As you begin the 8th month of pregnancy, brace yourself to meet your baby soon. Even though at the 8th month, deliveries are not very common, yet this month, your baby will grow fully. This means, there is a slight possibility that you might have your baby sooner than you expect.
This month, apart from physical changes, there will be a lot of emotional and mental changes also. There will be a spike in anxiety as even the smallest of changes could trigger panic in you. Because you are at the fag end of pregnancy, the impending labour and delivery could leave you feeling just a bit worried.
You might also be at the receiving end of a lot of tips from family, friends and even strangers, so that might stress you out. Remember, once the baby arrives, all that stress will go away. Your body and you - both are prepared to handle this, so take in the tips you feel are useful and simply forget about the others.
There could be an overwhelming and nagging thought that you are not prepared enough - it’s ok. When the right time comes, you’ll know what to do. Keep this positive thought in mind and try to make the most of this month. With the delivery date around the corner, your stress levels might skyrocket, so sleep and eat well.
Inching towards the end pregnancy means one thing - you are now carrying a fully grown baby. It makes you feel heavier, your bump has now stretched out to the maximum, there are stretch marks on your breasts, tummy and buttocks and it’s surely not very comfortable. Your feet might feel heavy and swollen because of the fluid retention. You might see nerves visible around your breasts. You might also continue producing and leaking colostrum or early milk.
Sleep gets pretty hard to come by. Coupled with all the mix of emotions and anxiety, your growing body doesn’t make it easier for you to settle into a comfortable position. The same goes for several usual activities like sitting, getting up, standing, walking, bending over and visiting the washroom.
Your back will start giving out as the fully-loaded uterus is putting pressure on your spine. The skin around your tummy will get itchy. Your belly button would have popped out by now.
You might have Braxton-Hicks contractions or false contractions this month, which the body’s way of preparing itself for labour.
You might continue feeling several of the symptoms from the earlier trimesters including acidity and heartburn, hemorrhoid, nausea, varicose veins and so on. Even though all this put together with a fully grown baby inside you can frustrate you at times, remember, in just a few weeks, your brand new baby is going to be joining your family.
Your baby now has very little space to move around much - real estate inside the uterus is now fully utilised! Your baby is fully developed - his or her internal organs - if everything is normal - will be formed and functional. Your baby might even have a crown of hair! Their eyelashes and eyebrows will be in place. Your baby is now busy sucking his or her thumbs and toes.
This month, your baby will descend into the birthing position, which is downward facing. Your uterus, along with the baby, will be much lower this month. This could put considerable pressure on your pelvic region too.
This month, your doctor will check for the foetal position to determine what kind of delivery you will possibly have. Even if the baby is not in the right position, there’s still some time for it to get corrected.
You will have to observe your contractions very closely this month. Even though most of the time it’s false labour, yet, it’s essential that you time the duration and frequency of the contractions. If they are consistent and long, it’s best you get in touch with your ob/gyn immediately. Watch out for bleeding and your water sack breaking.
Have a hospital bag ready with a few comfortable clothes for yourself and your baby. Keep medicines, important contacts and some cash readily available. Test your route to the hospital and be prepared! All the best!
