36 weeks and 3 days pregnant

A short portion of the umbilical cord is lying close to the mouth, which makes this baby appear to have a rather grumpy looking expression. The placenta is seen to the right of the image partially obscuring the view of the face.

You’ll find that your beautiful bump is intruding on your life more and more, affecting your movements and eating patterns.

You might be getting a little frustrated by your size around now, which can make everyday activities more difficult. Simple manoeuvres, such as fitting through doors or getting off the sofa, can be more difficult and you may find that everything takes that bit longer to achieve. All you can do is be patient and focus on getting through the next few weeks. You’ll soon have your body back to normal.

During pregnancy, it’s common to eat more often than previously but to eat less at each meal. This is because your uterus has grown so much that all your other organs have moved about and are squashed into much less space. Your stomach simply has less room in it to fit the food so you can’t eat as much before feeling full. When your stomach empties you may find yourself hungry again. It’s fine to snack, but make sure you’re reaching for healthy foods and not the biscuit tin!

Getting comfortable behind the steering wheel will become increasingly challenging in the late stages of pregnancy. Keep journeys as short as possible or take regular breaks if you need to travel for any length of time. Always wear your seat belt.

Instead of cutting the cord within minutes of their baby’s birth, some parents choose to leave it attached to the newborn and the placenta, until the cord withers and drops off naturally (usually within a few days). It’s highly unlikely to be permitted at a hospital birth.

Proponents of “umbilical non-severance” – also known as lotus birth – claim that the baby continues to receive sustenance from the placenta via the cord until it naturally detaches. They also believe the babies experience a gentler birth as they are spared the stress of being suddenly separated from the placenta.

Your baby will usually move several times in the 20 to 30 minutes after you exercise. By keeping the intensity of your exercise at a moderate level you will not affect the oxygen supply to your baby. When you exercise too hard and for too long, you may compromise the oxygen supply and the result is the baby’s movements will fall below their usual levels.

If you’re concerned and unsure, keep a log of how much your baby is moving and compare this to the activity levels after exercise. If the level falls below what you consider to be “normal”, speak to your midwife.