idea of being pregnant.

Second trimester weeks

As you enter this second trimester, your body will settle down to pregnancy.

Third trimester weeks

You've reached the third and final trimester and will be heavily pregnant by now.

Week 37 of Pregnancy

Your belly may look as though it's started to slide downhill.

You're now about as big as you're going to get. Soon-maybe this week-the baby will drop down lower into your pelvis, ready for birth. Your belly may shift downward, too, giving you a different shape. This doesn't necessarily mean that labor is imminent, so don't worry about the baby "falling out." You're likely to still have some time to enjoy maternity leave and get organized.

36 Weeks, 2 Days

26 days to go...

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Your baby today

Although almost invisible in the image, a very thin layer of vernix covers your baby. At first this helped to reduce the amount of water leaving your baby's skin, but now it helps to prevent direct contact with the skin and amniotic fluid.

Have you started nesting? The need to provide a safe, comfortable space for your new baby is a primitive desire.

The nesting instinct usually begins in the final weeks of pregnancy, accompanied by a surge of energy and an uncontrollable urge to get your home in ship shape.

Give in to your inner domestic goddess: cook, clean, organize, and de-clutter, but take it easy. If you spend hours on your hands and knees scrubbing, you may find yourself in labor sooner than you'd expected. Some men develop a nesting instinct, but unfortunately this tends to be associated with cars and garden sheds. If this happens to your partner, at least you can look forward to a sparkling-clean car, spruced-up patio, and manicured lawn.

Nesting not happening for you? Pay the professionals to do a spring cleaning. Or forget it: your baby won't care whether the cupboards are clean.

Every nook and cranny of your home will get your attention once the cleaning bug hits you!

Plaster casts!

Preserve your belly for posterity by making a plaster belly cast. You can either buy a kit or (far cheaper) purchase the plaster separately; it's all available online.

You will need:

Plaster of Paris bandages, cut into several strips
Large tub of petroleum jelly
Bucket of warm water
An assistant or two (not essential, but can be useful for speeding up the process and bringing refreshments).

Here's how to do it:

Strip down except for some old underwear (the smaller, the better)
Apply petroleum jelly liberally to your belly and breasts
Assume a comfortable pose
One by one, dip the plaster of Paris strips into the water, then apply, overlapping the layers until you have a thick coating
Sit and wait for it to dry – it's a good excuse to take a rest
Slip it off, when it's rock hard and paint it if you'd like.