Colourful dreams

As the final weeks approach, the billions of nerve cells called neurons in your baby's brain help the baby learn about its surroundings in the uterus. Your baby can hear, feel and see. During these weeks, head diameter starts increasing more rapidly than before.

Like yours, your baby's pupils can now become smaller in light and larger in darkness. This allows the baby to see, although the image is blurred.

Like a newborn, your baby spends much of its time sleeping. The baby can even enter deep sleep, with rapid eye movements, or REM, as seen in adults. In adults, REM sleep is associated with dreaming. We cannot know whether babies dream, but it is pleasant to imagine that they do.

The lungs have almost completed their development and maturation. The fat beneath the skin, which provides protection and helps maintain body temperature after birth, continues to thicken. Babies gain weight rapidly towards the end of pregnancy.

Your baby is gradually moving into the birth position. If the head is still pointing upwards, a caesarean section will most likely be needed because of the breech presentation.

You may also notice more rapid weight gain as the end approaches. Mild swelling of the hands and feet is normal. However, severe headaches, flashing lights or spots in your vision, suddenly increased swelling, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting require vigilance for pre-eclampsia and immediate contact with your doctor.

If your baby is very large, or you are expecting twins or triplets, the fullness in your abdomen may put pressure on your stomach and cause discomfort, reducing your appetite.

You may be able to distinguish the baby's knees and elbows pressing against you. Do not be alarmed by occasional jumping sensations inside: these are hiccups and are completely normal.