pregnancy week 41

Pregnancy Guide: Week 41

Your baby will likely come out looking like he needs a manicure. Those nails have been growing for a few months now with no trimming. You’re not technically overdue, but boy do you feel like it by now. Your baby’s heartbeat will need to be monitored this week via a nonstress test.

41 weeks pregnant is how many months?

You are nine months and one week pregnant. You went past your due date. What an overachiever. Get ready for just how many nappies you need in the first year, beautiful smiles, lots of time with a baby falling asleep when nursing, and parenthood!

Your Baby at 41 Weeks

Your baby is taking advantage of the late checkout you offered, and the numbers say this is a popular option. Sorry for your inconvenience, but your baby is very happy where he is right now. That’s okay, about ten per cent of babies outstay their welcome.

Hotel Uterus is thriving, and your due date was likely just plain wrong. There’s still work to do! Your baby’s endocrine system is developing now, which will be a storehouse for his hormone production. Your baby may even send hormones to the placenta, telling your body it’s time for labour.

During labour, your child produces more stress hormones than he ever will again, but that’s because he needs to adjust pretty rapidly to a completely new life. He needs help to come to grips with his survival instincts.

Your baby’s first big milestone is taking a deep breath of air. It will take a lot of effort for him because his air sacs have never been inflated before. He needs a big breath of air to inflate them all the way.

How big is a baby at 41 weeks?

Your baby is still about the size of a watermelon because he’s not growing very rapidly. He’s 52.7 centimetres long and weighs about 3787 grams.

Your Body at 41 Weeks

Your body is getting ready, too. You have likely talked with your doctor about inducing labour, but you could still go into labour on your own. Your baby just isn’t ready yet. When it’s time, you’ll know it.

Your water could break, and you’ll notice pink or red mucous, which is called the bloody show. Your contractions will be rhythmic and steady and could come on slowly or suddenly. They could feel like a backache or menstrual cramps.

As you anticipate labour, stay busy to reduce your stress or anxiety over the issue. Take a walk, which could prompt your contractions to start, but if nothing else, it keeps you healthy. Watch a movie and relax. Take a bath. Have lunch with your friends or a date night with your spouse because it’ll be a while before you can do things like that again.

Make one last trip to the grocery store or prepare some meals to keep your anxious mind busy with something productive. Lastly, take advantage of your nesting instincts and get your baby’s room ready.

pregnancy week 41

Symptoms

Your baby should still be moving, but there will still be changes in fetal activity because he doesn’t have as much room to move around. Again, make sure you feel him move, and if you don’t, call your doctor.

Now that your baby has dropped into your pelvis, your trips to the bathroom are more frequent. Keep going when you need to because a full bladder can get in the way of labour. You may also need to wear a panty liner if you have trouble controlling your bladder.

Your vaginal discharge may be pink or brown now because of the breaking blood vessels in your cervix. This discharge is normal. As your cervix dilates, the blood vessels break, causing a bloody show.

Your cervix will continue to dilate and efface in preparation for labour, and your doctor will check it every time you go. It may be progressing steadily, or it may progress all of a sudden. Every labour is different.

Diarrhea is a sure indication that your body is preparing for labour. Your bowels will empty to make room for the baby to exit. Your muscles continue to relax, and that includes the muscles in your rectum.

Your pelvis feels very heavy, and with all that bearing down, you’re waddling even more and feeling a lot of pain. You can relax in bed or take a bath or a swim to lighten the load temporarily. To take your mind off the pain, try some nesting in preparation for your baby.

Tips/Things to do

Don’t stress about being overdue. It may just mean your due date was a little off, to begin with. Your baby isn’t ready yet. You may also lose some weight, so don’t panic about that either. Your normal weight gain, just like baby’s, is standing still at this point, and as your body eliminates waste and fluid, you may lose it.

It’s important to relax and take it all in stride, so if you need help, talk to your spouse, doctor, or coach about your feelings. Ask for back rubs and delegate chores, so you have more time to relax.

If you plan to be unmedicated, it won’t be long before you can’t talk through your contractions anymore, so practise your breathing exercises and get ready. You can drink water, eat light snacks, or take a walk to keep your mind off them.

If you’d like an epidural, you’ll be hooked up to fluids and a fetal monitor, so you won’t be able to take walks, but you can still try to change positions if possible.

Pamper yourself in preparation. You won’t be able to focus on you after the baby comes, so do it now while you still can. A massage, haircut, manicure, or facial may help. Be sure to keep eating healthy to give yourself strength and energy.

Exercise and do squats if you still feel up to it so you can build up your muscle tone for labour. It’ll be hard work, but it’s easier if your body is prepared. Stretch your perineum, so you don’t run the risk of tearing.

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