What is going on with your baby during week 37?

Changes in you at this stage Week 37

• As your baby settles down into your pelvis you may have easier time breathing but start to face bladder discomforts. You will again feel the need to pee frequently.
• You may notice an increase in vaginal discharge now.
• Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable.
• For most women the next few weeks are a waiting game - use this time to take care of necessary tasks and/or indulgences.

Good to Know in Week 37

Miscellany

• Research suggests that it is your baby who triggers labor, producing hormones as a reaction to his cramped surroundings.
• Your baby is now considered fully term, meaning she is fully developed and could be born at any time. (Most first time mums are late.)
• Lightening may occur weeks before the onset of labor or any time right up until the day labor begins.
• The most common description of contractions include period-like cramps but ten times worse, extreme gas pains, intense pressure, burning or a combination of all these.

Something about Labor

• Labor is a unique, intense experience. The common denominator is that childbirth is usually painful. Childbirth is also the bloodiest, messiest and sweatiest event of your whole life. All sorts of fluids and solids, matter and waste matter will emerge from your system.

Wholesome Advice in Week 37

• The painkillers you take to ease the pain after c-section is constipating; take stool softeners when offered as pushing after the op is painful.
• In the first few days after delivery bleeding is especially heavy and messy. You will need jumbo sized pads for a while - as long as you are not soaking a pad every 1-2 hours you are doing just fine. If bleeding increases or there are large clots, this can a sign of exertion. You need to slow down but despite this if the bleeding doesn't slow down, call your doctor.

Your actions can impact your baby's growth at this stage

Pain Management after Surgery

• After a cesarean, take a small pillow and brace your incision. This will greatly reduce the pain when you are moving about.
• One important concept of pain management especially after an op is how you take your medications. If you delay your medicines until you are in pain then you will end up needing more medication for a longer period. Instead take your pain relief medicines at the first sign of pain and then in the next 1-2 days take it by the clock rather than by the symptoms.

Common Concerns in Week 37

Why does labor hurt more for some than it does for others?

• Sometimes labor hurts more than what is considered normal. This can be due to a complication like back labor. This means your back hurts more due to baby lying in an uncommon position. Labor can hurt more too if there was a previous injury. Sometimes the pain is exaggerated because of external sources such as a vaginal exam or being in positions that are uncomfortable.

How to deal with stitches?

• It takes about 5 days for vaginal stitches to dissolve. Ice packs reduce the swelling. At home you need to do warm ‘sitz’ baths where you sit in the tub with water covering just your bums and hips. First, they help with pain and prevent infection and secondly they force you to sit still and not do anything else which is helpful in your recovery. Do not use toilet paper to clean up but try to depend on spray bottles filled with water. A cushion for sitting is useful at this point.

Weekly Nutrition advice in Week 37

Detoxifying your Body

Research suggests that the placenta does not block the passage of certain toxins to the baby. To help protect yourself and the baby eat the following foods/nutrients:

• Garlic, onion, bananas, apples and pears to reduce absorption of toxins in general
• Beans, peas and lentils which act as detoxifiers
• B vitamins for general protection
• Vitamin C and zinc to reduce levels of lead in the blood; vitamin E to reduce the risk of lead poisoning and calcium to prevent the absorption of lead

Antioxidants

Besides vitamins and minerals there are other substances that can help prevent disease and promote health the bioflavonoid. They are potent antioxidants and also give fruits and vegetables their bright colors. They include:

• Thioesters (garlic, onions, leeks)
• Terpenes (citrus fruits)
• Plant phenols (grapes, strawberries, apples)
• Carotenoids (carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, watermelon)
• Lutein (tomatoes)

The most nutritious fruits and vegetables are the fresh variety; frozen and canned varieties are acceptable too. As long as you are eating the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, you are getting the bioflavonoid that you and your baby need.

A word on Folic Acid

All women of childbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume folic acid every day. The recommended dose is:

• 400 mg a day for all women of childbearing age
• 600 mg a day for pregnant women
• 500 mg a day for lactating mothers