Your Little One's Progress
Ding, ding you're done! Are you still pregnant? An interesting fact is that only 5 percent of women actually deliver on their due date, so have no fear: The end is nigh! Another fact is that, on average, babies carried to full term for a first-time mom typically weigh around 7 pounds. If this is not your first time being pregnant, you can almost bet your next one will weigh more. Boys tend to be thicker and longer, although your family’s genes will ultimately decide this unique makeup.

What’s Happening in Mommyland?
Now that you reached the end, you might be more nervous than ever, checking your hospital bags, waiting for the water break or you may start to panic at every pain.  There may be false trips to the hospital or calls to the partner’s workplace telling them to come home.

Week 40 passes and the little seed is still there. This is a common occurrence in most first-time moms. The doctor will let you know this week, how they would like to move forward. Some may induce labor or strip your mucus membrane to help the end of pregnancy move forward.  If the baby does not move past the 42 week of pregnancy, a cesarean section may be performed.

Don’t worry if you had a birth plan, and now, it may change due to a delay in birth. These plans do change – if you wanted a vaginal birth, but it ended with a Caesarean section, don't fret over the details. As long as your baby is happy and healthy, you won't mind how he got there!

Fitness Tips – Birgitta Lauren
· Happy Labor!  As soon after delivery as you have a moment for yourself, you must for the next 2-3 weeks commence 4 exercises that will help you get back in shape:  While in bed, do 1/ abdominal contractions (just pull abs tight), 2/ pelvic tilts (round low back and contract buttocks), 3/shoulder blade contractions and 4/foot circles. Do each exercise for 10-15 repetitions once or twice a day after nursing.  If you had a C-section, wait with the ab contractions 3-4 days.

HB Pregnancy Checklist 
√ You've done your homework on pregnancy and fetal development, however have your started doing your homework on newborn care and child development? There is no better time than now, if you haven't already started to learn about the beginning physical, mental and emotional stages of your baby's development.
√ Click here, or visit our Healthy Baby section or newborn timeline, to learn more about the future weeks and months of your baby's development.