Pregnancy:
Third trimester

Your seventh month:
Your baby is now about 15 inches long and weighs about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. The baby exercises by kicking and stretching, and changing position from side to side. You might even be able to see the movement.

You will continue to put on weight at the rate of around a pound a week until your last month, where your weight gain will be limited to only a pound or two on average. A slight amount of swelling to your feet is normal. You may feel better if you lie down or prop your feet up during the day.

Your will still be tested every time you visit your doctor for blood pressure and urine samples.

Your eighth month:
Your baby has grown to about 16 inches long and weighs about 4 pounds. Your baby changes position in the uterus this position is maintained until the baby is born. Continue your daily activities, with rest periods, but stop doing any heavy lifting or work that causes strain.

Your breasts will become significantly larger, as they prepare to produce milk, sometimes becoming rather uncomfortable. A good bra is the key at this time. They may also become tender to touch and feel sore.

By week 32, your baby's face is smooth, and closely resembles that of a newborn. He/she continues to put on fat, and it is becoming a tight fit inside the uterus by now. If your baby were born now, he/she has a good chance of survival.

It might be a good idea to prepare your hospital bag and finish last preparations for your baby`s arrival.

Your ninth month:
At 36 weeks your baby is about 19 inches long and weighs about 6 pounds. The baby's weight gain is about 1/2 pound per week. At 40 weeks, the baby is full-term and weighs from 6 to 9 pounds. Your baby settles further down into your pelvis. You may feel more comfortable and your breathing will be easier, although you may need to urinate more frequently. You will be visiting your doctor every week until your baby is born. Your baby is still growing and moving, but now it has less room. You might not feel the kicks and movements as much as you did in the 2nd trimester.

By the end of this trimester, your baby's head will most likely be engaged in the pelvis. His immune system is not yet mature, and he continues to receive antibodies from you through the placenta. His/her body is covered with vernix caseosa, a cheesy substance that protects his/her skin from the amniotic fluid.

During this final stage of your pregnancy, your baby is continuing to grow. By the end of your pregnancy you should have gained about 25 to 30 pounds. About 7 1/2 pounds of that weight should be the baby. Even before your baby is born it will be able to open and close its eyes and might even suck its thumb.

Braxton-Hicks Contractions, sometimes called false, or pre, labour, are a common natural occurrence. Your uterus is simply preparing for the real thing. These contractions are usually very irregular, and do not fall into any set pattern, as do real contractions. If your contractions begin to form a regular pattern of 4 or more an hour, be sure to contact your doctor immediately.

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