In our month-to-month pregnancy review we reach the end of the road, at ninth month of pregnancy, in recent weeks when there is very little left so that we can finally see our baby's face. Pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks, although the baby can be expected two weeks before or after the scheduled date.
In fact, only 5% of babies are born on the estimated date, and to the extent that they undergo good monitoring to monitor their health, pregnancy should continue until pregnancy occurs naturally.
Baby's position
In week 37 The baby should already be fit for childbirth. If the baby is in a cephalic presentation, it is when the head descends towards the pelvis. It is then that the mother feels some relief, because the pressure on the ribs and on the internal organs is mitigated, leaving some more space in the stomach for example. In this way, it will be easier to breathe and eat.
On the other hand, the uterus will be pressing with more intensity the bladder, so it will be necessary to go more often to the bathroom. In addition, the baby continues to grow at a good pace, so the feet will return to the bottom of the breastbone by week 39-40.
The mother's body in the ninth month of pregnancy
It is also very likely that, as the baby descends to place himself, as he gets closer to the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor, stabbing pains and cramps in the English and legs may increase. No doubt the cramps are annoying companions that will increase their presence during these weeks, and to calm them nothing better than a massage in the area, the practice of moderate exercise and a healthy diet.
In the ninth month of pregnancy it's very probable that other discomforts are aggravated, especially edema or swelling caused by excess fluid in the tissues. The retention can be more pronounced even if we are in hot months. We remind you of the advice to relieve retention, such as resting with your legs elevated, maintaining good hydration or eliminating salt from our diet, among others.
Probably the woman also begins to experience snoring while sleeping (or are aggravated in this final stage of pregnancy), for which we also have some remedies.
Regarding our breasts, the main change at this point is that it begins to secrete colostrum spontaneously, also during sexual intercourse through stimulation or during orgasm.
Sexual intercourse during the ninth month
During these weeks, it is common for a decrease in the frequency of sexual intercourse Due to the mother's physical discomfort, the discomfort and closeness of the time of delivery, which can cause nerves, anxiety or fears, can prevent sexual desire from arising.
However, when the time of delivery is approaching, making love is very beneficial, as it can help soften the cervix, which will facilitate labor and relieve pain. This is due to two fundamental causes:
- Sexual activity mechanically stimulates the cervix, naturally and pleasantly, favoring its dilation. Sex can thus serve to exercise the pelvic muscles, keeping them strong and flexible.
- In addition, semen contains a certain amount of prostaglandin, a substance that can favor the contraction of the uterus.
Wiping of the uterus
Keep in mind that we are in the early or latent dilation phase, which is when the erasure, softening and dilation of the cervix can occur up to 3 centimeters. This erasure occurs in a period of days or weeks without annoying contractions, and it will be the gynecologist who on the routine examination tells us if it is taking place. Maintaining sexual intercourse and walking will help that dilation and softening that will probably make the following phases of labor shorter.
Medical tests in the ninth month of pregnancy
As to the tests to be done in the ninth month of pregnancy, we will have a vaginal and anal culture to check if we have a streptococcal infection, a bacterium that we carry one in four women and that passes from the mother to the baby during childbirth and is the first cause of infection with life-threatening The newborns. A new blood and urine test will complete the tests that, remember, we must take to the hospital at the time of delivery.
Preparation for childbirth
The baby is clinically mature and ready to be born, although it does not stop growing and developing until the moment of delivery, accumulating fat at a rapid rate. Therefore, it is important that the mother, in a last effort, not stop performing her maintenance and preparation exercises for childbirth, as well as continue with a healthy and balanced diet so as not to excessively gain weight.
Likewise, relaxation exercises will come in handy to calm anxiety, be mentally calm and to cope with physical sensations during childbirth.
The moment has come
Y, How do we know that the time for delivery has arrived? When the time comes for true labor contractions, rhythmic, strong, two or three every 10 minutes, for one hour, we enter the final stage of pregnancy and we will have to go to the hospital to give birth. The same happens if, even without rhythmic counting, the rupture of the bag occurs, also known as water rupture or rupture of membranes. It is another unequivocal sign that childbirth will occur in a few hours.
