Week 30 of Pregnancy

Your body shape isn't an indication of whether you'll have an easy birth. The size of your hips is not always a good indication of the size of your pelvis so having slender hips doesn't mean you'll have a difficult birth, and having larger "child-bearing" hips doesn't mean you'll have an easier birth.

What is known is that, although how big your child will be is determined genetically, women have an extra influence on the size of their babies while they are in the uterus. So, even if your child ends up growing to 6 ft (1.80 m) tall, if you're small you'll limit how big she gets in the uterus. This makes sense-if you're small, you wouldn't be able to deliver a hefty 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby, so your body limits the baby's size at delivery. Your baby will then catch up on her expected growth after the birth.

There's a condition called cephalo-pelvic disproportion in which the baby is too big or the pelvis is too small for the baby to engage. An MRI scan will be performed to get exact measurements.

After giving birth, your body will spring back into shape overnight; you'll be bursting with energy and raring to go. That's one scenario! The other – more realistic – possibility is that you'll find yourself struggling to get breast-feeding established and to brush your teeth before lunch time. If you don't like living in a mess, act now to prevent resentment (and the laundry) from building up in a few months' time.

• Talk to your partner now about how you're going to split the chores once you're parents.
• Your "job" will be to nurture your newborn, so you'll need domestic backup, if possible, particularly during the first few weeks. Recruit helpers (family and friends; or pay professionals if needed). Delegate so that you won't have to think about shopping, cooking, or cleaning.
• New parents need their own space, so it's never too early to arrange for some babysitters for a few weeks after the birth. If you're breast-feeding, you'll need to express your milk.