Month nine

From week 36 onwards, the baby's head can engage in the pelvis at any time, preparing itself for its journey through the birth canal. At the same time, the baby is growing quickly, putting on as much as two pounds in these final four weeks. At this stage, there may be less movement in the womb, which is due to the fact that there is simply less space.

At 40 weeks, a mum-to-be's cervix will be softening and at any time she could have a 'show', which is where the plug of mucus sealing the cervix comes away. The body is preparing for labour and it is important to look after it as well as possible.

At nine months, mums-to-be can be feeling tired and a bit fed up, waiting for the birth to finally happen. Physically, some women find that they feel faint or dizzy, so it is important to take care when moving around and not to get overheated. Although exercise may have slowed down, it will still feel beneficial to take walks in the fresh air.

Some women also find that they suffer from stress incontinence, due to the pressure of the womb on the bladder. The pelvic floor exercises which pregnant women are advised to do leading up to the birth can help with this. Women should also pay special attention to their perineum at this stage, massaging oil into it every day to help it to stretch naturally during labour.

Most women will be going to an antenatal appointment every week at this point. Lists will also come into play here - lists of questions for medical staff, hospital lists for what to bring in for the baby, lists of telephone number for family and friends, a check list for the labour and birth bag. All of which will make life a lot easier as the excited parents finally prepare to meet their baby.