Week Thirty Nine Of Pregnancy

Week 39 Of Your Baby’s Development!

Your baby is the size of a pumpkin

Your baby is now considered “full term” and is ready to come out and meet you. In week 39, the baby continues building a fat layer which helps maintain the body temperature post birth. The average weight of a baby in this week is a little more than 7 pounds and he measures approximately 20 inches in length, something similar to the size of a pumpkin.

The topmost layers of the baby’s skin begin to shed and there is formation of new skin underneath. The skin has finally changed color (pink to white). Pigmentation takes place soon after birth where baby’s skin will gain more colour.

Week 39 Of Your Health, Mind & Body Changes

You are undoubtedly feeling constantly uncomfortable in your 39th week of pregnancy. Most women find it difficult to get up from a lying or sitting position at this point.

Just when you thought your boobs could not get any bigger, they are likely to still keep growing and becoming senstitive. If you haven’t already, It is common to notice the leaking of colostrum from your breasts.

Swelling is common in the last weeks of pregnancy. You may experience swelling in different parts of your body, however make sure that you keep drinking plenty of water irrespective of the swelling. Those who haven’t yet had false labor contractions might experience them in this week.

You may find suddenly that instead of the usual constipation being an issue, you need to take frequent trips to the bathroom! This is often a sign that labor is not far away and your body is ‘clearing the way’ for baby. A good thing if you’re worried about pooping during labor, as many women are. But don’t worry if it happens to you, the midwives are so used to seeing it they’ll often clean it up discretely before you even realise it’s happened.

” I thought it must have been something I ate….but nope. All the pooping for a few days straight was in fact a sign that my labor was shortly going to follow – one day later, it was on! “ Melanie

Week 39 Of Your Next Steps!

• These are your final few days of being pregnant; so try and enjoy them as much as possible. Spend some time with your spouse and avoid worrying excessively about the labor or bursting of your waters everywhere – it rarely happens like in the movies, unexpectedly, before any other labor signs.
• It is possible that your midwife has advised you on induction and the different options in case the pregnancy extends beyond forty weeks. Think about these options and discuss them with your partner.
• Even if you’re tired and sleepy, take some time out to walk or do gentle exercises every day as this will help in labor.
• Have you set up the baby’s bassinet and had the car seat installed? If not, it’s time to get cracking in case baby decides to make an appearance before due date and catch you out!