Are you a 40 week pregnant? This might be last week of your pregnancy.
Your baby is almost getting ready to born and is full term now.
When you are 40 weeks pregnant, keep in mind that you can have labor pains at anytime.
Your baby may or may not be engaged into the pelvis.
It will depend on whether you are pregnant for the first time or this is your repeated pregnancy.
If you are pregnant for the first time, it may take one more week for you to give birth to your child. You are not considered to be “post-due†until you pass forty-two weeks of pregnancy.
On an average 96% of the women will give birth to a child two weeks before or two weeks after the due date. Only some women will have delivery on their due date. Do not worry if your baby does not come out this week, as “due date†is just an estimated date.
At your 40 week pregnant, your baby will be around 20 inches long and weighs up to 7.5 pounds. Most of the babies will be in the ideal position with the head lying down and back against your abdomen.
In your 40 week pregnant, your baby blinks, closes eyes, responds to sound, turns head, and grasps firmly. Baby’s immunity system is still immature and receives antibodies through placenta. After birth, your baby will get antibodies through your breast milk.
Most of the lanugo will disappear, but some will remain on the shoulders, ears, and particularly in the folds. During this time, most of vernix also disappears. Almost fifteen percent of the body will be fat. The baby’s chest will stick out.
Almost all parts of the body will be formed and your baby has less space in the uterus to move around, so the baby might be thinking of coming out into this world.
During 40 week pregnant, your belly size will remain the same, as it was in the previous week. You may find difficult to move around in this fortieth week. It is difficult for you to have a good sleep, as it is difficult for you to find a good position to sleep.
During this time, keep yourself relaxed all the time and take rest as much as possible. Follow the suggestions given by your caregiver. If you feel that you are about to have labor, do not eat anything because anything in your stomach will cause you to have nausea.
In some cases, the amniotic sac breaks down some hours before you started to get labor. In such cases, call your doctor and get admitted in the hospital as soon as possible as your baby will be in distress.
On the other hand, if your doctor feels that your pregnancy is long enough, he may suggest you to have induction. Induction is an artificial method to have labor pains.
Be alert during your 40 week pregnant as your baby can give entry to this new world at anytime.
