Baby Dropping: What to Expect at 38 Weeks & What's Normal

Question
My wife is 31, first child and we are due Feb 5th.

Her belly has been hard as a rock for weeks and today the lower region has softened, but the upper has remained very firm. A friend said the baby must have dropped -- is that probably accurate. I am just nervous and want to make sure this is normal.

Answer
At 38 weeks it is quite common for the baby to have dropped down into your pelvix. You are probably feeling the firmness of the baby's back at your fundus. You may start to have Braxton-Hicks contractions as well. These will be tightening of your uterus but only for 30 seconds in length and somewhat irregularly.  Soon you will start to have uterine contractions. When you have contractions every 3 minutes at the level of your belly button (from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next contraction) and each one lasts for a full minute, you probably are in labor. Then, once your cervix has dilated to more than 3cm, you will be admitted into the hospital.  Don't be nervous. When the baby drops, the head of the baby will be pressing on your bladder and you may also notice that you are going to urinate quite frequently (every ten minutes or so). It is all normal. Good Luck.