37 weeks and 4 days pregnant

What exactly triggers the start of labour is still a mystery. Does the signal come from your own body or does the baby play a part in the decision? Every labour is different, and the timing of your first labour can be quite different from your second.

Gradually, each of your baby’s bones is becoming strengthened thanks to adequate amounts of calcium.

Your baby’s bones are strengthened by the process of ossification in which hard bone is formed from calcium. To meet this increase in demand, you absorb calcium much more readily from your diet.

By this stage of pregnancy, the baby’s humerus in the upper arm, femur in the upper leg, and tibia in the lower leg have undergone this process. As ossification occurs at specific weeks in your pregnancy, ultrasound can use these as markers to estimate the date of the pregnancy, if necessary.

The time at which this ossification occurs may be seen a few days earlier in girls than boys and, interestingly, the patella (knee bone), does not ossify until after birth.

Just because your partner weighed above average at birth, it doesn’t mean your baby will too.

The birth weight depends on the mix of genes your baby inherits. So, if your partner is tall and big-built and you’re petite and were a tiny baby, keep your fingers crossed that you have the more dominant genes!

I’ve had a small amount of bleeding. Should I be concerned?

Bleeding in late pregnancy may be serious as it can be due to the placenta partially, or totally, detaching from the wall of the uterus, known as placental abruption, or to a low-lying placenta, known as placenta praevia. If you have a mucus discharge tinged with blood in late pregnancy, this may be a “show”.

Always seek medical advice for bleeding at any stage of pregnancy to rule out any problems.

Flower essence blends are designed to calm and centre your energy, which some think can help you relax and encourage you to focus. Rescue Remedy and Emergency Essence, types of Bach Flower Remedy, are thought to be effective when used in labour, and in the weeks prior to and after the birth. Whether you’re anxious, shocked, worried, suffering from the effects of stress, distressed, or simply need a boost during a long or painful labour, you may find these remedies have a positive effect.

Take a few drops on your tongue as required or mix them in water. Both of these blends also come in cream form, to apply topically, or as a spray, to spritz yourself, and your environment.

Try out different forms now in this late stage of your pregnancy.

One way to take Bach Flower Remedies is to put four drops into a glass of water and sip it at intervals. Alternatively, you can put the drops directly on to your tongue using the pipette. Always read the label before using any remedy.