Your baby’s head may begin to move down or engage into your pelvis about this time. You will find that breathing is easier once your baby’s head is engaged, as your baby’s bottom will no longer be pressing up against your lungs. Your pattern of sleep may be troubled and you may find it hard to get comfortable in bed. It might be helpful to use pillows between your knees and to support your abdomen as you lie on your side. Your cervix is softening in readiness for labour. You may also be experiencing quite strong Braxton Hicks contractions. Although your due date has arrived remember that your labour may begin one or two weeks either side of this date.

Your baby’s sucking and breathing reflexes are now well established and your baby is fully ready for life in the outside world. By full-term, most babies weigh about 2.7 to 3.5 kg – although full-term babies can weigh anything from about 2.5 to 5 kg and are 44 to 55 cm from the baby’s head to its toes.