Development of the Baby
The 8-month-old baby is so conscious in the womb that she prepares for birth. She is probably now turned upside down (cephalic position) so that she can easily get out of the womb. If it still hasn’t turned upside down this month, it could turn upside down in a few weeks. Some expectant mothers express that they feel their babies turn upside down. Approximately 96percent of babies turn upside down until birth. The face of the baby, who turns upside down and takes the birth position, should face back in recent weeks (anterior position). This posture is also advantageous in terms of cesarean surgeries.
In the 8-month-old baby, the brain and nervous systems are fully developed. Brain cells continue to increase.
In the 8th month of pregnancy, fine hairs (lanugo) on the baby’s skin continue to fall out. The Verniks Kazeoza layer, a thick, pasty, white and oily structure that has been forming on the surface of the skin for weeks, provides temperature control of the body and protects the baby’s skin from the acidic environment of the amniotic fluid. At the same time, there is the task of facilitating the passage of the baby through the birth canal at birth. In natural birth practices, it is ensured that the vernix layer remains on the babies’ skin for a while after birth, that is, the baby is not washed immediately. Thus, it is ensured that this oily layer continues to keep and nourish the baby’s skin during the adaptation to the outside world. In the first bath in the hospital, some of the varnish should be washed so that it remains on the baby’s skin.
“At 35 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s skull bones are still soft, even if they continue to harden. The skull bones have not yet come together. There are soft tissues called fontanels between them. This soft area in the baby’s skull is called the fontanelle, and the complete closure and hardening of these tissues will only occur until the baby is 1-1.5 years old.
The soft bones of the skull make it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal.”
At 8 months of pregnancy, the baby’s first black poop, called meconium, continues to accumulate in its large intestines. Until birth, babies usually don’t do this poop. Baby pooping in the womb may pose a health risk. If such a thing is noticed, the doctor’s decisions must be strictly followed.
8 Month Baby Moves
Your baby's space is tight, but it still continues its vigorous movements between naps. You can also feel their hiccups. At 8 months, if your baby's head is turned down, you will feel the buttocks under your stomach once in a while. Some expectant mothers say that they feel the pressure of their baby's feet and fingers very clearly during these weeks.
Ultrasound Image
Only a few weeks left for his/her lungs to fully develop. In the meantime, your baby continues to make breathing movements by regularly swallowing amniotic fluid. You can see this breathing movement in the 8-month-old baby image.
You can also see in the ultrasound images that your baby continues to suck her/his thumb or other fingers at eight months of pregnancy. This allows her/him to develop the sucking muscles that she/he will need to be able to suckle her/his mother’s breast after birth. The suction reflex will be fully developed at the beginning of the 9th month. For this reason, babies born before the 8th month may have some difficulty while breastfeeding.
Your babies may not have turned upside down during the 8-month twin pregnancy. Or one might be upside down, the other might be standing sideways. It is advantageous for normal birth if both have turned down. If both are standing on the side, it may be more ideal to have a cesarean delivery. If everything is fine and you want to have a normal birth, you should choose a doctor and midwife who are experts in twin births.
Changes in the Mother's Body
Your groin pain may continue during 8 months of pregnancy. This is due to tension and stretching in the muscles around the uterus due to growth.
You may experience symptoms of preterm labor at 8 months. If your groin pain is accompanied by one or more of the signs of preterm labour, please inform your doctor. (For information on the symptoms of premature birth, Week, for information on causes of premature birth, 31. See our article of the week.)
Points need to be considered
At 8 months of pregnancy, your center of gravity will change as your belly grows, which will restrict your movements. It's best to move slowly with your growing belly. Performing repetitive movements brings unwanted accidents such as loss of balance, falling, spraining of the foot. However, even if we say "You need to move slowly", do not lie down constantly during these periods. Because moving will make it easier for you to give birth. Your actions, though, should be careful and attentive.
Nutrition and Exercise During 8 Months Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your baby gets all the nutrients she needs from you. If you do not eat enough, you may feel tired and weak because your baby will use your reserves. Your weight gain should be between half a kilogram and 1 kilogram per week in the last 3 months. This amount may decrease in recent weeks. Your daily calorie intake may be 600-800 calories more than before pregnancy in the last 3 months.
It will not be enough to just pay attention to your diet in order to be fit. You should continue the exercises you have decided with your doctor. In recent weeks, you can reduce the speed and duration of the exercises.
What Can Be Done for a Healthy and Comfortable Sleep During Pregnancy?
At the 8th month of pregnancy, your sleep probably started to be more interrupted. Here are recommendations for a comfortable sleep during pregnancy:
– Do not condemn yourself to inactivity because you are pregnant. If you have the opportunity, get moving, do your exercises regularly and go for a walk,
– Do not sleep too long during your breaks during the day,
- Always try to go to bed at the same time,
– Do not skip your dinner and do not overeat,
– Do not eat heavy foods before going to sleep, as this type of food can make you sleepy. However, if your blood sugar is low, you may not be able to sleep this time. It is best to have a light snack, such as yogurt, before going to bed,
– Restrict your fluid intake in the evening to avoid frequent urination at night. Meet your fluid needs abundantly during the day,
– If you are not sensitive to milk, drinking warm milk 1 hour before sleep allows you to go to sleep and sleep deeply. If you are sensitive to milk, you can also eat 1 bowl of warm yogurt 1 hour before sleep.
– If your sleep is interrupted because you need to go to the toilet frequently at night, be careful not to drink fluids in the evening,
– Don't think about things that worry you before you go to sleep. Share the issues that bother you a lot with your wife in the evening and relax,
- Sleeping with a high pillow or a few pillows overlapping under your head may prevent the reflux problem that may occur at night,
– Practice pregnancy yoga before going to sleep. Meditating after yoga also allows you to sleep deeply and calmly.
Will Your Belly Recover?
At 8 months pregnant, the size of your belly may start to seem unbelievable to you. From birth, both your uterine and abdominal muscles will begin to tighten. You'll have to put some effort into getting your belly back up and tight. Here's what you need to do;
– Do not gain more weight than necessary during pregnancy,
– Moisturize your abdomen by applying natural oils such as almond oil, cocoa butter or coconut oil or blended oils obtained from them every day,
– Perform postpartum puerperal exercises. These exercises will help you if you ask your birth sponsor (midwife or doula) about them.
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