The bag is packed and you keep glancing at the door. At 37 weeks that anticipation is well earned. The baby could decide to arrive any time over the next handful of weeks.
At 37 weeks, your baby is roughly the size of a leek, around 48.6cm from head to heel.1
How big is the baby at 37 weeks?
About 48.6cm head to heel, close to a leek.1 The baby is busy practicing facial expressions now, trying out frowns and smiles in there.1 The muscles of the face are rehearsing the moves they'll use to communicate after birth.
What's common around 37 weeks
Painless tightenings across the bump are commonly reported this far along.1 These are known as Braxton Hicks contractions, and many people notice them as the bump squeezes and then relaxes without any real discomfort.
Your midwife or doctor is the right person to ask if you want to talk through what you're feeling.
One thing to do this week: finalize your nappi household
Day one moves fast, and the people who want to see updates probably aren't all in the same room. Finalizing who's in your nappi household now means your partner, and anyone else you choose, can follow feeds, sleep, and milestones from the start. Everyone sees the same record, so nobody has to ask "did the baby eat yet?"
Setting it up now also means the handoff is seamless. The baby profile you create today, with the due date and your household invited, becomes the baby's tracker the day they're born.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
They're the painless tightenings many people feel across the bump in later pregnancy, where the bump squeezes and then relaxes. They come and go without the steady pattern of labour contractions.1
Can the baby make facial expressions at 37 weeks?
Yes. By 37 weeks the baby is practicing expressions like frowning and smiling, rehearsing the facial movements it will use after birth.1
References
1. NHS. "You and your baby at 37 weeks pregnant." Link