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still normal. Any baby born in the period stretching from thirty-seven to forty-two weeks will therefore be born at "term". It also means, a parent who makes a reference to a child that was born "five days late", implying that he or she arrived five days after the calculated due date (EDD) is right, in a figure of speech. However, it is a technically misleading term, because it may create the impression that the baby arrived after "term", which is incorrect.
It is therefore appropriate to refer to the actual duration of pregnancy (thirty-four weeks, thirty-eight weeks, forty-one weeks, etc.) rather than to extrapolate figures from the expected date of delivery.
Term is characterized by differing degrees of discomfort, but discomfort there will be.
There is also a tendency for the fetal movements to appear reduced. This is mostly because the baby has increased in size and the amount of amniotic fluid is continually decreasing, a phenomenon that starts at around thirty-six weeks. The effect is that of reduced room and restricted freedom for the baby.
It is imperative, however, that any pregnant woman who feels that there is significant change in the rate of fetal activity should consult her GP to have the situation verified. If it happens today, it should be looked at today, not tomorrow or the day after.
About 80 per cent of babies will arrive at term but only a tiny proportion of these will arrive on the calculated expected date of delivery (EDD). Should this happen, it
should be regarded as a pleasant bonus but should never be focused on as a realistic prospect. When an EDD is calculated, it should be made clear that the baby is expected to arrive around that date, maybe within about two weeks either way.
Braxton-Hicks contractions may start becoming more uncomfortable. The frequency may also increase. This has led many women to think they are going into labour, particularly those without previous experience. The visits to the loo increase as the womb maintains its siege on the bladder, which can hardly store a respectable amount of water before the urge to urinate arises.
Labour
Many women are told that they are not actually in labour when they are convinced they are. This is why stories of "I was in labour for five days" abound. Nobody is ever in labour for five days; it is not even physically possible! The misconception has a lot to do with the parents not getting the right amount of information antenatally of what might happen at the end of the pregnancy.
There is a phase loosely termed "the latent phase of labour". This can be mild, easily whiled away with a drink, a lengthy soak in the bath and a favourite activity. It can also be quite distressingly painful, requiring use of very strong painkillers in hospital. It can last less than an hour but may also go on for eighteen to twenty-four hours. This is all normal.
When a midwife or doctor performs a vaginal examination for the first time on a
