40 week of pregnancy

At the end of this week, the estimated date of birth. The state of the future mother at the 40th week can be characterized in one word - “expectation”. The baby, whose weight is about 3.5 kg, and height - 48-51 cm, has long been ready for birth. It remains to wait for the moment when he makes happy mom and dad with his appearance.

How many months is this?

Your pregnancy has reached 40 weeks, which means that 38 weeks have passed since the conception of the baby, that is, nine and a half months (on timing and calculation rules).

How the fetus develops

If you are already in your fortieth obstetric week of pregnancy, then your baby is in no hurry to be born. However, all its organs are already developed and ready for full functioning. Now the baby only adds a little weight and stretches in length.

Internal changes

Reflexes have already developed, especially sucking, as you can see immediately after the birth of the baby. The baby is already able to evaluate pictures, as it distinguishes between volumes, colors and is sensitive to brightness and contrast. He is also able to focus his eyes on a point located at a distance of 20 - 30 cm, that is, when feeding, he will see his mother’s native face.

All systems and important organs are fully formed. They are ready to carry out their tasks outside the womb. For example, the intestine is filled with feces, so the baby will empty out on the first or next day after birth. And the respiratory system already allows you to take breaths.

External changes in the fetus

A baby cannot be distinguished from a newborn. His skin has a pleasant light pink tint, and primordial grease can be found only in deep folds of the skin. So nature protected the delicate baby skin from unwanted rubbing. And if the skin on the body of the crumbs is almost devoid of cannon hair, then decent hair can grow on its head.

Since the genitourinary system is formed, the testes of male infants should already descend into the scrotum. The bones of the skull have not yet fused. This will allow the baby head to take a comfortable shape when passing through the birth canal. The bones will heal within a few days after giving birth.

A pregnant woman should take into account that the baby already does not have enough space for numerous somersaults and coups, so he behaves quietly. This allows you to accumulate the strength that he will need during childbirth. After all, not only the mother, but also the child takes an active part in the birth process.

Presentation

The successful passage of the baby through the birth canal depends on the position of the fetus. Correct is the longitudinal position with head presentation. This is how most babies are located in their mother’s tummy before giving birth. The baby's body is grouped, the arms and legs are firmly pressed against the body, and the head is at the exit from the uterus.

However, there are those children who do not want to turn their heads down or even prefer to sit across the belly of their mother. In such cases, doctors prescribe a caesarean section. But if the child, who is in the pelvic presentation, weighs a little, then doctors can also allow natural birth. There are times when children turn over right during childbirth or shortly before they begin.

How is the 40th week of pregnancy for mom

Uterus condition

The uterus is an organ that is actively involved in the birth process, therefore a number of changes occur in it. It is located at a distance of about 16–20 cm from the navel and 36–40 cm from the pubic joint. The most important part of preparing for the baby to comfortably pass through the birth canal is that the cervix becomes shorter and softer, and the cervical canal opens. When the birth begins, it will expand to the required size.

Uterine contractions are carried out more often. This is due to the hormones produced in the female body. They will be responsible for childbirth and milk production after the birth of the baby. The bottom of the uterus sinks more and more, and the baby's head is pressed more and more tightly to the entrance to the small pelvis. Accordingly, the bones and muscles of the pelvis gradually soften, and the ligaments are stretched.

How to know that childbirth is approaching

The fact that you will soon become a mother, you can find out by several signs - the harbingers of childbirth:

• Brexton Hicks Contractions

These are uterine contractions, very similar to the contractions you experienced during your period. Such contractions are also called “false” or “training”. Of course, they are inconvenient and often deprived of full sleep, but they are necessary for the "training" of the uterus before childbirth. Some have false contractions last for several weeks, while others begin one to two days before delivery.

Many pregnant women are afraid to confuse the contractions of Brexton Hicks with the real ones. Therefore, it is important for expectant mothers to know that true labor is longer and stronger. Training fights when walking stop. If contractions occur at shorter time intervals, and their intensity and pain increase, this means that childbirth has begun. (About False Video Fights at the End of the Article)

• Cork mucus discharge

During pregnancy, the mucous plug located at the entrance to the cervix protected your baby from various infections and external influences. Now this substance, which is a yellowish, pinkish or white mucous lump with streaks of blood, should "open" the entrance to the uterus, freeing the baby's path. The mucus plug may exit right in front of the delivery, and may begin to exit two or one weeks before it.

• Amniotic fluid

This is one of the main signals about the beginning of the birth process. When amniotic fluid comes out in a stream, it is difficult to confuse them with something else.But when the water flows in small portions, you can confuse them with ordinary urine, since some mothers at 40 weeks of age suffer from urinary incontinence due to the pressure of the uterus increased several times.

Check if necessary. Amniotic fluid should not have a smell and color, that is, it should be transparent. If you understand that water is leaving you, immediately get ready to the hospital. The baby is about to be born. If the liquid has a greenish tint, you should also consult a doctor, because this can be a sign of infection of the fetus.

• Belly down

Since the child sinks to the pelvic floor, the abdomen sinks with him. There are positive aspects to this. Now the tummy puts much less pressure on the lungs and stomach, making it easier for you to breathe and eat.

• Weight reduction

As a rule, a woman who is in her fortieth week of pregnancy, stops to gain weight or lose it. Preparing for childbirth, the body of the future mother gets rid of excess fluid. This can make you use the toilet more often. At the same time, you may be disturbed not only by frequent urge to urinate, but also by diarrhea.

• Colostrum

On the first day after your birth, your baby will eat colostrum - a liquid with a high protein content. However, this secret begins to be produced by the mammary glands before birth. Colostrum can leave wet marks on clothing, which can be avoided by using special linings sold in pharmacies.

Pain specific to week 40

At this time, the pregnant woman feels awkward due to the huge size of her abdomen. And she is also concerned about various pains:

• pain from training fights, a feeling of "pulling down" and stony stomach;
• back pain, which is mainly concentrated in the lumbar;
• unpleasant sensations in the perineum, periodically turning into pain, arising due to the pressure of the fetal head on the pelvic floor;
• pain in the sacrum, appearing when the femoral nerve is pinched;
• numbness of the extremities due to impaired blood circulation;
• constipation, with the advanced form of which hemorrhoids can occur;
• irritation of greatly stretched skin on the abdomen;
• exacerbation of diseases to which the expectant mother is prone.

At the age of 40, it is already difficult for the expectant mother to move even small distances, and her legs often become numb by the end of the day. Most of the ladies in the position are characterized by a restless sleep, sharp mood swings, suspiciousness and bouts of irritability that arise from little things.

Genital secretions

It is very important to monitor the discharge this week. If you have light discharge that changes slightly throughout the entire period and does not have a sharp unpleasant odor, there is no reason to worry. The output of mucus with red or brownish veins is also considered a norm. This is a mucous plug, the passage of which is one of the precursors of childbirth.

As mentioned above, amniotic fluid may begin to drain. Amniotic fluid is clear and very fluid in consistency. Their appearance means that you have to go to the maternity hospital. If the watery discharge has acquired a yellow or greenish tint, immediately seek medical help.

What should expectant mother know about the 40th week of pregnancy

At this time, the doctor will advise you on planned hospitalization, as the fortieth obstetric week ends with the estimated date of birth.There is a tendency to overshoot the baby, which consists in the fact that an aging placenta may not provide adequate nutrition for the fetus. And in the hospital, it is much easier for the medical staff to observe the degree of placenta maturity, your health and the condition of the fetus.

Risks at 40 obstetric week

During this period, every woman in a position can "wait" for certain dangers:

• the possibility of detachment of the placenta;
• preeclampsia - a disease characterized by high blood pressure and a high value of protein in the urine, and which, if untreated, can go into a more dangerous condition - eclampsia, which threatens the health of the mother and baby;
• lack of oxygen (fetal hypoxia);
• aging of the placenta, which can no longer fully support the vital activity of the child;
• infectious diseases.

A pregnant woman should be attentive to any significant changes in her health, because they can serve as signs of a threat to her and her baby. At the same time, do not worry too much with every slightest ailment.

You need to see a doctor immediately if:

• increased blood pressure;
• there were dizziness, severe headache, "flies" in front of the eyes;
• the child is "silent" for half a day;
• swelling of the face and limbs suddenly appeared;
• the waters have departed;
• you find blood on your panties;
• regular and prolonged contractions arose;
• vision sharply became blurry.

Intimate life

Yes, at this time, many couples lead an active sex life. And there is nothing to worry about if the doctor did not prohibit intimate relationships. Pick up postures in which there is no pressure on the stomach. Sometimes a doctor may even recommend that you have sex with your partner, because thanks to the presence of prostaglandins, male sperm softens the cervix, and an orgasm experienced by a woman increases the tone of the uterus, which leads to stimulation of labor.

However, it is worthwhile to suspend an intimate life if the partner is infected. Contraindication is the cork discharge, which no longer protects the uterus from possible infections. In any case, act in accordance with the doctor’s instructions.

What examinations you need to pass

You, as usual, will be expected at the antenatal clinic. There they will check a previously passed general urine test, measure blood pressure, abdominal size, palpation check the extremities for swelling and determine the weight of your body. The obstetrician will measure the height of the bottom of the uterus and listen to how your baby’s heart beats. This is the minimum action necessary to monitor the condition of the pregnant woman.

Cardiotocography (CTG) will help you check your child’s heart function. With the help of CTG, the doctor learns about the heart rate, body movements of the fetus and the condition of the uterus. If required, you can do CTG daily. This is an important examination that helps to eliminate deviations in the development of the child.

Ultrasound at 40 obstetric weeks is not uncommon. Particular attention in this examination is given to the condition of the placenta, otherwise you can miss the moment of its dysfunction, which threatens with hypoxia. In addition, an ultrasound examination will help to once again clarify the size of the fetus, the possibility of entwining the umbilical cord, the state of amniotic fluid and the position that the baby took in her mother’s tummy.

What should be done at the 40th week

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1. Do not miss the scheduled visits to the obstetrician-gynecologist. At this time, it is very important to monitor the condition of the fetus, even if you have excellent health.
2. Once again, make an audit in the package that you will take with you to the hospital, check if there are enough children's things there. Make sure that all the necessary documents, including the exchange card, are ready, carry them with you. Remember that childbirth can start at a party or even at a store.
3. To avoid stretch marks, do not forget to moisturize the skin of the abdomen, chest and hips. Take advantage special creams or vegetable oil, for example, wheat germ oil.
4. Take time to relax.Explain to your family that some things can wait, but soon you will need strength. Resting, do what brings you only positive emotions. A great solution is to remember your abandoned hobby.
5. Control your diet. Food should be light and give enough energy. Divide your meal into 5 to 6 meals per day. Sweet, flour, too fat and fried is allowed only in small quantities. On the "feed" your baby, otherwise it will be difficult for you to give birth to him.
6. Focus on fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy-free cereals and dairy products. This will help to avoid constipation. Do not abuse salt, as it retains fluid in the body, which leads to swelling. Drink pure water, green tea, fruit drinks and dried fruit compotes.
7. Despite the fact that you yourself need support, pay attention to your loved ones. It is not easy for husbands to feel the reality of what is happening, and children may suffer from a lack of your attention.
8. If you, like most women at this time, have a sense of "nesting", do not get too laborious. It is possible for the fifth time to sort out children's little things and rearrange small objects in the children's room.
9. Distribute family responsibilities. While you are lying with the baby in the hospital, the husband can prepare the apartment for your arrival. Children can also provide all possible assistance.
10. Read the literature on childbirth. This will not only help you to be prepared when you play your baby in the light, but also make you more relaxed during this process.
11. The pregnant woman is frightened by thoughts about the future and a natural fear of childbirth. Friends and relatives who are constantly interested in when you finally give birth can contribute to a bad mood. Therefore, communicate with those close to you who understand and support you. Direct thoughts in a positive direction. Remember that you still have to give birth, and anxiety and insomnia are bad helpers in this matter.

What to do if childbirth does not begin

The constant companion of a woman who is pregnant at the 40th week is the fear of “overriding” the fetus. Therefore, many begin to think about how to cause or accelerate childbirth. But if you are under the supervision of a doctor, do not worry too much. Doctors themselves recommend starting the labor process closer to next week. It is believed that pregnancy lasts 40 obstetric weeks.

The duration of pregnancy depends on the date of ovulation, the duration of the cycle and other factors. In addition, the date of birth established by the doctor is only approximate, since the egg could be fertilized several days later on the estimated date of conception. Also, the expectant mother could confuse the date of the last menstruation. Therefore, the birth of a child between 38 and 42 weeks is considered the norm.

There are various methods of labor induction:

• medical: the introduction of medicines (mefipristone, prostaglandins, etc.), mechanical, planned amniotomy (opening the amniotic fluid);
• methods used at home: active sex, stimulation of the nipples, the use of herbal and laxative drugs.

In the fortieth week, you may be assigned to stimulate labor for certain indications, for example, with polyhydramnios and multiple pregnancy. Delivery is also carried out in a situation where the water has already departed, and the contractions do not begin. The doctor takes into account possible contraindications to this procedure, such as some chronic diseases in the mother, diabetes mellitus and others.

Soon you will become the mother of a daughter or son. In the meantime, do not rush things and enjoy the last free days, because after the birth you will not have much free time.

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