Any day now

Developing baby

As you enter the last month of pregnancy your baby is very nearly ready for birth. By week 36 her lungs are almost fully mature, her brain is very well developed, and she's been busy building up a store of fat and glycogen to give her energy during labour and the first few days. By the end of week 37 she will be considered 'at term' meaning that if she were to be born now, she wouldn't be considered premature, her lungs would be mature enough to breathe air alone and she would be unlikely to need any special treatment because of the timing of the birth.

Between now and when your baby is born she will continue to put on weight and take up more space in the womb. There's now less room for amniotic fluid and less room for her to exercise in, so while she will still wriggle and move around, her movements will become less vigorous. Although her pattern of movements might change you should still feel at least 12 movements in the course of the day, if you don't then you should call your midwife. She may be getting hiccoughs quite often now and whereas in earlier weeks you might not have been sure that that's what they were, they should by now be quite distinctive.

Her brain is continuing to develop rapidly and take up ever more space, her hearing is excellent and she will be looking about her in the womb although by the time she is born she will still only be able to focus on very close objects.

With first babies your baby's head is likely to 'engage', or drop into the pelvic cavity ready for birth very soon if it hasn't already done so, while with further babies the head may not engage until labour. The head engaging isn't an indication of when labour will begin however, as far as that goes you will just have to wait and see.

Changes for mum

Anxiety about labour - As labour draws nearer it's natural to have a preoccupation with the birth and worries about how it will go. Finding out more about labour and birth from books, websites and antenatal classes should help, or at least remind you that birth is a natural process experienced by countless women the world over. Familiarising yourself with signs of impending labour and knowing how to make the early stages of labour easier on yourself, Making a birth plan will help you sort through your options, establish your priorities and pain relief preferences and communicate them to your partner. But remember, there's no way of predicting how a birth will pan out, so try not to become too attached to your preferred birth plan and to remain flexible and open to whatever options make most sense at the time.

Scattiness and clumsiness - You've probably already experienced more scattiness and clumsiness than usual in the last trimester of pregnancy, and going into the last month you may get even worse. Don't think you're going mad when you try to toast a plate or store the car keys in the fridge, it's all perfectly natural. Your changing weight and balance is partly responsible for a growing tendency to drop things or even walk into walls and doors. You might find it frustrating, but try to see the funny side and lessen the chance of upsets by leaving handling the expensive china and climbing stepping stools to someone else.

Tiredness - As you go into the last month of pregnancy you're probably finding that you're getting more tired, more easily. This is at least partly because of the increased weight you're carrying around, in the final weeks of your pregnancy your baby is putting on about 280g per week, and you're probably putting on about the same amount of weight again, yourself meaning you're carrying round an extra half-kilo or so with every week.

The nesting instinct - At the same time as feeling tired more easily, you may well also be experiencing bursts of energy, usually directed at cleaning out cupboards, washing down walls or washing and folding babygros. This is the nesting instinct, the urge to get your home spotless for your new arrival, and it's very common. Indulging this instinct will probably help distract you from any anxieties about labour and help you feel calmer and more prepared for birth. However, it's important that you remember that you are likely to tire easily, so stay within your limits and take regular breaks, resting with your feet up.

Physical discomfort - Your added bulk and shifting baby position can affect how you feel physically. If you've been suffering from backache this might get worse now with the extra weight, or it may start for the first time. Any pain is likely to be worse if you stay in one position for long periods of time or if you slouch. Exercise like yoga for pregnancy and swimming might help relieve the back pain, and massages and warm baths can offer topical relief.

You might find that you can no longer walk as far as you used to without your uterus feeling very heavy and you can probably carry less without straining your back.

For all women in the last month of pregnancy, the body prepares for labour with softening ligaments, ready to allow your pelvis and sacro-iliac to expand. As your baby's head engages you are likely to feel physical changes: as your baby drops down any pressure you were feeling on your ribs may lessen, and you may have welcome relief from indigestion and heartburn too. However, the baby's new position will mean that his or her weight will fall more on your pelvis, which may be uncomfortable and increase your chances of experiencing stress incontinence: If you haven't started your pelvic floor exercises then these will help, and it's never too late to start. In the final days of pregnancy the weight of your baby on the pelvis is likely to be increasingly uncomfortable and you may have difficulty walking.

If you have been suffering from SPD in your pregnancy then the baby's newly engaged position may relieve some of your symptoms, taking pressure off affected joints, on the other hand the new position may exacerbate your discomfort.

Swelling - It's very common to experience some fluid retention in the final weeks of pregnancy, this is called oedema and is usually noticed in the hands and feet. It may mean some slight discomfort but is usually nothing to worry about. You might find that the joints of your hands are uncomfortable and crampy, particularly during the night or first thing in the morning, and you may well have to remove rings. If you do experience some swelling then it's best to remove your rings sooner, rather than later, as it's not too pleasant if you need to have the rings cut off.

Your feet and ankles may also look puffy and some of your shoes may feel too tight. You're more likely to suffer the swelling in hot weather or when you've been on your feet for long periods of time. To relieve the water retention it helps to drink plenty of water and avoid salty foods. It'll also help to rest with your feet up as often as you can.

If you experience severe and sudden swelling, or the swelling is accompanied by swelling on the face, a bad headache, nausea, vomiting or a rise in blood pressure, then talk to your doctor right away to rule out pre-eclampsia.

Diet and nutrition - While your baby engaging might relieve some of the pressure on your stomach and ribs, your womb is still taking up a large chunk of your abdomen, so you will probably be more comfortable eating smaller meals more frequently and avoiding acid-causing foods. You might have less energy to think about meals, and be tempted by sugary snacks, but it's still important that you continue to get a healthy diet and particularly important that you're getting enough calcium and iron for your baby's stores. Now is the time to stock up on healthy snacks to pack into your hospital bag, and, if you're on maternity leave and have the energy, consider pre-preparing some healthy meals to stock up the freezer with for after the birth.

Decreasing sex drive - The end of pregnancy affects everyone differently, some women will still feel very sexual and love the intimacy with their partner, but it's also common for your sex drive to dwindle - not surprising given the massive bump you're sporting and all the end of pregnancy discomforts you may feel.

Making the most of it - You might not want to hear it, and it may not seem possible with a stack of antenatal appointments and baby preparations to attend to, but after the next few weeks you'll never have so much time to yourself, or with your partner, again. Besides all the preparations take time to treat yourself whether that's to time reading a good book, going to yoga, going out to a cafe or exhibition, or simply getting yourself a haircut. Being good to yourself will make you feel good and put you in a more positive frame of mind.