Physical Sensations

• Toward the final stages of pregnancy, the weight of the belly in addition to relaxed muscles and ligaments can cause aches and pains.
  
  

Physical Changes

• The baby's head settles in lower during the end of pregnancy, finally "locking" into place, giving you a little more room to breathe, but throwing off your center of gravity. This can make you feel off balance.
  
  

Testing

• Your prenatal caregiver will be monitoring your blood pressure for pre-eclampsia, the position of the baby, your circulation and the baby's heart tones. You'll also have a culture for Group B Strep, often called GBS.
  
  

Emotions

• Excitement over becoming a mother, anxiety about the impending birth, concerns about parenting practices and moodiness from lack of sleep are all common during the final stages of pregnancy.
  
  

Childbirth Education

• Newborn Baby
  
  A childbirth education course can help alleviate some of the stress and help women learn more about the physiological changes that occur in the end of pregnancy. Lamaze helps women learn what to expect at the hospital, focusing outside her body to relieve pain and Bradley Method focuses on helping women achieve a drug-free delivery, focusing inside the body to embrace the sensations.
  
  

Childbirth

• The day your baby is born will be unforgettable. Many women like to plan ahead for this day, creating a birth plan and making decisions about how they want their child welcomed into the world.