Still pregnant? If this is your first baby the chances are high you will not deliver right on your due date and in fact, are more likely to go a little overdue. Even if you are 100% sure of your dates, this is no guarantee that you will deliver when you've been advised. Try to be open minded and confident that your baby will know when it is ready to be born. Every baby will take their own unique time to grow and be ready for extra uterine life. Although you may be feeling increasingly impatient and eager to have your baby, try not to wish this time away. At least while your baby is still in your uterus, all of its needs are being catered for and your workload is not as high as it will be.
Oh, was that what I think it was?
Every little twinge is likely to make you sit up and take notice when you are 39 weeks pregnant. You ll ask yourself if what you are feeling could possibly be contractions or early labour pains. Many women find it hard to tell if they are going into early labour and seek reassurance from their maternity care provider sometime in their 39th week of pregnancy. Don t feel as if you are being a nuisance if you need to contact them. You will be having weekly checks by now so this will be an ideal time to have your questions answered. Make a list if your brain isn t as retentive as you d like it to be, or ask your partner to remind you.
Gosh, you look ready to pop!
People will be asking you now, more than ever, when the baby is due for childbirth. You ll attract all sorts of comments, often from complete strangers who can seem genuinely interested, or just plain curious about how you are going. If you still feel like venturing out, be prepared for some curiosity as well as empathy from women who've been where you are. It's okay to be evasive about when you are due. Not everyone needs to know precise details and repeating the same thing over and over can be very tiring.
Your physical changes this week
- As well as all the other changes you've undergone in the last nine months, you may have noticed you're generally more hairy. Stray hairs may have erupted on your face, your back and even your nipples. Don t hesitate in removing them if you want to. Many pregnant women maintain their usual waxing appointments with their beautician. Having a pubic wax pre-labour is a common request for many women. Don t worry - hair removal won t hurt the baby, only you!
- Your eyes may feel dry and as if they have sand in them. This is because the shape of your eyeballs has changed in response to the extra fluid circulating around your body. The tears which normally lubricate the outer surface of your eye can t follow their usual route and slide down your cheek instead. Keep a tissue handy and some lubricating eye drops if they are really irritating you, but just to be on the safe side, check with a pharmacist before using any eye drops even if they are non prescription.
- You may not gain weight from now on, but the baby will be. It's still laying down fat stores underneath its skin to assist with insulation once it is born. Young babies have immature temperature regulating mechanisms in their brains so they need a reasonable buffer to insulate themselves and their vital organs.
Your emotional changes this week
- You may feel a little on edge this week, as if you are in a holding pattern just waiting for the signal to go ahead. You won t want to stray too far from home and will want to time your outings to not be too long and elaborate. You ll probably work out plans with your partner which you feel cover most of the possibilities, but still, there may be doubt in your mind if you have left something out.
- If you haven t had much to do with babies before it can all seem a bit daunting. Look back over photos of yourself and your partner when you were both babies and have some fun picking out the characteristics which you d like to see in your own baby and those you d prefer not to. For those who've had children before, look at early photos of your other children and familiarise yourself with just how small a newborn can be.
- Be sensitive to your body's signals that your labour may be starting. It is unclear exactly the catalyst for labour to start is, though one theory is that the baby releases a particular kind of protein which starts a chain of labouring events in its mother.
Your baby's changes this week
- More breathing practice and surfactant production this week. If your baby were to be born now their lungs would be mature enough to support them and they would not need medical assistance.
- Your baby weighs close to 3.5 kilograms and is about 53 centimetres long this week. In terms of maturity and development, it's done all it needs to in making the change to surviving independently.
- Your baby's brain is still laying down nervous connections which will continue throughout its early childhood. Read to your baby while it is still in the womb, play some music and sing to it. Encourage your partner to become involved in these fun early bonding opportunities. Your baby won t think you're being silly and will only be more clever and smart as a result of this early stimulation.
Hints for the week
- Head for the closest pool around now, especially if it's summer. You ll enjoy the feeling of weightlessness as the water supports your entire body. Don t worry about how you look, no one else cares so why should you? Swimming and floating around in the water is an excellent way to reduce your core temperature so strip off and get yourself wet.
- Read books, catch up on some movies, ring some friends and write some letters. Make use of your time and enjoy the things you haven t had time to do especially if you've been working. If you've got older children look for activities you can enjoy together. Get them involved in preparing things for the new baby and give them useful jobs. Think about organising a gift to each of your older children from the baby. This is an effective way of promoting good sibling relationships. Speak with them about who will mind them when you go to hospital and tell them that they will be able to visit you and the new baby. Kids who are informed feel as if they are involved in the decision making so tend to deal with change more easily.
- Look forward to your ante-natal appointments and know that they are coming to an end. Many women develop a very close relationship with their maternity care provider and feel sad that this is not going to continue.
- Toss your partner out of bed if you feel space is at a premium. Your insomnia is not likely to have improved much and your frequent overnight trips to the toilet may be disturbing their sleep anyway. If you manage to reclaim the bed as your own, spread the pillows around so they are working for you. Some white noise in the background such as a fan or radio can be useful. Try playing a relaxation CD or app before you go to sleep and do some progressive muscular relaxation.
Week 40 (at last) comes next.
For more information see Pregnancy or Week by Week.
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Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. To reduce the risk of injury, never force or strain yourself during exercise. If you feel pain, stop and seek medical attention if necessary.
If you are in week 39 of your pregnancy...
Your baby's due date: September 01 - September 13, 2021
Baby's star sign: Virgo
Chinese year: Ox
Famous people born around your baby's birth date:
- Hugh Grant
- Pink
- Buddy Holly
Last Published* December, 2022
*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.
