Could I have some scissors?

Only 4 weeks remain until the happy conclusion, or about 2 weeks if you are having a caesarean section. Your baby is almost ready and may enter the birth canal at any time. Fat accumulation increases around the knees and elbows, as well as the neck and wrists. The gums have completed their development and are now firm.

Fat has filled out the cheeks, making them ready to pinch! The tiny being you saw on ultrasound at the beginning of pregnancy is now a fully formed baby weighing approximately 2750 grams.

Your baby has generally adopted its final position by this week and rarely turns again.

Your doctor may now wish to see you every week to assess you and your baby. Both of you may gain weight rapidly. Your doctor may take a vaginal culture to check for group B Streptococcus.

You may feel more space and relief in the upper abdomen as your baby moves down towards the birth canal. This is called engagement . Reduced pressure on the stomach may restore your appetite. Breathing may also become easier because pressure on the lungs has eased. After engagement, you will need to urinate more frequently, as you did at the beginning of pregnancy.

Your baby's movements can easily be seen from outside. You may notice a sudden bulge in part of your abdomen. Movements may hurt, particularly under your rib cage.