As you enter the last days of pregnancy, you will notice that your baby' s growth is slowing down . This phenomenon is completely understandable, as with each day the available space in the womb decreases. Your little one is preparing to enter the world and adapting to the limited space for movement. 

Despite the slightly slower growth in physical size, brain development continues unabated. Your baby's brain continues to grow and will continue to do so for the first few years of his or her life. The ability to learn and adapt begins as early as the womb and continues as a fascinating process through early childhood.

childbirth: a collaboration between you and your baby

Did you know that it is your baby who determines when you will labor? Your baby secretes the stress hormone cortisol, which enters your bloodstream via the placenta. your bloodstream. Influenced by that cortisol, your hormones go to work. go to work and the contractions start. Labor can begin!

​dilation: the start of your labor

Did your water break? Then you will soon be experiencing dilation contractions. During pregnancy, the uterus is closed by the cervix. the cervix. During the dilation contractions, it flattens and thins out and the cervix opens. Contractions are painful contractions of the uterus that will rapidly increase in strength. On average, dilation progresses at one centimeter per hour, yet that doesn't necessarily mean your labor will take ten hours.