Your OB provider will examine you as usual by measuring fundal height, listening for your baby's heartbeat with the fetal doppler, and feeling for your baby's position.

You will have your Group B Strep test at this visit which is a vaginal and rectal swab to check if you're a carrier of Group B Strep bacteria. One in five women carry this bacteria. If positive, you will be given antibiotics when your water breaks or you go into labor.

Your OB provider may do an ultrasound if a breech presentation is suspected.

If your baby is breech, your provider may recommend an external cephalic version (ECV) to help turn your baby head down if nothing else has worked.

During the 9th month, your baby will grow from the size of a large cantaloupe to the size of a watermelon.

In preparation for life outside the womb, your baby is likely practicing new skills such as inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping, and blinking.

It can be very helpful to establish a relationship with a lactation consultant before a situation is urgent and you’re feeling stressed.

Prenatal lactation consultations are particularly helpful under the following circumstances:
• You were unable to breastfeed your first baby.
• You are anxious about breastfeeding.
• The breastfeeding class you took didn't meet your needs.
• You have had trauma or surgery on your breasts or chest—including augmentation or reduction.
• Your breasts are very different from each other in size and/or shape.
• You are expecting a baby who may have special challenges. Or you are expecting twins or more!
• You have a medical situation or injury that may require creativity when positioning yourself and baby for breastfeeding.
• You have an endocrine disorder.
• You were unable to get pregnant naturally.
• You are taking medication that you’re concerned about continuing while breastfeeding.

Your OB provider will examine you as usual by measuring fundal height, listening for your baby's heartbeat with the fetal doppler, and feeling for your baby's position.

Your baby is considered "early term" because their brain, lungs, and liver are still developing.

Braxton-Hicks contractions may be more noticeable and happening more often.

Changes in your cervix may cause all or part of your mucus plug to fall out.

Stock your pantry with favorite snacks, and prepare some nourishing meals in large batches that you can freeze before your baby's arrival.

Your OB provider will examine you as usual by measuring fundal height, listening for your baby's heartbeat with the fetal doppler, and feeling for your baby's position.

Your baby is "early term" because there is still some last-minute development going on during that last week or two in the uterus.

Walking can become more uncomfortable and you may find yourself doing the pregnancy waddle.

You may feel a little unstable on your feet or clumsy.

Your OB provider will examine you as usual by measuring fundal height, listening for your baby's heartbeat with the fetal doppler, and feeling for your baby's position.

Now you are "full term" because your baby’s organs are fully formed and capable of functioning normally outside the womb.

Changes in the cervix happen, in part, because you are experiencing an uptick of hormones called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help get the cervix ready for labor and birth. They can also bring about loose stools.

Your OB provider will examine you as usual by measuring fundal height, listening for your baby's heartbeat with the fetal doppler, and feeling for your baby's position.

If you haven't delivered by this appointment, your OB provider might discuss a plan for how to induce labor.

Most OB providers will recommend induction if you haven't delivered by 41 weeks or if your baby's health is at risk.

Most OB providers will let you choose whether to have a cervical exam until you are in labor, unless there are complications that require further testing or there is some other reason your cervix needs to be assessed.

It is important to note that performing a cervical exam is not risk-free. It may increase the risk of vaginal infection or possibly result in the premature rupture of membranes.

Some pregnant women refuse cervical exams altogether, while others request to have them performed only after 40 weeks.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and birth centers vary on how many support people are allowed in the delivery room with you. Check with your hospital or birth center to learn their current rules.

Under normal circumstances, for a vaginal delivery, you may be permitted to have 1-3 people in the delivery room depending on where you deliver.

If you are having a C-section, you will only be allowed to have 1 support person with you.

Check with your OB provider as this will depend on their practice.

Some practices have an on-call schedule whereas other practices employ hospitalists, which are OB providers who just work in the hospital but not the office.