At last, you're into the home stretch. You may be experiencing all sorts of conflicting emotions. On the one hand you're eager to hold your baby in your arms. On the other, you can’t help but wonder what kind of mum you’ll make. Cold feet may be setting in.

So far, your day-to-day concerns haven’t been about labour and birth, but now, the reality of getting that baby out of your body is an inevitable fact. Suddenly, friends and family and acquaintances tell you sensationalised birth stories. Advice is everywhere, and there is nowhere to hide. How could you possibly hide with a belly the size of Mount Everest, anyway?

The third trimester has its shares of aches and pains. Still, you manage to decorate the nursery. With birth pending, you suddenly feel the need to complete old projects, and get the house in ship-shape for Junior.

Speaking of which, the little one, now at 29 weeks, weighs two pounds and nine ounces and is 13¾ inches long. His or her lungs have been busy creating surfactant, a substance needed for breathing. If born today, your baby’s lungs would probably be able to work on their own; however, the last few weeks are important for the finishing touches of lung development.

By 32 weeks, your baby measures 15¼ inches long and weighs three pounds twelve ounces. Brain development is rapid. The eyes can now track movement and the irises respond to light and dark. The baby may move and sleep in more definable patterns, thanks to visual clues from outside light that filters in through the uterus.

Relaxin, a pregnancy hormone, is responsible for softening the hip joints. As a result, you may catch yourself waddling. Also, the large uterus throws your posture off, causing you to have a slight swayback appearance. This can cause backaches throughout the final trimester if posture goes unchecked.

By 35 weeks, you baby weighs about five pounds and measures 16½ inches long, although height and weight variations are more common now. From this point on, your baby will gain about half a pound a week. The survival rate, if your child were born today, soars to 99 percent.

Suddenly, you have a lot of decisions to make. If you have decided on a home birth, is it still advisable? Will you breastfeed or bottle-feed? Would you like to avoid an episiotomy? Under what conditions would you consider an induction? Does a natural, drug-free birth appeal to you? By the time you read up on all this, you may feel overwhelmed. No wonder you can’t seem to be able to work out what to pack in your hospital bag.

There are many factors that can alter your vision of the perfect birth. That’s why it is a good idea to look into birth plans. Discussing labour issues with your doctor or midwife can help you to end up with a more ideal birth. However, always remember that the ultimate safety of mother and child must outweigh any decisions made before labour.

Towards the end of your pregnancy, you may be concerned with a decrease in foetal activity. While this is usually normal, due to less room in the uterus, it’s a good idea to tell your doctor or midwife at once if you notice a sudden decrease in movement. Your doctor may evaluate your baby’s well-being through an external foetal monitor.

You may find that your weight gain slows at the end. Often, your weight may decrease before labour. Despite this, your baby still gains rapidly. By 37 weeks, your baby weighs six pounds and measures 17½ inches, head to toe.

Up until now, your baby has been covered with fine hair, called lanugo, and a creamy substance that protects its skin, called vernix. Both begin to disappear. The baby actually swallows some of this, and it is stored in the bowels. This meconium will be released during the days following the birth.

As you get closer to your due date, fears about labour and delivery are common. Will you be in pain? Will the labour go on for days? Or will you be one of the luckier ones? Actually, the ideal length of labour, for both mum and baby, is between 11 and 15 hours. The average length of first time labour falls into this ideal by lasting approximately 12 to 14 hours. Usually, the longest part of labour, getting to three centimetres dilated, occurs during the first nine hours when contractions aren’t closely spaced together or very intense.

By your due date, levels of amniotic fluid begin to decrease. Your baby weighs about seven and a half pounds, although some babies can weigh as much as three pounds more or three pounds less. Your baby is likely to measure 20 or 21 inches from head to toe.

At last you are prepared for the birth. You mark off the calendar as your due date approaches ... and passes you by. For the vast majority of women, labour occurs naturally before the 42nd week. More common in first pregnancies, overdue babies need to be monitored closely. If the womb environment becomes inadequate, the mother may be induced or a caesarean may be recommended.

The final trimester is an exciting time. Despite the aches and pains of a normal third trimester, you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a glorious moment when, after nine long months, your newborn is handed over to you. The baby opens his or her eyes to be welcomed by a very tired, but exhilarated, new mummy.