37th to 41st week of amenorrhea / 35th to 39th week of pregnancy
In short :
The journey is coming to an end (“finally!” you might say). Yes, it is often during this 9th month that you start to find the time long.
In addition, with this big belly and these extra pounds, you tend to feel heavy, clumsy... in short, not to your advantage! You have difficulty moving around and don't know how to do it without knocking over everything in your path (except the mother-in-law's ugly vase, you pushed it on purpose with your stomach... but that's between us) . Do you know that it is necessary to gain at least nine kilos during pregnancy?
And even if you have the impression that they all fall in the hips and buttocks, the distribution is, in reality, quite different: around 500 g for the placenta, between 1 kilo and 1.5 kilo for the amniotic fluid, around 1.5 kilos for the uterus, 1.5 kilos for the blood volume, around 900 g for the breasts (YES!!!)... and of course there is baby and his approximate 3 kilos! And then, rest assured, 9 kilos is a minimum... Let's be realistic, it's more than 12-15 kilos ... or even 20 kilos for those who don't do things by halves! With all these extra pounds, even sitting or lying down, you have difficulty finding the position in which you are comfortable... So it's really time to take the next step! Childbirth will be experienced as a real “deliverance”! This is perhaps why scientists chose this word to describe the last phase of childbirth (namely the exit of the placenta)... we can feel the experience!
In the meantime, it's sleep that you need, because with the hormonal changes that precede childbirth, you are exhausted ! So rest...
If you haven't already done so, consider anticipating and preparing for your postpartum period. Many testimonies from mothers relate the fact that they were ready and prepared for the big day but much less for the following days. There are several things that can really make a difference to help you in your daily life as a new mother. Whether to help you get through physical or psychological pain. We highly recommend THE postpartum kit: Mama Saver!
...and pamper yourself , especially with La Pause Douceur, our soothing and moisturizing fabric mask for the stomach: a moment of relaxation to take care of yourself. At the end of application, you can even load your half of the massage part to help your skin absorb excess serum... A lovely moment to experience with baby.
Your partner can also massage you in the evening with L’Huile Sensorielle. You'll see, time passes faster when you're having fun!
Above all, do not relax your efforts and be diligent in the application of your anti-stretch mark treatments and complement the action of L'Huile Sensorielle with that of Le Lait Fondant in the morning. Furthermore, the Baume Onctueux can also be useful if you want to combat pregnancy cellulite or firm certain areas such as the thighs and buttocks. To find out more about how to reduce cellulite during pregnancy, visit our dedicated article. And for an even more complete routine, consider integrating Le Gant Sublimateur into your ritual to offer your skin better treatment effectiveness!
Finally, don't forget La Crème Radieuse every morning to protect your face from the pregnancy mask.
To make it easier to sleep, also try to eat healthy and light meals , especially in the evening before going to bed.
Nausea may also return, but don't worry, it won't last long. If so, don’t hesitate to get Nausea Saver, our anti-nausea herbal tea.
During this 9th month, you will also tend to have a hard stomach and a painful pelvis , due to the bones and joints moving apart to facilitate the passage of baby when the time comes.
Special fact: you may feel the need to put everything away at the end of your pregnancy. You will transform yourself into a real house fairy!
The good news from this (endless) month of waiting is that you will breathe easier again. In fact, the uterus descends. This can be done little by little, throughout the month, or suddenly (in which case the feeling of a “dropping stomach” can be a little strange and not really pleasant).
But the organs will finally be a little "liberated", except the bladder (sorry, one has to sacrifice themselves for the team!). This will not help your urge to urinate, which will be even more frequent than usual.
Stay vigilant if you have the impression that you have a small urinary leak, or white discharge that is a little more abundant: this could be the loss of water, which can be very discreet. At the slightest sign of warning, head to the maternity ward, the same if bleeding occurs. You may also be affected by the loss of the mucus plug (thick cervical mucus located at the cervix and which protects the baby from infections). This could mean that labor is imminent, but you could also lose it well before then, so don't worry.
If you are due, go to the maternity ward . If you exceed your term, your doctor may decide to induce labor. Either way, it will happen any minute. The meeting with this little being who has grown inside you for 9 months is imminent!! Relax and enjoy every moment...
And baby, where is he?
At the end of these 9 months of pregnancy, your baby will measure between 50 and 52 cm . It will weigh between approximately 3.3 and 3.5 kg . However, he may be smaller and lighter (or vice versa!), especially if he decides to disembark at the beginning or during the month and not at the end. In any case, even if he is born at the beginning of the month, he will no longer be considered premature. In fact, all his organs are formed and he can now digest and breathe on his own . It is also protected by the antibodies you gave it. It is now his bone marrow that makes his red blood cells and white blood cells, and no longer his liver.
He continues to lead his little life inside, drinking amniotic fluid and discovering its different flavors. This causes a blackish substance, meconium, to accumulate in its intestines. It will be your baby's first stool.
During this month, it begins its descent towards the cervix : head down, chin on the chest, arms crossed and legs bent (waiting for the starting whistle!). It is the pressure of its head on the cervix which will allow its dilation. To facilitate childbirth, its skull is not completely hard. Its cranium will then be able to reduce by approximately one centimeter for the passage!
He always becomes more and more “chubby” and therefore has less and less space... which can sometimes displease him: he will know how to make you understand with a nasty kick if necessary... it can be surprising !
As for several weeks already, during this 9th month, he perceives more and more the world around him, especially his parents and will tend to communicate a lot with you: it's always so fun and surprising! It's almost as if he was already among you... And when the time comes, baby will share an unforgettable moment with you: his birth!!
When it is really too cramped in there and it decides to enter this world, it will secrete a hormone which can trigger childbirth.
At the end of the 9th month, he should no longer move much, due to an obvious lack of space... Be careful, however, if you no longer feel him moving. If in doubt, lie down, relax, breathe deeply and if you still don't feel it then it's better to go to the maternity ward because the baby may be in pain.
Appointments, paperwork, etc. :
You will have your 7th and final mandatory medical consultation. Your doctor or midwife will check that everything is ok on the baby's side and in particular that he is well positioned for delivery. As always, he will check certain elements in you too (weight, blood pressure, cervical examination, etc.).
For the last time, you will take the blood test to check for toxoplasmosis if you are not immunized and/or irregular agglutinins (RAI) if your blood group is negative or if you have already been transfused.
If you have not done so in the last month, you will perform a second blood type determination.
Make sure everything is ready for the maternity ward : administrative papers, things for you and your baby. In the administrative papers, be sure to bring an identity document, the vital card, the prenatal recognition certificate (if you recognized the child before birth), the blood group card, the maternity record, the file medical, the maternity registration file, the family record book and any other document that you deem useful. As for your belongings in the maternity suitcase, you should include: toiletry bag, sanitary napkins, Daylily care products, bath towels, underwear (take stock, and disposable ones if possible!), nursing bra (if you wish to breastfeed), pajamas and comfortable clothes. And for baby : diapers, pacifier, bodysuits, pajamas, bath towel, sleeping bag, socks, woolen bras/vests, hats, small gloves so he doesn't scratch his face and a nice outfit for the outing. Find details of maternity suitcases in our article on the subject.
Upon arrival at the maternity ward , you will be required to complete a good number of administrative documents (ah the French administration...but don't hesitate to delegate to your other half, who will be delighted!), then you will be taken care of by hospital staff. You will carry out several examinations , including urine test, temperature measurement, etc. This may come as a surprise, but it is possible that you will be prescribed a laxative to empty your rectum, or that your bikini line will be shaved for better visibility and for hygiene reasons. So it's better to anticipate and go through the hair removal box before the obligatory shaving. The condition of your cervix will also be checked, and depending on its dilation, you will either be taken to a room to await delivery or directly to the delivery room. On average, cervical dilation can take between 8 and 12 hours for a first child, and 5 hours for a second. Be careful, this can of course vary depending on each woman, it can be much shorter... or much longer.
All we have to do is wait for the 8th wonder of the world to arrive... :)
