Pregnancy – Month 9

This is it, the last month of your third trimester. Everything from here feels like the final countdown, and it's normal for that to bring a mix of feelings all at once.

Physical changes you might notice

Everything from Month 7 and Month 8 can still apply, often more intensely. Fetal movement is strong and easy to feel now, vaginal discharge tends to get heavier, and some women notice small amounts of leaking urine, especially when laughing, coughing, or sneezing. Constipation and lower back pain often get worse, breathing can feel more labored as your baby takes up more room, and Braxton Hicks contractions usually pick up in both frequency and intensity.

Emotional changes you might notice

Anxiety about labor and your baby's safety is common here, right alongside genuine excitement that the wait is almost over. Nesting instincts often kick in hard around now, don't be surprised if you suddenly want to organize every drawer in the nursery. At the same time, it's completely normal to start wondering if this pregnancy is ever going to end.

Appetite changes

Appetite stays similar to Month 8. Somewhere in this window, usually between 36 and 37 weeks, your doctor will also test you for group B strep, a common bacteria that's harmless to you but can make a newborn seriously ill if it's not caught ahead of time. If you test positive, you'll simply get antibiotics through an IV during labor, which works well to protect your baby.

The inside story

Your baby is about a foot long and weighs close to five pounds by the end of this month, roughly the size of a head of romaine lettuce. Brain development is speeding up now, and your baby can likely see and hear. Most other systems are well developed at this point, though the lungs are often still finishing up. If born now, survival chances are excellent, current data puts babies born in this window at nearly 100 percent, with outcomes close to a full term baby, though some may still need a short hospital stay for observation.

Sleep and energy

Same as Month 8, and shortness of breath can make sleep even trickier now. Propping yourself up with pillows helps, or consider a dedicated pregnancy pillow if you don't already have one.

Easing the stress

Walking and gentle movement, childbirth classes, and staying close with your partner all still help here. For Braxton Hicks contractions, try lying down and relaxing, or getting up and walking around, whichever feels better in the moment. A warm bath can help too, just make sure the water isn't hot. This is also a good month to firm up your hospital plans and wrap up anything left at work.

Special risks worth knowing about

Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, covered in Month 7, are still worth watching for, and so is preterm labor if you haven't reached 37 weeks yet. Two less common but serious conditions become more relevant this month too. Placenta previa is when the placenta covers part or all of the cervix, affecting roughly 1 in 200 pregnancies, and it's usually caught on ultrasound well before it causes problems. Placental abruption, where the placenta separates from the uterus before delivery, is less common still, affecting around 1 in 100 pregnancies, and it needs prompt medical attention.

Want to see how far your baby's come? Our ultrasound images page has real examples from around this stage. For more on the two conditions above, Cleveland Clinic explains placenta previa and placental abruption in plain language. When you're ready, Month 10 continues the countdown to delivery.