38weeks

 

Can you tell if you're carrying a boy or a girl? One hint may come from the size of your baby - boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls. Babies at week 39 weigh about 6.8 to 7 pounds/ 3 to 3.2 kilograms and continue to build the fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth. Your little one's organ systems are fully developed and in place, but the lungs will be last to reach maturity. (Even after your baby is born, it may take a few hours before she establishes a normal breathing pattern.)

Wondering what colour your baby's eyes will be? Most African and Asian babies usually have dark grey or brown eyes at birth - their dark eyes becoming a true brown or black after the first six months or year. Multiracial children often turn out to have the most beautiful coloured eyes. Most Caucasian babies are born with dark blue eyes and their true eye colour - be it brown, green or blue - may not reveal itself for weeks or months. The colour of your baby's eyes in the first minutes after birth won't last - exposure to light changes a baby's initial eye colour.

Have a look at our newborn section to learn all about the precious load you are carrying.

• Note: Experts say every baby develops differently - even in utero. These fetal development pages are designed to give a general idea of how a fetus grows in the womb.