Try not to tilt your pelvis forward or backward, and avoid lifting or carrying heavy or bulky items. Contractions. At 37 weeks pregnant, you could start to feel contractions that you might recognize as being similar to menstrual cramping.
You might find that you're getting more vaginal discharge now and Braxton Hicks contractions. These are the "practice contractions", which can feel uncomfortable but should not be painful. You could also be getting a sudden urge to spring clean. That's your "nesting" instinct kicking in.
Your Week 37 Checklist
Work on your "nest" if you'd like, but don't over it. Continue Kegel exercises and perineal massage. Take some time for yourself before the baby arrives. Make a list of last-minute labor and delivery questions.
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common occurrence in pregnant women, particularly during the third trimester, but researchers warn that it might not always be physiologically normal.
The later months of pregnancy may leave you feeling tired and sore. However, one of the early signs of labor is fatigue. You may feel extremely tired, even if you have been getting plenty of rest. This is because your body is working hard to get ready for labor and delivery.
Your Goal: Toward the end of the trimester, try walking 15-30 minutes a day, four to five days a week. If you are beginning this program in your third trimester, start by walking 10 minutes a day, four to five days a week.
The third trimester of pregnancy can be exhausting for many women. Changes in the body, the size of the belly, raging hormones, anxiety, and the anticipation of the upcoming labor and birth can contribute to a decrease in the amount of sleep making fatigue before labor a normality.
You can certainly overdo any physical activity during pregnancy, whether it's hyper-extending your joints in a prenatal yoga class or pushing yourself too hard in the lap pool. Even walking too much in pregnancy can incur potential risks, such as shortness of breath, strain and pain.
PGP used to be known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). PGP is common, affecting 1 in 5 pregnant women, and can affect your mobility and quality of life. Pain when you are walking, climbing stairs and turning over in bed are common symptoms of PGP. However, early diagnosis and treatment can relieve your pain.
A woman with an uncomplicated pregnancy should be allowed to and encouraged to continue working for as long as she chooses. This actually means you can work without interruption until the onset of labor.
However, there is research that shows walking can help with labor and delivery. A 2021 study of 102 pregnant women who walked for 40 minutes, four times a week, from 34 weeks gestation, were more likely to have a spontaneous onset of labor and were less likely to need an induction, C-section, or instrumental delivery.
Some labours are just slow for no particular reason. However, you may have a slow labour if: You're dehydrated or exhausted . The position of your baby is making it harder for your labour to progress .
You should have your hospital bag ready to go between weeks 32 and 35 of your pregnancy, in case your baby comes a bit earlier than expected. A good time to start the packing process is around the 28 week mark, or at the start of your 3rd trimester.
At 37 weeks, your pregnancy is considered full-term. The average baby weighs around 3-4kg by now. Your baby is ready to be born, and you'll be meeting them some time in the next few weeks.
Even though curb walking and walking can be effective at encouraging the baby to move into a better birthing position, experts say these activities won't trigger labor if your body isn't ready to go into labor. The same is true of any induction method.
Early labor - Walking during early labor, when contractions are further spaced and moderate helps keep contractions going and may help bring on contractions that are stronger and closer together. Walking in early labor may help push labor along a bit quicker into active labor (though not always).
For most pregnant women, at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is recommended on most, if not all, days of the week. Walking is a great exercise for beginners. It provides moderate aerobic conditioning with minimal stress on your joints.
Spending most of your time in bed, especially lying on your back, or sitting up at a small angle, interferes with labor progress: Gravity works against you, and the baby might be more likely to settle into a posterior position.
Pregnant women typically are recommended bed rest when they experience: Bleeding early in pregnancy, or to prevent miscarriage. Premature rupture of membranes, or when the water breaks early. After 24 weeks of gestation, bed rest typically will take place in a hospital.
Taking care of yourself and your baby is vital for your family's mental and physical health! And the answer to the question of how many hours should a pregnant woman sleep is as close to eight to 10 hours as she can.