colostrum

You’re nearing the end of this exciting journey – woop woop! You’ll be feeling regular movements, including some sharp jabs in the side. Do you know what else can you expect…?

Got milk?

At this stage, your boobs will be getting full and heavier as they get ready for feeding. You may notice that they will start to leak a little colostrum – this yellowy liquid is baby’s first feed when he or she arrives, which is completely normal. Probably best to make sure you have a stash of breast pads handy!

Test run

Your body ma start preparing itself for the big day with some Braxton Hicks. These false contractions can seem scary at first (and of course if you feel anything isn’t quite right, make sure you get checked out) but again, it’s completely normal and gives you a taste of what’s to come…

Brain fog

Ah, the baby brain starts to set in around seven months! Lack of sleep, perhaps from backache or being kept up with an all-night party-in-your-belly (remember when it used to be “party-in-your-pants”?!), forgetfulness and fatigue are common. It will probably continue through the rest of your pregnancy and for a good few weeks (ahem, months…) after birth.

Nesting

Now that the end is in sight, you might start feeling the urge to set up the pushchair, clean the nursery or prepare your birth plan and hospital bag. All of these urges and feelings are completely natural and will help you prepare for the challenges ahead.

Mentally preparing

What’s the old phrase? ‘Mother knows best’ – from this month onwards your mothering instincts are really going to start kicking in. Self-doubts are common, as are sleepless nights with questions going round your head (‘how will I know if my baby is hungry?’ – ring any bells?) We don’t want any panicking though. Once you’re there, your instinct will kick in and you will just know what to do!

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Pregnant_woman2.jpg