8 months pregnant: the hospital bag, maternity leave and final check-ups

The bag sits half-packed in a corner of the bedroom, the office is wishing you a happy maternity leave, and every time the phone rings, someone asks "so, when's it due?". At 8 months pregnant, the birth is getting close for real. Baby, meanwhile, is filling out.

This month, everything revolves around three things: the final check-ups, maternity leave and the hospital bag. Here are the landmarks to face the last few weeks calmly.

How many weeks is 8 months pregnant?

The 8th month runs from 32 weeks and 3 days to 36 weeks and 5 days, which is 30 to 34 and a half weeks after conception. It ends just before 37 weeks, the threshold from which a baby is considered born at full term.

Weeks of pregnancy are counted from the first day of your last period (written "SA" by Moroccan and French doctors). If your doctor has given you a due date, that is the one used to plan your leave: our article on calculating your due date explains why it can vary by a week.

What is happening to baby in the 8th month?

According to the UK's NHS:

• between 32 and 36 weeks, baby gains nearly 1 kg of fat, which will help them stay warm after birth;
• at 34 weeks, baby measures about 45 cm from head to heel and lies curled up, legs folded against the chest;
• at 36 weeks, they reach about 47.4 cm; their lungs are probably mature enough to breathe without help, and they can suck and digest breast milk.

Many babies drop into the pelvis during this month: the head is said to "engage". That does not mean labour is imminent; there may still be weeks to go. Despite the lack of space, you should keep feeling baby move as usual.

Symptoms at 8 months pregnant

• Breathing sometimes gets easier, and heartburn eases, when baby drops and frees up room higher up.
• In exchange, your bladder is squashed: frequent trips to the toilet, small leaks when you laugh or cough.
• Walking gets harder, your pelvis and back ache.
• Your bump often tightens, painlessly: practice contractions.
• Your breasts may leak drops of colostrum, a yellowish fluid.
• Weight gain speeds up: the NHS puts it at about 450 g a week between weeks 32 and 36.

At night, keep going to sleep on your side. For everything else, our solutions are in the article on common pregnancy complaints.

The final check-ups in the 8th month

In France, the 8th month brings three appointments: the 6th antenatal examination, the third scan (baby's position, where the placenta lies) and the anaesthetist's consultation, when the epidural is discussed. The WHO plans contacts at around 34 and 36 weeks. In the United Kingdom, the midwife checks baby's position at 36 weeks by feeling your tummy.

In Morocco, ask your gynaecologist:

1. whether an anaesthetist's consultation is planned before your due date, and where it takes place;
2. whether a vaginal swab for group B strep is done; the NHS points out that most newborn infections caused by this bacterium can be prevented;
3. which maternity unit will take you, and which entrance to use at night.

Our article on the epidural helps you prepare for the anaesthetist's visit, and the one on choosing a maternity unit in Morocco lists the questions to ask the team.

Maternity leave in Morocco

If you are employed in the private sector, your maternity leave lasts 14 weeks (98 days), in principle 7 before and 7 after the birth (Labour Code, article 152). It therefore starts at around 33 or 34 weeks, depending on the due date set. During your leave, the CNSS (Morocco's national social security fund) pays 100% of your average salary, up to 6,000 dirhams a month, provided you have contributed for at least 54 days in the previous 10 months. These rules were in force in October 2026; check them with your CNSS office. The paperwork and steps are detailed in our article on maternity leave and CNSS benefit.

The hospital bag: time to close it

The NHS lists the bag among the things to do at 36 weeks, with one simple tip: write down the maternity unit's number and key contacts somewhere easy to grab. Pack these first:

• paperwork: pregnancy records, test results, scan reports, ID, health insurance card;
• for you: nightdress or loose clothing, maternity pads, comfortable knickers, toiletries;
• for baby: bodysuits, sleepsuits, a hat, socks, a blanket and the going-home outfit.

From the shop

The hospital bag and baby's first outfit

A bag with compartments so you are not hunting for anything on the big day, and a soft sleepsuit for going home: a selection at a range of prices, to adapt to the season.

• −48 %Pasito a PasitoElodie maternity bag, blue – Pasito a Pasito676 DHinstead of 1 300 DHView product
• −48 %Pasito a PasitoMiel maternity bag, grey – Pasito a Pasito728 DHinstead of 1 400 DHView product
• −48 %Pasito a PasitoNido Volante maternity bag, blue – Pasito a Pasito780 DHinstead of 1 500 DHView product
• −74 %Pureté du bébéEssentials velvet sleepsuit, girl, 1 month, beige, model 216 – Pureté du bébé164 DHinstead of 630 DHView product
• −74 %Pureté du bébéEssentials velvet sleepsuit, girl, 1 month, white – Pureté du bébé203 DHinstead of 780 DHView product
• Mac IlusionTenderness 3-piece christening outfit, white, size 3 months – Mac Ilusion500 DHView product
• −21 %DoomooFlowly postpartum and period underwear, Black, L/XL/2XL – Doomoo355 DHinstead of 450 DHView product
• The whole aisle · Maternity bags12 products online, delivered anywhere in Morocco.Open the aisle

Products sold by La Maison du Bébé, publisher of this magazine. Prices as of 12 October 2026; please check the product page.

A maternity bag with compartments lets you keep your things separate from baby's and find everything with one hand. Before the month is out, also reread the signs that labour is starting.