Week 36

Baby is still working on putting on weight during pregnancy week 36. While that may not seem very exciting, keep in mind this is her primary job from now until delivery. Round babies are healthy babies. Even more fat is deposited on her chubby little cheeks and powerful sucking muscles also contribute to baby's full face.

She may now be between 5-6 pounds in weight.

Most of the bones (soft skull aside) in baby's little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid support structure.

In physical fitness news: muscle tone has also improved over these past few weeks, and by now baby will have an impressive steel-like Ulnar grasp (a reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in the palm of a newborn baby).

Finally, in the fluids/excretion department: the amniotic fluid-to-baby ratio has fallen over the past weeks, although she is still swallowing fluid (building up even more meconium for that historic first poo).

Did you know that some researchers believe babies actually release a signal to trigger labour? There are actually several different theories.

Some believe that when a baby's brain is completely mature it sends a signal to the foetal adrenal glands. These glands then start to secrete the hormone cortisol, which may alter the metabolism of oestrogen and progesterone, resulting in labour.

Other researchers have postulated that the foetal lungs secrete signals indicating they are mature, as well as enzymes that result in the release of prostaglandins, which help the cervix ripen and help the uterus to contract. This is highly likely as the body does release prostaglandins around the time of birth.