Most expectant mothers are waiting for the onset of the fortieth week. After all, its end marks the onset of childbirth. But sometimes the baby is in no hurry to be born at the time indicated by the doctors.
What changes occur to a baby in the fortieth week of pregnancy?
All organs of the baby are fully developed and now he is simply gaining weight and waiting for the date he needs. The baby is about the size of a pumpkin fruit. There seems to be no free space inside the abdomen. Fetal growth at this time is most often within 48-51 centimeters. The child's weight is about 3500 kilograms. But there are also cases when a baby is born an order of magnitude larger than the average.
All reflexes are already quite well developed in the baby. This is especially true for sucking. The expectant mother can easily be convinced of this immediately after giving birth. After all, the child will be put on her breast and he will finally taste his first food for the first time - colostrum.
The child can already evaluate volumes, colors. It has sensitivity to light, contrast and brightness. The baby's eyes are able to focus at a distance of 20-30 centimeters. This means that while breastfeeding, he will be able to see his mother's face.
The baby's respiratory organs are already fully prepared to take their first breath outside the womb. The baby's intestines are filled with the original feces - meconium. Normally, he should come out within the first days after birth. But it is also possible for meconium to pass away even before birth.
Outwardly, the child is completely similar to a newborn. The skin is light pink in color and covered with vernix where there are folds. It is necessary so that the delicate skin does not rub. The baby's head may already have excellent hair. There are practically no hairs on the body.
The genitals are already fully formed. In boys, at this time, the testicles should already descend into the scrotum.
The bones of the skull have not yet grown together. As a result of passing through the birth canal, they will slightly change. They will grow together in the next few days after giving birth. The baby's fontanelles will overgrow during the first years of life.
Due to the lack of space, the fruit is rather quiet. He, like a pregnant woman, needs to gain strength before giving birth. After all, he will take an active part in them. Normally, the number of movements in a baby throughout the day should be at least ten.
The baby should have been in the correct position for childbirth long ago - head down. And if this did not happen and the child is turned incorrectly, then the doctors decide whether to carry out a cesarean section or allow the woman to give birth naturally.
What changes are happening to the expectant mother at 40 weeks?
The uterus at this time is quite large. From the pubic joint, it stretches upward by 36-40 centimeters. If you count by the navel, then the height of the uterine fundus is 16-20 centimeters. Every day, a woman's cervix becomes shorter and softer. This is necessary for the normal course of labor. At the same time, the cervical canal opens smoothly. During childbirth, it will open to the desired size.
A woman may feel that training contractions are appearing more often. This is due to the production of hormones that are necessary for childbirth. The child's head is pressed more and more against the exit. Because of this, the shape of the pregnant woman's abdomen changes. Often a woman can hear the phrase that the belly has dropped. This is one of the harbingers of childbirth. The pelvic ligaments at this stage stretch, the muscles soften, and the pelvic bones expand.
A woman should not "sit on suitcases." It is enough that the assembled package for the maternity hospital lay at home, and the woman always carried the pregnant woman's card with her in her purse. In the event of a discharge of water or contractions somewhere on the street far from home, a woman can easily call an ambulance and go to the hospital. A package with what she needs can be brought there by her spouse or relatives.
A woman at this time feels more and more tired. Lower back pain and heaviness in the legs may worsen slightly.
Very often, a pregnant woman at this time notes that time seems to be dragging on. This is due to the expectation. Labor will begin very soon, but no one knows the exact date and time of their beginning. Therefore, the woman is in an anxious state all the time. It is important for loved ones to support her. After all, even if this is not the first birth in a woman's life, they are still unique.
Typical symptoms of approaching labor
Childbirth does not occur abruptly. Most women share the same precursors:
- Lowering the abdomen. As mentioned earlier, the baby descends into the small pelvis, pressing his head against the cervix. The woman may feel that her breathing has become much easier, and the heartburn, which may have been present for many weeks, is gone. But there is also a minus of lowering the abdomen. As a result, the pressure on the bladder increases, and the woman feels an almost constant desire to go to the toilet "in a small way."
- Quite often, women notice frequent bowel movements before childbirth. There are frequent cases of loosening of the stool. The body seems to be trying to cleanse itself before the imminent birth. In addition to loosening the stool, a woman may experience severe nausea or even vomiting.
- In the last week before childbirth, the woman's appetite disappears. Against this background, its weight may not change or even decrease by 1-2 kilograms.
- The passage of the mucous plug also indicates the imminent approach of labor. True, in some cases, the cork can move away even 2-3 weeks before the "X" day. The cork can come off either immediately as a whole or in pieces over several days. It is important for a woman to understand that after the cork begins to come out, the child is not protected from infections. It is undesirable for a pregnant woman to swim in pools or lakes. Otherwise, it can infect.
- The discharge of amniotic fluid is one of the main symptoms of a very early onset of labor. Normally, they should be transparent. If the waters have a yellowish or green tint, then this indicates that the baby has cleansed his intestines while still in the womb. Doctors must be told about this. After the woman began to pour out water, it is necessary to go to the maternity hospital, calling an ambulance team or with loved ones on your own transport. It is highly undesirable to get behind the wheel on your own.
- Regular contractions. They differ from training ones in that they do not have randomness. They are regular. The contractions intensify each time. The rest interval between them is getting smaller.
Possible risks at 40 weeks of gestation
The expectant mother should be very attentive to herself and her feelings. Any deterioration in well-being can threaten the life and health of a woman and a child. But doctors also strongly advise not to worry too much. Do not sound the alarm for any slight indisposition. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor in the following cases:
- If the woman's pressure is increased.
- If the expectant mother notices severe swelling in the arms and legs.
- If a woman experiences dizziness, ripples in the eyes, headache, blurred eyes.
- For 12 hours, the woman does not feel any fetal movements.
- Blood is secreted from the genital tract.
- Send away the waters.
In the fortieth week of pregnancy, a woman can expect the following risks:
- Placental abruption.
- Hypoxia in a child.
- Infectious diseases.
- Toxicosis in late pregnancy - preeclampsia.
- Early aging of the placenta. She simply cannot perform all her functions in the proper volume for the normal development of the child.
The doctor at the appointment will usually set the next check-up date on the day after the expected due date. If the woman does not give birth by this time, then she must appear for examination. According to its results, the obstetrician-gynecologist, who leads the entire pregnancy of a woman, will be able to decide whether a woman needs to go to the hospital before giving birth. Or she may be at home for another week.
