My 37 Week Pregnant Belly Picture
Starting Weight: 123 lbs
Current Weight: 142 lbs
Total Weight Gain: 19 lbs
Now let’s go over how my week went and what to expect…
Energy Level: My energy level has been consistently good over the last couple of weeks. Knowing that my baby is full-term and could come any day now has me really excited!
Pregnancy Symptoms: I am sweating a lot more than usual, especially under my bump and around my groin/thigh area.
I attribute this to the increase in metabolic demands of my baby, which produces heat and is then transferred to me.
Other pregnant symptoms include nightly Braxton-Hicks contractions, increased pelvic pressure, and occasional leg cramps.
I am also generally uncomfortable with the extra weight and big baby bump.
Other Physical Changes: I do have mild bilateral leg swelling, which is due to the increase in blood volume present in the 3rd trimester.
I never developed any stretch marks, which I attribute to controlling my gestational weight gain over the past 37 weeks.
Diet: My diet has not changed much during the third trimester.
I continue to eat a well-balanced diet, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and take my daily prenatal vitamin.
My husband and I are still having a date night once a week, trying to get to all the restaurants we have on our list before our baby arrives.
Here is a short video of my typical diet.
Diet Modifications: No diet modifications this week.
Food Aversions: No food aversions this week.
Food Cravings: No food cravings this week.
Workouts: I started week 3 of my new strength training program focusing on the push, pull, legs protocol. There are 4 scheduled workout days that I make sure to complete.
In addition, I try walking as much as I can on my off days and do pelvic floor exercises whenever I can.
You can see examples of my entire pregnancy workout in my Prenatal Fitness Prescription.
Modifications to my workout: I continue to take adequate rest between sets and reps and use lighter weights.
Here is a video of one of my workouts at 37 weeks.
*Be sure to speak with your health care provider before doing any physical activity or lifting at this stage of your pregnancy.*
Other Related Questions
How do you feel at 37 weeks pregnant?
At 37 weeks pregnant you will feel contractions a bit more regularly than before. You will also feel tired, more short of breath, and probably nervous about the upcoming delivery!
The key difference between real and practice contractions is that practice contractions come and go. Real labor contractions don’t go away and get worse with time.
What should I do at 37 weeks pregnant?
At 37 weeks pregnant you should:
- Rest and take time for yourself before the baby arrives
- Continue to eat a well-balanced diet
- Drinking lots of water to avoid dehydration
- Continue your exercise and/or walking routine
- Pay attention to your baby’s movements
- Go to your weekly prenatal appointment
- Have your hospital bag packed
- Wash all your baby’s clothes
- Perform Kegel exercises as much as you can
- Massage your perineum to prevent lacerations at delivery
Is the baby fully developed at 37 weeks?
Yes, your baby is fully developed at 37 weeks, which is considered full-term. Your baby is technically ready to be born and can come at any point in the next 3-4 weeks.
Is it OK to deliver at 37 weeks?
Yes, it is okay to deliver at 37 weeks gestation, as 37 weeks is considered term. More specifically, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines full term in three brackets.
- 37 – 38 6/7 weeks pregnant is considered early term.
- 39 – 40 6/7 weeks pregnant is considered full term.
- 41- 42 weeks pregnant is considered post-term.
Anything under 37 weeks is preterm.
Is 37 weeks considered 9 months?
37 weeks pregnant is considered 9 months at 1 week!
Although your due date is still 3 weeks away, it is normal to deliver at any point in your ninth month of pregnancy.
How big is your baby at 37 weeks?
At 37 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is measuring ~ 6.5 lbs in weight and is about 19 inches in length.
This is approximately the size of swiss chard.
Do babies grow after 37 weeks?
Yes, babies can continue to grow after 37 weeks.
On average, your baby will gain about a 1/2 lb per week during the last month of pregnancy.
How do you know labor is coming soon?
Here are a few signs that indicate that labor might be coming soon:
- Loose bowels
- Increased pelvic pressure as your baby drops
- Increased pelvic pain or cramping
- Lower back pain
- Breaking your water (gush of fluid or continuous leakage)
What are the signs of labor at 37 weeks?
Signs of labor at 37 weeks include:
- Regular, painful uterine contractions occurring every few minutes for over an hour
- Cervical dilation
- Bloody show (bloody discharge)
True labor is defined as regular painful contractions PLUS cervical dilation. If you are contracting but not yet dilating, you are not yet in early labor.
What drink induces labor?
There are no scientifically proven drinks that induce labor, and some can even be quite dangerous to consume.
It is not recommended to drink castor oil or other drinks in an effort to induce your labor.
Instead, you can try other more natural ways to induce labor here.
37 weeks pregnant symptoms not to ignore
Below are symptoms you should not ignore at 37 weeks pregnant:
- Blurry vision
- Severe headache
- Chest pain
- Moderate shortness of breath
- Severe abdominal pain
- High blood pressure (>140/90)
- Vaginal bleeding
- Decreased fetal movements
- Fever or chills
- Painful swelling of one lower extremity
Is it normal to have pains at 37 weeks pregnant?
Yes, it is normal to experience abdominal pain at 37 weeks due to contractions, cramping, and fetal movement. However, severe abdominal pain can be a sign of other problems, so check in with your healthcare provider if you are not sure.
Does your belly shape change before labor?
Most women will notice their belly changes shape when the belly “drops.” This is known as lightning and can happen anytime towards the end of the third trimester.
Your belly dropping does not necessarily mean you will be going into labor.
How long do babies sleep in the womb at 37 weeks?
It is normal for babies to spend the majority of their day sleeping in the late third trimester.
You should also take advantage of this and make sure you are getting adequate rest before your bundle of joy arrives.
What is my baby doing at 37 weeks?
At 37 weeks, your baby is continuing to move all of his limbs regularly and he is swallowing amniotic fluid.
Believe it or not, this helps your baby to practice breathing for the outside world.
Have you wondered what’s causing all those baby hiccups?
What is the baby’s position at 37 weeks?
At 37 weeks, the majority of babies are in the vertex/cephalic or head-down position needed for a vaginal delivery.
If your baby is in the breech position (or transverse position), your doctor will either perform an external cephalic version this week or schedule you for a cesarean section at 39 weeks gestation.
Is it normal to have vaginal discharge at 37 weeks?
It is normal to have a clear, odorless discharge at 37 weeks pregnant. It is also normal to notice mucousy pink discharge, which might be your mucus plug. Losing your mucus plug does not necessarily mean labor is approaching.
However, if the discharge is watery and continues throughout the day you may have broken your water.
This would require intervention, especially if you have been diagnosed with group B strep.
Final Words on The 37th Week of Pregnancy (The Home Stretch)
Can you believe that your baby’s arrival is right around the corner?
Congratulations on making it thus far!
Have you had a lot of false labor contractions?
Comment below and let me know.
Check back next week for my 38-week update as I enter the last weeks of my pregnancy!
My Other Weekly Updates
- My pregnancy bump at 34 weeks of gestation
- My pregnancy bump at 35 weeks of gestation
- My pregnancy bump at 36 weeks of gestation
Get Four Free Workouts To Help Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor & Heal Your Mommy Tummy!
Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT
Brittany Robles is a full-time OBGYN physician, a NASM certified trainer, and a prenatal and postnatal fitness specialist. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in maternal health with a special interest in exercise and nutrition. She is also the co-author of The White Coat Trainer. Learn more about her here.
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