Pregnant: What happens in week 40 of pregnancy

Your baby's development in the 40th week of pregnancy

Final preparations:Your baby is completely ready to be born in the 40th week of pregnancy. To make the start easier,it is now storing fluid reserves,with which it can bridge the time until the milk comes in. Although the colostrum is already very nutritious, the portions are still relatively small at first. The liver is now storing more starch, which the body converts into glucose and thus energy after birth.

How big will your baby be?Your baby's length growth has slowed considerably in recent weeks.Your child has grown individually and gained weight.The development of your little human depends on many factors and is always exactly right,as long as your child is healthy.How big and heavy it is can only be determined for certain by your doctor after birth, since for some time it no longer fits completely on the ultrasound image.

Some skull bones are still not fused:With a considerable circumference of around 35 cm, your baby's head circumference is the largest part of the baby's body. So that its head can fit through the birth canal, the individual skull bones are not yet fused together. During birththe bones probably shift a little,so that the head circumference is reduced for delivery. Some children therefore are born with a"crooked" little headwhen they are born,the shape of which usually corrects itself on its own in the first days of life.

Amount of amniotic fluid decreases:In the 40th week of pregnancy your baby is so big that ituses every centimeter in the uterus and keeps displacing the amniotic fluid.During examinations it is now checked whether the amount of fluid is still sufficient to protect and supply your child. As soon as this is no longer the case, labor will be induced.

What can be seen on the ultrasound image?

In the 40th week of pregnancy your baby isabout 51 to 52 cmso big that it has to bend its arms and legs as much as possible to still fit in your belly. With itsaround 3,400 gramsit has probably reached its average birth weight. For some time now, the size and weight of your child have also been noticeable on the ultrasound image, because it isno longer fully visible.This will surely increase your curiosity about your little one even more.

Physical changes – what happens to the mother in week 40 of pregnancy?

The desire for the birth grows stronger:Since the38th week of pregnancy you have been prepared for it to start at any moment. With the calculated due date at the end of the 40th week of pregnancy, many women now feel in themselvesa very strong desire to hold their baby in their arms.Many simply have no more desire for thepregnancy. Even if you like to look back on the past ten months, it's slowly time to get rid of the baby bump and welcome your little one. Maybe you also feel this weekan increase in signs of labor: stronger Braxton Hicks contractions, diarrhea, or increased pressure on your pelvic floor. Then you will hopefully soon have made it and your child can enter the world.

Birth positions: How will my baby be born?

Schwangerschaft 40 SSW | Schwangere Frau mit Tochter lächelnd und Blick auf das Display während der Schwangerschaftsuntersuchung im Krankenhaus

There are numerous positions in which a woman can give birth. The motto is: try them out. During your childbirth preparation course your midwife has certainlypresented some options –hands-and-knees position, on your side, squatting, or standing.You can try all of these during labor and see which position you feel most comfortable in.

Standing position:Giving birth while standing or squatting causes the least pain for most women and can even shorten labor. With the help of gravity your baby moves more easily through the birth canal and doesn't have to take such sharp turns as, for example, when sitting. Because giving birth while standing can be very tiring over time, many delivery rooms have a rope or cloth attached to the ceiling that you can hold onto or even hang from. Your birthing companion can also support you.

Sitting position:Many women find giving birth while sitting comfortable because they can lean on their partner. In addition, you can also sit on a birthing stool or a birthing ball.

Hands-and-knees position:For this position you get on your knees and hands. If you prefer to rest your arms on your partner's lap, that is also possible.

Supported side-lying position:In this position the woman lies on her side and supports herself with her arms. This reduces the downward pressure.

This is how you naturally get labor going in week 40 of pregnancy

If in the 40th week of pregnancy you are impatiently waiting for the contractions to get stronger, you can try to coax yourbaby into the world with natural methods.Ask your midwife what she can recommend. Also theconsultation with your doctoris advisable.Light physical activity, warm baths, nipple stimulation or abdominal massagesare well-known home remedies. Sexual intercourse can also help promote contractions, as the release of the hormone oxytocin is increased during intercourse. This also stimulates contractions in the uterus. As much as you hope for it, don't forget:Home remedies only help if your baby is truly ready.Until it decides to come into the world, unfortunately you will still have to be patient.

For the 41st week of pregnancy