Your due date arrives this week! The bad news is that a due date is a best guess, not a guarantee, and unless you and your doctor have scheduled a C-section or induction, there’s no guarantee your baby will arrive at 40 weeks pregnant.
Try to be patient! Fully-developed lungs release a protein that causes labor to start, so unless your doctor sees a medical reason to move forward more urgently, try to let your baby pick the timing for his entrance.
Your Baby’s Development At 40 Weeks Pregnant
Your baby’s due date is this week, so you can expect your baby to be around the average birth weight and size by then. Typical birth weight can range from about 5lb 8oz to about 8lb 13oz, according to Summer Health. Bear in mind that this includes multiples, and the average weight for a singleton is approximately 7.6 pounds.
Your baby is ready to face the world! Well, probably. Approximately 10% of pregnancies extend past the due date. However, if that’s the case for you, your doctor will probably want to discuss options. These can include staying pregnant until labor starts naturally, being induced, or having a C-section. If you choose to wait, your doctor may want to monitor you more closely and will likely want you to deliver by the 42-week mark, since the placenta can begin to deteriorate and your baby may suffer.
Mother’s Symptoms At 40 Weeks
If your pregnancy continues past this week, you can expect many of the same symptoms from recent weeks to continue. However, by the end of this week, most pregnancies will reach the set of symptoms you’ve been waiting for: labor!
Contractions & Cramps
This week, you’re watching for the moment those Braxton Hicks contractions turn into labor contractions!
Labor contractions can vary in intensity from one pregnancy to another. They might feel like a painful squeeze, or like a severe menstrual cramp, or even like a lower backache. The key defining factor of labor contractions is that they become more frequent and more intense over time.
You may continue to experience restless leg syndrome symptoms, but be aware of any accompanying cramping. If you feel like you’re having cramps in your abdominal area, you should check in with your doctor. If you experience any discomfort, such as a cramp or pain in your chest or arms, seek medical attention immediately.
Bleeding, Bloody Show, & Vaginal Discharge
After an internal examination, you may notice some spotting. However, any heavier bleeding should prompt a call to your doctor.
You may notice a thicker vaginal discharge than earlier in your pregnancy. This is your body’s way of protecting the uterus against infection, and it’s normal at 40 weeks pregnant. A discharge with a foul odor or that is greenish or gray, though, is a sign of infection and needs to be treated quickly.
At this point, you may also pass your mucus plug, if you haven’t already done so. This is typically passed around from week 37 or later, and appears as a large blob of mucus. You may lose pieces of it over weeks, lose it all at once, or never be aware of losing it at all. If it does pass, there’s no need for alarm. It may be clear or whitish and may have streaks of red or pink. It is sometimes referred to as the bloody show.
Unfortunately, passing the mucus plug does not give you a solid timeline on greeting your baby — you could start labor hours after passing it, or weeks.
Pain & Discomfort
This stage of pregnancy is rarely comfortable.
You may have round ligament pain (a stabbing sensation in the lower abdomen, where your round ligament is supporting your uterus) and sciatica (pain caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve at the base of the spine). You may also have pelvic girdle pain (in the hip area, thanks to loosening ligaments and joints preparing for labor).
Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications for any of these conditions, and for sciatica and pelvic girdle pain, may recommend stretches or exercises to help alleviate the symptoms. In some extreme cases, pelvic girdle pain may require physical therapy.
Back pain is normal at 40 weeks pregnant, too, as your spine works to carry the extra weight of your baby.
In positive news, though, breathing may be a bit easier if your baby has dropped lower into your pelvis in preparation for birth!
Feeling tired or overheated is also a normal and common experience. If you experience extreme fatigue, consult your doctor.
Skin & Breasts
Through the end of pregnancy, you may notice visible veins under your skin. Spider veins may show up on your chest, arms, abdomen, or even your face! If you experience swelling, pain, or heat, consult your doctor, as these may be signs of a clot.
If you have varicose veins in your legs at 40 weeks pregnant, your doctor may recommend light exercise, elevating your feet, and/or using compression garments.
You may notice some colostrum leaking. If it’s enough to create noticeable dampness, use nursing pads inside your bra to avoid thrush or cracked and bleeding nipples.
Swelling, Headaches, & Vision (High Blood Pressure & Preeclampsia)
Higher blood volume, water retention, hormonal changes, and other factors can contribute to some swelling and headaches. However, these can also be symptoms of preeclampsia, a serious condition.
If you notice sudden or excessive swelling, or if swelling affects your face or chest, call your doctor immediately. Severe headaches can be a sign of preeclampsia, as can any vision changes, so report these to your doctor right away.
Digestion & Cravings
You’ve probably heard stories about the local restaurant’s eggplant parmesan or spicy chili setting off labor. These are unproven at best. Additionally, some theories about why people claim certain dishes work are directly related to unpleasant digestive symptoms. (Diarrhea, by the way, can be a symptom of labor beginning, whether or not you’ve tried any intense meal items recently.)
Eating the dishes about which these claims are made is, in general, probably perfectly safe. Of course, there are foods you should not eat while pregnant, like undercooked or uncooked meats, and fish that are high in mercury. However, you should do so with conscious awareness, because labor is enough work on its own, without adding unwanted stomach symptoms to the process.
As throughout your pregnancy, it’s generally safe to satisfy food cravings, too. If you’re wondering why you might crave specific foods, our pregnancy craving guide may help you draw some inferences.
If you do experience severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, check in with your doctor. This can be a labor symptom and can also result in dehydration.
As throughout your pregnancy, you may be experiencing heartburn, indigestion, and/or constipation. Avoid laxatives unless your doctor advises otherwise, since these can cause contractions. Stool softeners are typically considered safe. You can treat heartburn and indigestion with OTC antacids, but avoid those containing aspirin, magnesium trisilicate, or sodium bicarbonate.
When To Contact Your Doctor
By now, you have hopefully received instructions from your doctor on when to head for the hospital during labor. There are a few other symptoms that also warrant immediate attention.
Labor
If your water breaks, head to the hospital immediately. Once this happens, labor can often (not always) progress quite quickly. However, it’s not always the first sign (or even an early sign) of labor. In some pregnancies, a doctor or nurse will use a tool called an amnihook, which looks much like a crochet hook, to break open the amniotic sac.
If you’re having labor contractions, the point when you should head to the hospital may vary depending on factors including your doctor’s preference, your distance from the hospital, and whether it’s your first pregnancy. Guidelines from doctors range from heading in when contractions have been at least every 7 minutes for an hour, to when they’ve been at least every five minutes for an hour or two.
Be sure to consider traffic and distance when timing your arrival, especially if you live in an area where it may take 30 minutes or an hour to reach your hospital or birthing center. If you’re not sure, you can try a dry run in advance.
Preeclampsia
If you experience any signs of preeclampsia, you should call your doctor right away. These include severe, sudden, or unusual swelling; any swelling that affects the face or chest; severe headaches; and changes in vision. Remember that preeclampsia puts you in the high-risk pregnancy category, and your doctor will help you make important decisions if it occurs.
Decrease In Fetal Movement
Keeping track of kick counts will help you monitor your baby’s typical behavior. If you notice that the baby is not moving as much as usual, contact your doctor. Be prepared to describe what has changed and provide recent kick count data. However, if you don’t have specifics, do not let that deter you from getting checked.
Fever, Infection, & Other Symptoms
Any signs of vaginal infection or UTI need immediate treatment. Thrush, cracked, or bleeding nipples also should be treated right away. Call your doctor so they can send a prescription in for you.
If you have a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, consult your doctor. You should also call at this point if you have severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, or if you have signs of dehydration.
Injury & Fainting
If you have a fall or experience dizziness, fainting, or any loss of consciousness, you will need medical attention to be sure that you and your baby are okay.
Finally, if something seems wrong, trust your instincts! Make the call!
What Should Mom Be Doing At 40 Weeks?
At 40 weeks pregnant, hopefully, you have your bag packed and know how to install your infant seat in your vehicle. If not, those should be a high priority now!
Discuss labor and delivery with your doctor if it hasn’t been covered already. You should know that when in labor, your doctor would prefer you head to the hospital, and about policies regarding eating during labor, walking, or using different positions for comfort, and whether you’re allowed to have more than one support person (for example, your partner and a doula) in the delivery room. Ask about policies regarding skin-to-skin contact immediately after delivery and any other specifics that contribute to your ideal outcome.
Most of all, rest if you can! Let your body save energy for labor!
What To Look Forward To
This is it! Even if you don’t have your baby at 40 weeks pregnant, you will be holding your little one within a very short time after! Congratulations, best wishes, and enjoy the sweet, soft, tiny weight in your arms!