Week 40 – Mero Momma

Week 40

Get ready to say hello to your baby!

Overview of that week

Enjoy the last weeks of pregnancy with your baby by talking to them and taking a ton of pictures. Believe us, you will miss being pregnant once you deliver. Go on walks which will also keep your body active and help with restlessness.

You could pop anytime and your doctor will be ready making sure that everything is okay. If you don’t deliver your baby even by the end of week 41, your doctor might want to induce labor to make sure that your baby is safe.

Baby development

On an average the baby weighs about 3.5 kilograms and is about 20 inches in height at 40 weeks. You will get to know the actual weight and height of your baby after the birth. Not all babies are born on the due date so expect some delay or preterm labor.

When you first meet your baby, they will be covered in a mixture of blood, vernix, lanugo and amniotic fluid. Your baby might not be able to see you very clearly right after birth but will surely recognize your and your partner’s voice. So, make sure to say “Hello” and talk to your baby to make them feel safe and at home.

Body changes in mother

Sleep problems

Your nasal passage has become dry due to the increase in uterus. This might cause you to have a stuffy nose, causing problems when you are trying to sleep. Not only that but your own weight might feel too heavy when you are trying to sleep. Sleeping can be extremely uncomfortable and the chances of you putting pressure on the nerves is extremely high. As a result of that, you might get leg cramps, or shortness of breath. Try to find a comfortable position to sleep in which doesn’t put as much pressure on your body.

Heartburn

Your baby is big enough to put a lot of pressure on your stomach as well as your digestive tracts. Along with that an increase in progesterone might cause you to have heartburns and acid reflux once you eat. So, it is recommended that you eat in small amounts with time interval so that you don’t overburden your stomach at once.

Shortness of breath

The growing belly has put pressure on your stomach and sometimes this might extend to putting pressure on your diaphragm. This can make you feel like you are out of breath even when you aren’t doing heavy exercises. If this happens when you are trying to sleep, try to change your position and sleep on higher pillows so that you can breathe more easily.

Signs of early labor

Onset of labor this week or by the end of the next week. At the onset of labor, you will experience a water break releasing the water of the amniotic fluid as well as contractions. Watch out for the start of labor and contact your care provider as soon as you feel these signs arise:

Regular contractions.
Your mucus plug comes off.
You have cramps and backaches.
Water breaks.
Your cervix starts to dilate.

What should you do and don’t

You can still talk to and bond with your baby
Watch out for the start of contractions and contact your care provider as soon as you can.
Focus on breathing exercises and take the help of your partner to help you relax when you feel any contractions.
Take a warm shower and bath when the contractions start as they can relieve the pain.
Take the help of pregnancy pillows when you are trying to sleep.
Once your labor starts, try not to panic and follow your birth plan as much as you can. Try not to freak out if things don’t go according to the plan. Your doctor will guide you as needed.
You don’t have to worry too much if your labor doesn’t start by now or on your due date. Your doctor will assist you if you have a delayed labor and also artificially induce it if necessary.