From week 37 your baby is considered early term. Labour could start any day, though most first babies take a little longer.
Your baby this week
- Practice
- Your baby is practising breathing, sucking and grasping.
- Head down
- Most babies are head down by now.
- Ready
- Most organs are ready to work on their own.
What you might notice
- Losing your mucus plug, sometimes with a little blood. Labour may still be days away.
- Stronger Braxton Hicks. How to tell them from contractions.
- Nesting and restlessness.
- Lower back ache that comes and goes.
Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit now if
- Your waters break, or you think they might have
- Your contractions are regular and getting stronger, or you're not sure
- You have bleeding, or your baby's movements have slowed down or changed
- You have a bad headache, blurred vision or sudden swelling
Day or night. If something just feels wrong, that's reason enough to call.
Coming up
Labour could start. Know who to call and when.
Your due date. Most babies arrive within two weeks either side.
Questions to bring to your next appointment
- What's my plan if labour starts at night?
- When should I come in once contractions start?
- What happens if I pass my due date?
For your partner
Keep the bag, the car seat and the phone numbers ready, and know how you'll get there at any hour.
NUGA follows you week by week
Enter your due date once and NUGA knows you're at week 37. The day before each appointment, it gathers what you've noted and the questions to bring.
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This page draws on public guidance from:
General information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different, and your midwife or doctor knows yours. Last updated October 2026.