During this week of pregnancy, your body is feeling tired and the pregnancy is weighing you down. You are still in your ninth month of pregnancy with a week remaining to wrap it up. Some mothers have had induced labor during this week but you can still wait a little longer for the D-Day.
Your baby at week 39
At 39 weeks, your baby weighs 7.3 pounds and is as big as a pumpkin. The baby is 20 inches in length. As big as the baby is at this stage, it’s still developing and growing in size. The nails may extend past the little fingertips. The baby is bumping with your pelvic area and this explains the sharp pains.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms may stop during this week but a few might arise. These are;
● Pelvis pressure from carrying the baby
● More contractions as the cervix practices for birth
● Strong urge to nest
● Emotional havoc
● Sharp pains in your crotch
● Mucus plug with stains of blood (often referred to as blood show)
Some symptoms may be signs of early labour. These are;
● Water breaking
● Short persistent tight and painful contractions may be confused for the Braxton Hicks contractions.
Exercises
Walking is not advisable during this week as it’s one of the ways of inducing labor during the late months of pregnancy. Instead, try swimming after your doctor says it’s safe for you. This will help relax your muscles and relieve back pains and aches.
What can you do to ensure your baby stays healthy?
Your weekly gynae visits are a must at this stage of your pregnancy. These visits will help you know when the baby is likely to be delivered. Try catching some sleep as often as you can because you will need the extra energy for delivery day. Prepare some meals that can be frozen and reheated in preparation of afterbirth.
For healthier baby safety tips, you can visit our clinic at Jacaranda Maternity hospital. During the visit you’ll have your vitals and physical examination taken. The midwife will ask you how frequently your baby is moving, information about signs of labour and danger signs. If possible discuss postdate planning and scheduling of postdate induction of labor. Presentation Ultrasound (a third ultrasound that checks the position of your baby and whether the baby is in breech position) will be done and a HIV test.