Your baby, your body, your partner and the prenatal visit, plus tips for the 40th week of pregnancy.

Your baby

Time is up! With 40 weeks of gestation behind you, and you may feel the time to have the baby is now! Predicting birth dates is an inexact science. There is a give of two weeks before and after the estimated date of birth. Pregnancy is not considered overdue until after the 42nd week. Rest assured, however, the fetus is fully-grown and ready to safely exist outside the womb.

Your body

There is nothing worse than making it to the 40th week only to not start active labor. At this point, the abdomen is stretched beyond the imagination and some women have forgotten what their feet look like. Taking a shower requires help to reach all the nooks and crannies and there is barely enough room to fit in one glass of water, let alone eight glasses and 2400 calories.

At the prenatal visit

If the pregnancy lasts past the 40th week, induction or C-section may be discussed with the physician. The placenta only works at optimal levels for 40 to 41 weeks.

From week 40 onward, your doctor will watch you like a hawk. All bets are off after 40 weeks and symptoms of preeclampsia can come on quickly. There is also a higher risk of the baby having a bowel movement in utero. Babies inhale amniotic fluid so if the fluid is laced with meconium, infection, and pneumonia can occur. This can be life-threatening for the baby.

Your partner

If you are expecting to give birth on a specific day, you are so ready by the time that day comes that going past 40 weeks is never even a thought. However, it is not uncommon for pregnancies to last 41 to 42 weeks, but try to stay calm and do not worry about the baby. He/she is fine in the safety of the womb.

Tips for this week

There are many old wive’s tales used to induce labor. Most of these are harmless and ineffective, however, if you come across an induction method that seems unsafe, do not attempt it! Common home induction methods include having sex, taking a ride on a bumpy road, and nipple stimulation. Sex and nipple stimulation may help, that bumpy road will just tear up tires and shocks.