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The finish line is in sight! At 37 weeks along, here’s what’s going on with your baby and your body and what you can expect very soon.
How Big is Baby?
Baby is still growing a half-pound each week, and measures about 19 inches long.
What’s New with Baby?
Baby has now reached early term (which ranges from 37 weeks to 38 weeks and 6 days). “This means that baby is mature enough to be born, so getting to 37 weeks is a BIG milestone!” explains Dr. Diane Huynh, an Ob/Gyn at UT Southwestern Medical Center. And as baby continues to mature in utero, their lungs and intestines are prepping for life outside.
Diane Huynh, D.O., is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center who specializes in minimally invasive robotic surgery, high- and low-risk obstetrics, and menopausal care.
Jasmine Stephens, M.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center who specializes in Women’s Reproductive Mental Health and Consulting Psychiatrist with the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN).
What’s New with Mom?
You can feel it already: the increased pressure on your pelvis, a sore pubic bone, the need to run to the restroom minute after minute it seems. This is because baby has started to move farther down into the birth canal. Feeling those periodic cramps in your abs? Those are Braxton Hicks contractions.
Fun Fact
During these last few weeks, circulatory and musculoskeletal systems have wrapped up their development, and the lungs, brain, and nervous system are following soon behind. All systems are nearly a go!
Looking Ahead to Postpartum Mental Health
With all the focus on baby, it’s important not to lose sight of how you’re feeling too, Mom, and guarding your mental health starts on day one.
If you plan to post to social media about the birth of your child, you may also feel added pressure to look picture-perfect and fretting about your appearance (makeup, hair, a change of clothes, etc.). This is certainly a point of personal preference and you should do whatever makes you truly feel good about yourself, but Dr. Jasmine Stephens, a psychiatrist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, cautions against giving into the pressure to compare yourself based on appearance alone and not on experience.
“It can be easy to compare ourselves to others and place another’s highlights as the standard when we may only see a glimpse of other’s realities,” explains Stephens. “This may lead to feelings of inadequacy, guilt, depression or anxiety.”
With all that we know now about the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD), it’s important for new moms to be hypervigilant, to know the signs, and to speak up about how you’re feeling. We expect a rollercoaster of emotions but what is the base or “normal” emotions in those first few weeks? Stephens explains that while everyone’s experience is different, the “baby blues” are usually brief, lasting for under two weeks as you adjust to getting less sleep and having less energy.
But if what you’re experiencing feels both persistent and debilitating, that’s a different story. “Postpartum depression is a period of two weeks or more with low, depressed mood and/or decreased interest in usually pleasurable activities,” Stephens explains. “This can include suicidal thoughts or impaired functioning, as well as changes in sleep, eating, concentration, or energy, and feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness or helplessness.”
All of these symptoms are challenging both physically and emotionally—and they may not all become immediately clear to you that you’re experiencing them either. PPD can show its face in the first couple of months and up to one year after birth.
If any of these symptoms sounds familiar, you don’t have to wait until your first six-week checkup with your Ob/Gyn to reach out to for help. Stephens explains that your “child’s pediatrician, [your] primary care physician, a case manager or social worker, and of course a mental health professional: psychiatrist, psychiatric provider, or therapist” are all appropriate resources who can assist you in accessing treatment.
If you find that you’re hesitant to reach out, don’t be. An estimated 10–15% of new mothers experience PPD. Your chances of developing it are greater if you have risk factors or other stressors, such as having a limited support system in place, financial complications, or a history of depression.
Any of these symptoms and factors stacked together can create a perfect storm, but there is a way to make it back to shore. An initial screening for PPD commonly begins with filling out answers on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). This is an easy-to-take screening with 10 questions, which you can fill out online or in-person, that ask about your symptoms and gauge your mental health.
While these symptoms may feel overwhelming, what they shouldn’t be are shameful. As you prepare for your baby’s arrival in the next few weeks, remember that taking care of yourself, being mindful and attuned to yourself, enables you to better care for your little one. And asking for help when you need it—and from those equipped to provide it—is a positive legacy to pass on.
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This blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute the provision of medical advice or professional services. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The above article was written by DFWChild editor Elizabeth Smith with information provided by UT Southwestern Medical Center as part of their sponsored content.
