Your baby now weighs around two and a half kilos or nearly five and a half pounds. The only organ that has yet to be fully developed are the lungs, the rest of your baby’s growth is focused on putting on fat stores to help him regulate his temperature outside the womb.
Your baby may have less room to move around now, but he’s still exercising and developing muscle tone. He’s also busy practising his basic bodily functions - breathing amniotic fluid, swallowing fluid, digesting and urinating. His hearing is now also fully developed, so it’s a good idea to keep talking to him, perhaps even reading a nursery book out aloud to him.
What’s happening with mum?
Your breasts may have started to leak a watery substance called colostrum in the last few weeks in preparation for breastfeeding. If they haven’t then don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to breastfeed, some women don’t start producing colostrum until after birth.
By now you will be familiar with your baby’s patterns of movements. Although movement is less vigorous now that your pregnancy is drawing to an end, you should still be able to feel your baby moving around. If you notice that your baby has become less active, or his patterns of movement change dramatically then you should consult your doctor or midwife.
Now’s a good time to plan for labour, perhaps make a car trip to the supermarket and stock up with double volume of non-perishables - make sure you include plenty of healthy snacks that you can include in your hospital bag. If you’ve got the time and energy you could freeze some meals for when you return from hospital, probably without the time and energy!
NB: All pregnancies are different and fetal growth rates vary, this is meant only as an approximate guide to development. If you have any concerns about your developing pregnancy then speak to your doctor.
The clock is ticking - 
Thinking back to the last few weeks of your pregnancy, what are you really glad you did before the baby came? Or what do you wish you had done more of? Slept more? Went out more? Spent more quality time with your husband? Prepared and froze more meals? Cleaned the house from top to bottom? Any advice for those of us who are pregnant and approaching our due dates?
If you're having a home birth then join in the debate on the forum.
You can join in the discussions and share birth experiences and advice with other ThinkBaby members in the birth folder.
Getting bigger all the time - My midwife says that after 35 weeks the baby is putting on around 1oz per day. That means the longer she stays inside, the harder it’s going to be to push her out... Writes Lucy in her online diary.
Don't forget to keep your own diary up-to-date by posting your latest blog entry.
Breast pumps - I have used both hand (Avent Isis) and electric (Medela mini) and found the electric easier to operate -probably just me. The only problem I had with the electric was that you can't wander about while using it. You are tied by a very short electric cable to a seat by a socket!
CJ offers her views on breast pumps on the forum
New baby essentials - What you really need for your new baby, get the essentials before the nice-to-haves.
The onset of labour? - If you're not sure how you'll know that labour has started then make sure you check our indications of labour and know how to respond when they appear.
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