Pregnancy Guide Helping you through pregnancy

Week 1-3

The egg has been fertilised by the sperm and is a cluster of dividing cells, known as the blastocyst. It is only the size of a pinhead but multiplying fast.

Three layers of cells are starting to develop, which will divide into the different parts and organs of the body, including the skeleton, nervous system, brain, lungs and kidneys.

Also beginning to form are the first cells of the placenta, the mass of tissue that provides oxygen and nutrients for your baby, as well as transferring waste products out of the body via the mother's body.

This, however, does not kick into action until the blastocyst has become a fully formed foetus - aboutweeks 13-14. And all these changes will be starting to happen before you even realise you've missed your period.

Week 4

You may be feeling unusually tired, but otherwise it's really too early to notice any of the changes happening in your body.

A plug of mucus has formed in the cervix to seal off your womb and prevent any infection from entering. The baby is about 2mm long and weighs less than 1g. The heart has started to beat.

Week 5

Your period is late and you're probably feeling severely pre-menstrual. In fact, you're starting to become aware of the great changes going on inside your body as it adjusts to being pregnant. Your metabolic rate, breathing rate and heart rate have all increased. The muscle and fibre of your womb have started to thicken and lengthen.

Your breasts are probably becoming tender and more sensitive. Your hormone production has increased greatly: progesterone helps to maintain your pregnancy and lower blood pressure; relaxin relaxes certain muscles of your body; oestrogen causes your nipples to enlarge, stimulates the development of milk glands and strengthens the womb; human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), unique to pregnancy, is produced by the placenta. The tissues of your baby's body develop from three different layers.

One layer will form the hair, nails, mammary glands, teeth enamel, inner ear and lens of the eye. The next will form the nervous system, retina of the eye, pituitary glands, muscle, cartilage, bones, blood and lymph cells. The third will form the lungs, trachea, liver, pancreas and bladder.

Your baby's heart now has four chambers and the roof palate of its mouth is starting to form. Emotionally, you may well feel that you are on a roller-coaster. First of all, you have to start getting used to the idea of being pregnant. You may be worrying about when to tell people your news. And you have to start coming to terms with all the ways in which your life is going to alter.

Hormonal changes can cause you great highs and lows and you will probably be experiencing an enormous range of emotions: happy, irritable, weepy, elated, anxious, excited and depressed - possibly all at the same time. If you would like some help regulating your emotions, you could try Bach flower remedies, made solely from plants dissolved in a grape juice solution. They are available from health food stores and chemists.

Walnut can help you adapt to changes. Mimulus is for worry about something going wrong. Mustard helps relieve unexplained depression. Aspen is for feelings of apprehension and foreboding. Red chestnut is for irrational or out-of-proportion fears for your baby's well being. Take Star of Bethlehem for shock.

Tips: A common anxiety at this early stage is that you may have harmed your baby by drinking, smoking or not eating properly in the weeks before you realised you were pregnant. Don't worry, your baby will almost certainly be fine. The body is designed so that essential nutrients are diverted to the baby during pregnancy.

The important thing is that you stop drinking alcohol and smoking and boost yourself nutritionally by eating a balanced diet and taking a good multivitamin supplement. It is important to take folic acid, which helps prevent your baby developing abnormalities such as spina bifida. The healthier you are, the less likely you are to suffer from the common side effects of pregnancy, such as morning sickness, high blood pressure, bloating and exhaustion, many of which can be linked to nutritional deficiencies.

Week 6

The cluster of cells known as a blastocyst is becoming an embryo, roughly the size of your finger tip. Your baby's heart is beating at 180 beats per minute, more than twice as fast as your own. Its eyelids, ears and the beginning of its hands and feet are forming.

You can just make out the shape of the head and the curve of the spine. Your pregnancy will have been confirmed. This is a good time to make contact with your midwife or doctor and to arrange your first 'booking visit' for when you reach eight to 12 weeks. You will be starting to notice the changes in your body and the speeding up of your metabolism.

You may be feeling unusually tired, which can be difficult if you are working and don't want anyone to know about your pregnancy yet. Listen to your body, rest and go to bed early. Try to make time for yourself to relax and find at least 30 minutes a day to sit quietly and reflect.

If you have been on an exercise programme or are a regular visitor to the gym, don't force yourself to continue, especially if you don't feel up to it. Generally, in the first trimester your heart rate should not rise above 140 beats per minute. Research has shown that this can cause the body to heat up and over long periods this may be damaging to the foetus. So, take it easy.

Gentle exercise such as walking, swimming, stretching and yoga are preferable to strenuous aerobic work outs and will help to give you energy rather than depleting it. A good multivitamin supplement along with a balanced diet will ensure that you get all the nourishment and nutrients you need, even if you don't much feel like eating. Try supplements especially formulated for pregnancy.

Week 7

Your baby has quadrupled in size and his or her nervous system is developing. He or she is starting to move around. These movements can be detected by a monitor but you won't be able to feel them yourself yet. The lung, liver and kidneys are developing.

Tip: Make an appointment to see your dentist because treatment is free during pregnancy and up until your child's first birthday. Gingivitis, or gum disease, is common because of the effect of the pregnancy hormone progesterone.

Don't worry if your gums get tender or start to bleed. Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing after every meal, flossing and using an antibacterial mouthwash, boost your vitamin C intake and consult your dentist. If you have mercury fillings, do not attempt to change them during pregnancy in case mercury is released into your system.

Week 8

Your baby is about 2.5cm (1in) long and is just about recognisable as a tiny human being. He or she can open its mouth and the tongue, upper palate and ears are starting to develop. The umbilical cord which links the baby to you via the placenta is formed.

Your baby is turning from an embryo into a foetus. The brain is developing at a breathtaking rate. The essential fatty acid, DHA, is a vital supplement for brain development and can be found in oily fish such as mackerel and tuna.

Tip: Mild stomach pains are common as your uterus starts to stretch, but if you suffer from severe abdominal pain you should consult your doctor.

Week 9

Your baby is about 3.5cm long and his or her head is more developed. He or she can move their arms and legs and make tiny wriggling movements. The brain is four times larger than it was a month ago. The sweat glands have started to form, the digestive system is developing rapidly and the nervous system is advancing.

Male or female characteristics will evolve over the next three weeks. Pregnancy hormones have flooded your system and your blood volume has increased. Increased progesterone causes blood vessels to relax. This can occasionally result in slight dizziness as oxygen takes longer to reach your brain.

You should be starting to think about the type of antenatal tests you may wish to have. There are a number of diagnostic and screening tests which can check for abnormalities in the foetus, some of which carry a slight risk to your baby. You have the right to refuse tests if you don't want them.

Tip: Don't forget to drink plenty of water - at least eight glasses a day.

Week 10

Your baby's nervous system has matured enough for him or her to actively move about. The intestines are absorbing glucose, which is fuel for the brain.

The first nail fields are beginning on fingers and toes. The liver starts to make red blood cells. By now, all the organs plus the amniotic sack of fluid around your baby have been formed and the umbilical cord is attached to the placenta.

Tip: Breast size can change considerably during pregnancy. Get properly fitted bras as soon as you notice the current one is getting tight.

Week 11

The liver is properly formed and takes over the manufacture of red blood cells. The kidneys are starting to function and urine is being formed.

The baby is growing rapidly, and is about 6.5cm (2in) long. His or her face is formed, complete with chin and forehead. The head is getting bigger to accommodate the rapidly forming brain.

Week 12

You are almost at the end of your first trimester. Hopefully, any morning sickness you may have had is disappearing (though for some unlucky women this can last longer) and you are starting to recover your appetite and feel more energised. Your uterus is starting to move out of your pelvis and your heart is pumping extra blood.

Your baby, no longer an embryo but a foetus, is fully formed. But, at just over 8cm long, there is a lot of growing still to do. His or her nails are starting to grow, the jaw has 32 little teeth buds and he or she is starting to suck. Ovaries and testes have formed inside the body, though the external sexual organs have yet to develop.

Tips: Don't listen to other women telling you that you don't look very big or that you look too big for the amount of weeks you are pregnant. Everybody is different.

Week 13

Your exhaustion should be starting to lift, your energy returning and your appetite improving. You may notice the first signs of a 'bump' as your uterus starts to grow rapidly. Your digestive system is becoming more sluggish, allowing time for vital nutrients to be absorbed by your baby. But your heart works faster than normal, pumping ten pints of blood a minute.

The hormones oestrogen, progesterone, human placental lactogen, oxytocin and prolactin prepare your body for feeding your baby and cause your breasts to enlarge. The glands on the areola, the area around your nipples, become more obvious and the areaola may darken and get slightly bigger. Bluish veins on your breasts may become more visible.

You may sweat more because of your increased metabolism. You may experience occasional nose bleeds. Hormones also relax the muscles in your internal organs, with side effects such as constipation and heartburn.

You will be more aware of your baby as an individual and may start to experience strong feelings of nurturing. Talk to your baby often and think positively about your future together. While many women may feel bursts of energy during the second trimester, the increased demands of pregnancy may leave others depleted, because their diet is not providing enough nutrients.

Iron is in great demand by the growing foetus. The expanding blood volume in the mother dilutes the concentration of iron in the bloodstream. You need an extra 4mg on top of the usual 14mg a day. Lack of iron can lead to poor memory and to feeling sluggish, breathless, tired and emotional.

Magnesium and calcium work together. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 processes in the development of the baby. During pregnancy it helps the muscles of the uterus to relax, and deficiency can cause unnecessary contractions. Calcium and magnesium are essential for development of the baby's muscle and nervous system and for strong bones and teeth.

Your baby is accumulating calcium at the rate of 110mg a day. The guideline level per day for magnesium is 270mg a day, and for calcium 800mg. B vitamins are required for energy, for metabolising carbohydrates and for the foetal nervous system. B3 helps form ceratonin, an important nerve transmitter, and helps with sleep and mood. Many women worry about how much weight they should or should not be gaining during pregnancy.

There are no hard and fast rules: much depends on your body type and your weight before pregnancy. Typical weight gain is between 11kg and 16kg (24lb and 34lb). Your baby is very human looking, and its body is rapidly growing. Your placenta has kicked into action and is maintaining your pregnancy, passing nourishment and oxygen through from your bloodstream to your baby's. Your baby's brain cells start to multiply at the incredible rate of 250,000 per minute.

Week 14

The placenta is taking over the function of nourishment and hormone production. There are now very few infections that can cross over to the foetus. Your baby will be aware of stimuli such as noise and light, and will be responsive to your touch. The limbs are fully formed and the legs are longer than the arms.

Up to 14 weeks, the amniotic fluid in which the foetus floats is absorbed though the baby's delicate skin. By 14 weeks the kidneys are beginning to function and the baby swallows and excretes the fluid back into the amniotic cavity. It cannot breathe yet and obtains its oxygen from you via the blood in the placenta.

Constipation is a common side effect of the pregnancy hormone progesterone, which relaxes the gut so that food passes through your system more slowly. Make sure you are eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrains and drinking plenty of water.

Week 15

Your baby's body is growing faster than his or her head and movements are becoming more vigorous. The bones still consist of soft cartilage but they are beginning to ossify or harden (starting with the collarbone).

Try to include more calcium and magnesium in your diet to help with the formation of your baby's bones. For calcium, eat sesame seeds, almonds, salmon and dairy products, and for magnesium, eat oats, wheatgerm, rice, cabbage and aubergines.

Try to get outside for some fresh air and sunshine every day. Vitamin D, made in the skin from exposure to sunlight, helps the body to retain calcium.

Week 16

Your skin is becoming more pigmented and a dark line, known as the linea nigra, may appear down the centre of your abdomen, from the navel to the pubic bone (this should fade after the birth). Any pressure you may have been feeling on your bladder should be relieved as the growing uterus rises out of the pelvic cavity.

Your baby's face is beginning to develop features that look human, with large, wide-apart eyes and transparent eyelids that are still closed. Fine hair called lanugo is starting to form all over its body and face. The limbs are properly formed. You may be aware of your baby's 'quickening', its first tangible movements, which you experience as a slight fluttering or bubbling sensation in your tummy.

A layer of fat is beginning to coat the nerves that link the baby's muscles to its brain. This is vitally important because once these connections are complete, messages can be passed to and from the brain, allowing co-ordinated movements. Blood flows through the placenta at the rate of 27.5 litres (eight gallons) a day. Your baby will measure about 16cm (6.75in) and weigh 150g (5oz).

It is about this time that you will undergo an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test, which measures the risk of your baby having neural tube defects (defects in the developing spinal cord). A high level of AFP might suggest spins bifida, a low level might suggest Down's syndrome. Even if you have a 'positive' result, you baby is still likely to be normal because the tests only show the level of risk.

If there is a problem, you'll be offered another test called amniocentesis. Amniocentesis involves taking a small sample of amniotic fluid from the womb using a needle. The results take up to five weeks to come back and the procedure carries a one-in-200 risk of miscarriage, so ask as many questions as you need.

Week 17

Your baby is starting to weigh more than the placenta and will be lying mid-way between your pubic bone and your placenta. Your body will be starting to lay down fat.

Your baby can frown and squint, and his or her eyelashes and eyebrows are starting to grow. He or she will measure about 18cm (7in) and weigh 170g (6oz).

Week 18

Your baby is about 20cm (8in) long and is practising breathing: taking amniotic fluid into the lungs and 'breathing' it out again. He or she may have started to suck their thumb.

Your increased blood supply may make you feel 'stuffed up' in your nose and you may suffer from occasional nosebleeds. You may also sweat more because of your increased metabolism.

Week 19

Your baby's brain cells are continuing to multiply at an astonishing rate, roughly 50,000 to 100,000 per second.

The spinal cord is starting to thicken. You will probably be offered an ultrasound scan to check that the baby is all right.

Week 20

You are halfway through your pregnancy and the top of your uterus will be about a finger's width below your navel. You will be able to feel obvious movements.

Your baby is roughly half as long as he or she will be at birth. Hair is starting to grow and he or she is rapidly gaining weight. Up to now, the growth rate has been very fast but it is slowing down to allow the lungs and immune system more time to mature.

The sexual organs are developed and will be detectable on a scan to an experienced operator. A girl's ovaries will hold all the eggs she will ever produce: roughly several million. From now on, the fully formed placenta will provide all your baby's needs.

Week 21

For the next few weeks your body becomes super-efficient at absorbing calcium.

Your baby has not yet opened his or her eyes but tastebuds have developed and he or she is starting to drink large amounts of amniotic fluid.

Week 22

Your baby's ears are fully formed and he will be increasingly aware of noise. Research suggests that he may start to learn and respond to sounds and voices as early as 22 weeks, and that playing music will stimulate brain cell activity.

You may start to recognise a cycle of waking, when he or she is far more active, and sleeping, when movements cease for a while. You may also notice when your baby has hiccups.

Week 23

Your uterus has reached your belly button. Your baby will weigh about 450g (1lb) and resemble a small doll.

You will be able to distinguish different parts of his or her body through your abdominal wall. Arms and legs are well developed and the baby will be able to grip.

Week 24

You will be gaining weight at the rate of half a pound to a pound a week. Your baby's eyes are open. He or she will respond more to sound and touch and will be able to identify voices - so talk to him or her. You may find he starts moving when you speak.

The air sacks in the lungs are fully formed though they are not yet mature enough for independent existence. If born prematurely now, the baby would experience severe breathing problems. All the other major organs are formed. His heart rate has dropped and it is possible to record it on a machine. The skin is translucent and arteries and veins are clearly visible through it.

Week 25

Your baby has waking periods and sleeping periods, and may be most active when you are resting. The influence of the hormones progesterone and relaxin will soften your joints and ligaments and the increasing weight and size of your baby will alter your centre of gravity.

Take particular care when bending and lifting so that you do not damage your back. Stick to gentle forms of exercise such as walking, stretching and swimming.

Week 26

Your baby is covered in vernix, a white greasy substance which protects and nourishes the skin and gives it an outer waterproof layer. Your 'bump' will be growing noticeably bigger.

Stretchmarks may be appearing across your abdomen. There is little you can do to prevent these, but you can buy creams to help keep your skin soft and supple. Stretchmarks will gradually fade after you have had your baby. Plenty of zinc and vitamin C in your diet will also help to keep your skin healthy.

Week 27

Leg cramps are common during the second trimester and are thought to be due to a deficiency of calcium and magnesium, because the baby's demands for these minerals are so high.

Make sure your intake of calcium and magnesium is adequate by eating plenty of leafy green vegetables and cheese. Your baby will be starting to put on weight and you may experience a sudden weight gain as your baby gets bigger and the amount of amniotic fluid increases.

Your baby's brain is growing rapidly and requires a good supply of essential fatty acids for optimum development. If fish such as mackerel and tuna are not a regular part of your diet, take a supplement of DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid found in oily fish which plays a crucial structural and biochemical role in the brain.

If you develop constant and extreme itching, you should inform your midwife and have a blood test. This could be a symptom of an underlying condition called obstetric cholestasis, which sometimes occurs in the third trimester as a result of an overflow of bile passing through the placenta. This is a serious condition and you will need to be carefully monitored. It is often accompanied by dark urine, pale stools and jaundice.

Week 28

If your baby is a boy, his testes will now descend into his groin. His or her eyes are sometimes open and he or she is learning how to focus. Life is now 'viable', which means that if he or she were born now, with special care, there would be a good chance of survival. By now you are probably feeling that you have been pregnant for ever.

Great changes are going on in your body in preparation for the birth and it is quite common to suffer from all sorts of aches, pains and discomforts in the latter stages of pregnancy. If you have any cystitis or urine problems, these should be treated at once. A urine infection can cause you to go into premature labour. Anaemia should also be corrected as it too can lead to premature labour.

If you're suffering from chronic backache, immersion in water may bring you some relief. Aqua-natal classes are available in many centres throughout the country. Your blood volume has increased by 40 per cent to meet the demands of the baby and placenta, and blood flow to your womb has increased tenfold. You may get breathless because pressure from your uterus is preventing your lungs from expanding fully.

Your breast tissue is developing in readiness for breast feeding and you may have started to produce colostrum, the fluid which precedes milk. Your pelvic joints and ligaments are expanding and softening ready for the birth. You may be experiencing the first irregular, painless 'Braxton Hicks' contractions - a sort of rehearsal for the real thing.

The extra weight you are carrying and the increased effort of moving around may be making you very tired. You may also be suffering from insomnia or disturbed sleep because you find it difficult to get into a comfortable position in bed. If heartburn is causing you problems when you lie down, try sleeping propped up by pillows. The pressure of the uterus on your bladder may mean you have to get up several times in the night.

Although the baby is growing faster than at any other time during pregnancy, you need only 200 extra calories a day. Your requirement for protein is at an all time high: protein provides the building blocks to repair cells in the body and antibodies to fight infection.

Ensure your diet is rich in the following: Vitamins A, B, C, E and zinc are needed for lactation. Vitamin C is anti-viral and helps the body absorb iron. It also helps in the healing of tissue after delivery and boosts the immune system. Zinc is essential for hormones and affects growth at many different levels. It is important for protein synthesis, muscle growth and cell membranes. Deficiency is associated with low birth weights and premature births, and with undescended testicles in boys.

Essential fatty acids are vital to the baby's developing brain. Vitamin K is very important in the last few weeks of pregnancy. It is involved in the manufacture of prothrombin, essential to make your blood clot. In adults it is made by bacteria in the gut, but a baby's gut is sterile and so it has to rely on its mother's supply.

If you are vegetarian, take extra care to ensure you are getting sufficient protein. The answer is to combine plant sources of protein, by eating nuts with pulses, nuts with seeds or pulses with seeds. This gives the added advantage of providing a lot of fibre and complex carbohydrates without any saturated fat. Also be aware of possible deficiencies of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium (especially in vegans) that may need correcting.

Tip: Anxiety about the approaching birth may make you feel isolated, withdrawn and anxious. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor or midwife about anything that is worrying you. And cultivate friendships among the women you meet at ante-natal classes: they can be a good source of support and companionship.

Bach flower remedies can be useful for calming your nerves: Impatiens helps you to relax and be patient, red chestnut helps over anxiety and negative thoughts, olive relieves exhaustion and the feeling that everything is too much effort, mimulus eases fear about the birth, gentian relieves negative and despondent feelings and elm helps ease feeling overwhelmed by responsibility.

Several remedies can be taken together by mixing them in a sterile bottle and adding a few drops to a drink, or placing a few drop directly on to your tongue.

Week 29

You should be seeing your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Your baby is about 36cm (14in) long and is covered with vernix, the greasy substance which protects his skin. The lungs have developed most of their small airways and tiny sacs.

'Surfactant' is produced by the lungs to assist breathing. If you have early contractions, you may be given a steroid injection to stimulate the baby's lungs to produce surfactant, so that he will be able to breathe more easily if he is born prematurely. Take note of your baby's movements: he should be reasonably active. If you are concerned that his activity is decreasing, contact your midwife.

Make sure you rest whenever you can, particularly during the afternoons, and try to get plenty of early nights. Ideally, cut back your hours at work. Working hard right through the third trimester may have an effect on your baby's growth. Your heart is working 25 per cent harder and your blood volume has increased by four pints. The increased size of your abdomen will have moved your centre of gravity and may be affecting your balance, so be very careful to avoid falls. You may experience backache or sciatica.

Tips: A Fembrace back support, available from a physiotherapist, may make you more comfortable. Acupuncture, osteopathy or chiropractic may all be able to help.

Week 30

Most babies have turned upside-down, so that their head is in the right position for birth. You maybe suffering from troublesome haemorrhoids (piles), due to the pressure of the expanding uterus on the blood vessels.

Make sure you are eating plenty of fibre. The homeopathic remedy Hamamelis will ease discomfort. Take in tablet form and apply the cream locally. Sit on a bidet filled with warm water to which has been added one drop of cypress and one drop of juniper oil, mixed with 5ml of base oil.

Week 31

Your uterus has how risen above the level of your belly button. You may be experiencing leg cramps, which can keep you awake at night. This could be due to a deficiency of calcium and magnesium, because the baby's demand for these minerals increases at this stage.

Your circulatory system is working twice as hard as pre-pregnancy. Your baby's brain contains more cells than at any other time in its life, at least twice the amount it will ever need. The excess cells are loosely wired and need to make certain connections to function properly.

By 31 weeks, excess brain cells that have not received stimulation will start to die off. Essential fatty acids, important for rapid transmission signals from one neurone to another, will help to prevent this gradual process. Eat oily fish or take a fish oil supplement.

Week 32

You will be feeling pretty heavy, having gained between 21lb and 27lb. The flow of blood through the placenta, nourishing your baby and helping him grow, has reached 100 gallons a day.

Overwork or lack of rest will impede this vital blood flow and affect your baby's growth. So, again, rest when you can and make sure you get an adequate night's sleep.

Women who work right up until they are 36 weeks leave themselves with no reserves of energy and little time for physical or mental preparation, especially if they go into labour early. This can affect not only their baby but their experience of childbirth and their state of mind afterwards. You should begin your antenatal classes or active birth classes.

Week 33

You are gaining weight faster than at any other stage of your pregnancy. You will need a blood test to check that your iron level is normal. A low blood count as you approach the end of your pregnancy can reduce your energy levels and affect the outcome of your labour.

Increase the amount of green leafy vegetables and lean red meat you eat. Increase your vitamin C intake to help your body absorb iron. Try an iron rich tonic such as Floradix. Take the homeopathic remedy Ferrum phosphoricum 30, twice a day for ten days.

Insomnia is a common problem as the baby gets bigger and it becomes harder to get into a comfortable sleeping position. Avoid stimulants before going to bed, and try the following ideas:

• Drink camomile herbal tea during the evening - it aids relaxation and helps induce sleep.
• Eat a light and easily digestible meal rather than a rich and heavy one in the evening, and don't eat too late.
• Light some candles, dim the lights and ask your partner to give you a gentle massage.
• Listen to relaxation tapes to help you to unwind.
• Soak in a warm bath with a few drops of lavender or camomile oil.

Week 34

Your baby's brain and nervous system are fully developed. He or she will be about 45cm (19in) long and weigh about 1.8kg (4lb). You may notice that your abdomen is changing in shape.

Start preparing the perineum (the area between the anus and the vagina) for the stretching it will have to do when you deliver your baby. Gently massaging this area every day with oil will improve the elasticity and flexibility of the skin tissues and may help to prevent a tear.

Week 35

Your baby should by now be lying with its head down towards the pelvis. A breech - in which the baby is lying with his or her legs towards the pelvis - occurs in 3 to 4 per cent of pregnancies. In 57 per cent of pregnancies a baby will turn by itself after 32 weeks and a further 25 per cent will turn after 36 weeks.

If your baby seems to prefer the breech position, you may have to have a Caesarean section, usually at about 38 weeks. However, an acupuncture treatment using moxabustion could help to turn him. Moxabustion has been used for centuries in China to turn breech babies and recent research using a small sample of mothers has shown that three out of four babies turn successfully after this treatment.

You must always be guided by your midwife and consultant, and inform them if you are using moxabustion. The treatment involves heat rather than needles and is completely painless. Moxa is a Chinese herb known to us as mugwort. It is formed into a long cigar-shaped stick. When lit, it smoulders, giving a low steady heat close to the acupuncture point by the nail of the little toe. You will need to be shown how to do this by a qualified acupuncturist, and you will need the help of a partner.

The treatment should last for 15 minutes, applied to both feet, once or twice a day for ten days. It is more successful between 32 and 36 weeks but can be tried later. It is thought that the stimulation of the moxa increases foetal activity and certainly the baby will move a lot during treatment. If you feel the baby make a turn, you must be checked to see if he is in the correct position - it is possible to carry on and make the baby turn right round again!

It is also important that only women with normal healthy pregnancies use this technique. It should not be carried out if you are having twins, if you have high blood pressure or any bleeding, or if you have had a previous Caesarean section (sometimes there may be a reason for your baby being breech).

Week 36

The placenta has reached its peak of maturity and efficiency, allowing the maximum transfer of oxygen and vital nutrients to your baby. About 70 per cent of these are destined for the baby's brain.

The placenta stops growing and starts to age. More fat is accumulating under the baby's skin to regulate body temperature. The intestines produce a dark green substance called meconium made up of dead cells and secretions from the bowel and liver. You should be seeing a midwife or doctor every weeks until your baby is born.

Your baby's movements may start to slow down because there is less space to manoeuvre. At any time from 36 weeks on, the head will start to move down from high in the abdomen and engage in the pelvis. You will experience this as a 'lightening' as the feeling of pressure lessens. Engagement of the head is a preparation for labour but does not mean that the birth is imminent: some babies engage early, others don't engage until labour has started.

The amount of the baby's head that can be felt above the brim of the pelvis is calculated by midwives in 'fifths'. In other words, five fifths would indicate that all of the head could be felt and it had not started to engage; one fifth would mean that the head was fully engaged and deep within in the pelvis.

If your baby were born now, he or she would be mature enough to survive without too many problems. If you are still working, try to take rest periods during the day, when you can put your feet up and relax. According to Chinese medicine, resting between three and five in the afternoon is especially beneficial, as this is the peak time for the kidney meridian, which in Chinese terms is responsible for reproduction.

It is also vitally important to give yourself time to relax and prepare mentally. The fact that a pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks doesn't necessarily mean that you will go the full 40 weeks. A surprising number of women give up work at 36 weeks, planning to have a full month off to put their feet up and get themselves ready for what lies ahead. Then nature steps in and they go straight in to labour with no chance to prepare on either a practical or a mental level.

Backache and sciatica are common problems for women at this stage of pregnancy. Progesterone relaxes the ligaments and muscles in preparation for birth, but the side effect of this, exacerbated by your increased weight and the weight of the baby, can cause pain and discomfort. Remedies that you can apply yourself include: Camomile or lavender oil added to the bath.

Aromatherapy massage, particularly using oil of lavender and camomile, may be able to relieve low back pain, caused by tiny lesions in the sacroiliac joint. Reflexology massage on the spinal zones along the inner edges of the foot and stimulation of the lymphatic zone will ease discomfort and reduce swelling. A Fembrace, an elastic support which is fitted by a physiotherapist, can be helpful.

Symphysis pubic pain, a tenderness over the pubic bone, is becoming increasingly common. It is caused by pregnancy hormones making the pelvic area more elastic and can be so debilitating that woman are unable to sleep, walk or carry out normal everyday tasks. An osteopath may be able to relieve the pain by taking some of the strain off the ligaments, manipulating the sacroiliac joints and encouraging the pelvis to rotate slightly. Twice weekly treatment with acupuncture can also be highly beneficial.

Many women feel by this stage that they have 'had enough' of being pregnant, and they just want to get on and have the baby. Make the most of your independence - go out for dinner or to the cinema while you don't have to worry about babysitters!

Week 37

Your baby will be practising breathing, sucking and swallowing and his or her consciousness and co-ordination will be well established.

Your weight gain will have started to slow down but some women may suffer from oedema or water retention, causing numbness, puffiness or swelling in the fingers, hands, ankles and feet. The best remedy is rest. Sitting or lying with your feet elevated above your head is particularly good for swollen ankles. Take off rings and avoid tight shoes.

Oedema can also put pressure on the nerve passage between the bones of the wrist, causing an extremely painful condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome. This can make it difficult to use the hands and can cause clumsiness: you should be especially careful with hot drinks first thing in the morning. Splints to support the wrists at night are available from hospital physiotherapists, and a daily treatment with acupuncture may give relief. Treatment from an osteopath to the forearm and wrist may help by aiding drainage and improving the mobility of the joints.

Caution: If the swelling of your hands and feet becomes severe and you are also suffering from a headache, dizziness, nausea or a severe pain below the ribs, you should contact your doctor or midwife. This could be a sign of pre-eclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension. If pre-eclampsia is not treated, it could progress to full-blown eclampsia, which is rare but potentially life-threatening.

Try to increase your intake of B vitamins because these are good for nerves. Include lots of wholegrains and wheatgerm in your diet. Parsley, onion and garlic are all good circulation tonics, so eat meals rich in these. Choose foods or juices that act as natural diuretics, such as carrots, cucumber, grapes, lentils, legumes, peas, pineapple, seaweed, spinach, watercress and watermelon. Vitamin C also has a mild diuretic action, so increase your intake of C-rich fruits. Avoid ordinary table salt.

Tips: Don't listen to other mothers' horror stories about giving birth. Remember that our bodies are designed to have babies. The body produces endorphins, natural pain killers, which build up as labour progresses. Fear and stress release adrenaline which can counteract the beneficial effects of the endorphins.

Week 38

Your baby is ready to be born. Like an athlete preparing for a marathon, you need to stock up on complex carbohydrate foods during the next couple of weeks, so include plenty of wholegrains, pulses and vegetables in your diet.

When labour begins, the last thing on your mind will be eating. But you need to ensure that the glycogen energy reserves stored in the muscles and liver tissues are filled to capacity. These fuel reserves will give you the necessary energy to get you through labour. The last thing you want is to run out of energy, and end up with a prolonged and difficult labour that may require medical intervention and deprive you of a natural birth.

If you had problems throughout pregnancy with thrush, you may find that it reappears now. Tea tree oil, which is both antibacterial and antiviral, can be applied either as a cream or in pessary form, available from a herbal apothecary.

Week 39

You will be feeling large and uncomfortable and may be experiencing strong Braxton Hicks contractions.

You will probably have a bag packed ready to take with you to the hospital when things start to happen. Include in it a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy, a calming flower essence, and the homeopathic remedy Arnica.

A few drops of Rescue Remedy, either directly on to your tongue or in a glass of water from which you can sip regularly, will help you through any panic you may feel as labour progresses. One tablet of Arnica taken every few hours will help your body recover from the inevitable bruising and swelling you will incur during delivery.

Week 40

Your baby's head will have descended into the lower segment of your uterus and be pressing through the softened, partially opened cervix.

If you have gone past your due date and do not want to be induced, there are a number of alternatives that you could try to bring on labour. But please DO NOT attempt these until after your due date has passed.

Acupuncture can work well: an acupuncturist will insert needles into the back or apply acupressure to specific points. Two treatments a day may be necessary to get things moving. You can take the homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla in fluid extract or Caulophyllum 30, every half hour until contractions start (Caulophyllum should not be used if you have a history of easy labour or if this is not a first baby).

Cranial osteopathy can help to stimulate the pituitary gland, the source of certain hormones important in labour. Failing that, try the traditional remedies of sex and a hot curry (a lot more palatable than castor oil).