My hair is shedding

In the final week, the umbilical cord carrying oxygen and nutrients to your baby is approximately 50 centimetres long and 1.3 centimetres thick.

Your baby weighs over 3000 grams and fills most of the uterus.

The creamy substance covering the skin, called vernix, is beginning to disappear. Most of the fine hair called lanugo has also shed.

Antibodies passed from you help your baby fight infections for at least 6 months after birth.

The amniotic membranes may rupture at any time in the final week and your waters may break. This may be a large, rapid gush or a very slow leak, sometimes feeling like urinary leakage. Regardless of the amount, if you think your waters have broken, contact your doctor or go to hospital without delay.

Changes in your centre of gravity may make balance difficult. Especially if you are expecting your first baby, appreciate these final days as a couple. Your life together will soon continue as a family.