39 weeks pregnant

What to expect this week

 

What's happening in week 39

Week 39 and both you and your unborn baby are playing the waiting game!

Your baby in week 39

Like you, your baby is just waiting for the signal to go now, and is ready to make their début! Fully grown at close to 50cm and weighing 7 to 8lbs, they’re head down and waiting for those first lovely moments of skin to skin contact and that first feed with mum!
If they haven’t already, they’ll be shedding the Vernix Caseosa which will be mixing into the remaining amniotic fluid, which is likely to be swallowed by the baby.
How odd that any day now they will go from being tucked up in your tummy to being properly in your life? And what an amazing journey they (and you!) have been on since week one!

You at 39 weeks pregnant

If you have been stuffing yourself with pineapple and curry, drinking your raspberry leaf tea and even doing some gentle walking (or having sex) to try and get things started, you might be getting a little bit tired of waiting for your baby to arrive now!
Try to enjoy these last few days as a couple with your partner, and try not to worry too much about just when your waters are going to break, or when your labour is going to start – one way or another, your baby is going to be here in the next week or so!
Your midwife has no doubt given you some advice about induction now, and what your options will be if your pregnancy goes beyond 40 weeks – but fingers crossed, now, as you hit the thirty nine week stage, it is going to kick off very soon!

What to think about in week 39

You might be finding it hard to think about - or concentrate - on anything much beyond your impending arrival now! As every little twinge, feeling of dampness, pain or movement will have you wondering 'is this it?'!
Most women get plenty of warnings that things are about to start (a show, waters breaking, hours of mild contractions), and first babies often like to keep you on your toes with plenty of false starts and trips to the hospital only to be sent back home again! But rest assured, you are going to have your newborn son or daughter in your arms very, very soon now, and that is really all you need to be thinking about!
Care to share? Talk to other mums who are 39 weeks too in the Bounty Community.