Week 39

Your baby's ready to greet the world! He or she now weighs a bit over 7 pounds. Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.

Your baby's organs are fully developed and in place, and the outer layers of skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

At each visit, your midwife or doctor will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. She might also do an internal exam to see whether you've started effacing (when the cervix thins out) or dilating (when the cervix opens).

If the week passes and your baby stays put, don't panic. Only 5 percent of babies are born on their scheduled due date.

If you go past your due date, your provider will schedule you for a sonogram after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy.