Week 40 of Pregnancy

Congratulations! Any day now you will be cradling your new born son or daughter! Cherish these moments as they go by all too fast. Enjoy learning about the personality of your new born. If however this week goes by with no signs of labor, don't worry as it is normal for due dates to be a little off the mark, baby will come when ready and you will know about it! You won’t be classed as past your due date until you hit 42 weeks. Only 5% of women deliver their babies’ on the estimated due dates.

Changes in your body at Week 40 of Pregnancy

Your are probably feeling quite large now and exhausted. Your weight gain and size will have slowed considerably in the last few weeks. Most women find they feel quite tired and a bit clumsy by about pregnancy week 40. It won’t be long before you will be greeting your newborn.

Changes you may experience during the 40th week of pregnancy include:

• Mood swings
• Bloody shows
• Loss of mucous plug
• Nesting instinct - are you cleaning frantically?
• Loose stools
• Loss of weight
• Increase in appetite
• Braxton hicks
• Easier to breath - uterus is not pressing on your diaphragm any more

Baby's Development at Week 40 of Pregnancy - Baby size: 51.2cm

By pregnancy week 40 your baby is ready to come out and greet you. Around 15% of your baby's body is fat and 60 -75% is water. Your baby should weigh on average around 7 - 8 pounds and will be 20 inches long.

Some typical developments which occur during the 40th week of pregnancy are:

• Vernix has vanished - you may notice traces on baby when born
• Small breast buds are present on both sexes
• Lungs keep developing until birth

Don't expect your baby to look like a perfect baby right after birth - newborns often have heads temporarily misshapen from the birth canal and may be covered with vernix and blood. Your baby's skin may have skin discolorations, dry patches, and rashes all of which is completely normal. You might also notice that your baby's genitals (scrotum in boys and labia in girls) may appear enlarged. Don't worry they will return to normal in a few days, the enlargement is cause by the presence of your hormones in your baby's system.