At 37 weeks pregnant, your baby is officially considered early term. While many babies do very well if born now, those extra couple of weeks until 39 weeks can still make a big difference for brain, lung, and overall development.

Baby’s Growth & Size

• Weight: About 6-6.5 pounds (2.7-3 kg), the size of a Swiss Chard Bunch!

• Length: Around 19 inches (48 cm) from head to heel.

• Your baby is gaining about ½ ounce (14 g) per day, adding fat for warmth and energy.

Development & Features

• Lungs: Developed enough to breathe air, though they continue maturing.

• Brain: Still making critical connections; much of brain growth happens in the last weeks before birth.

• Skin: Plumper and smoother as fat builds underneath.

• Vernix & lanugo: The protective vernix caseosa (creamy coating) and fine hair (lanugo) are mostly shed, though traces may remain at birth.

• Reflexes: Strong sucking and swallowing reflexes are in place, preparing your baby for feeding.

• Movements: You should still feel regular activity, often more rolling and stretching as space gets tight.

Position

• Most babies are head down now.

• If this is your first pregnancy, the baby may start to drop into the pelvis (lightening), making breathing easier but increasing pelvic pressure.

Immune System

• Antibodies from you are still being transferred through the placenta, boosting your baby’s ability to fight infections after birth.

Key Point

Although babies born at 37 weeks are usually healthy, doctors prefer they stay in the womb a little longer if possible—those last couple of weeks are important for brain and lung development.