40 weeks pregnant: doubts? All you need to know!

After 40 weeks of gestation , the fetus is full and ready to be born. Most of the vermix (the fat that covers it) is gone, although there may be some remnants in your folds. Your baby will already have long hair and nails. Its length varies between 48 and 53 cm and its weight can vary between 3 and 4 kg.

No one knows what triggers the birth exactly. What we do know is that the infant’s lungs and placenta are the key to synchronization. When the lungs are mature, they secrete a protein into the amniotic fluid that disrupts hormone production.

This change causes the placenta to reduce the emission of progesterone and promote the production of a new hormone: oxytocin. Oxytocin regulates uterine contractions and whether it is birth. It also blocks your memories and helps you forget about the pain and join your baby.

Congratulations! It’s your last week of pregnancy. Some women do not arrive this week, but have their baby between the 38th and 39th week of pregnancy, although there are other cases where the pregnancy reaches 42 weeks.

In case you are this week waiting for the birth signs, your doctor will certainly be watching you constantly to monitor if you and your baby are in perfect condition.

You shouldn’t stress if you still don’t feel birth symptoms, you can even have your baby at week 41 or 42 of your pregnancy. What happens in these cases is that your ovulation is likely to be later than normal, so it really hasn’t been accomplished every week.

However, we know that both you and your family must be very excited about the baby’s arrival, so your room and everything is ready at home. Enjoy the moment. In good time, you will be a mother.

What happens to my baby at 40 weeks pregnant?

At 40 weeks pregnant , your baby is ready to be born. It already measures about 53 centimeters and its weight is between 3.5 and 4.5 kilos. What your baby weighs and measures will vary depending on whether it’s a girl or boy. In general, children are usually larger than girls.

The caseous vermelosis that covered your baby during pregnancy has almost completely disappeared. This white fat has protected your baby from any infection, but it is no longer needed as it will soon come out and be with you. Only a little of this substance remains in the folds of the body.

During the 40th week of pregnancy , your baby’s nails and hair continue to grow. So the more weeks your baby takes to come out, the longer they’ll stay and you’ll have to cut them a few days after birth to keep them from hurting their faces.

The biggest part of your baby’s body is his head, but it’s very flexible so he can pass through the birth canal perfectly. In fact, babies have bigger heads up to several months after they are born.

At 40 weeks pregnant, how big is the baby?

At 40 weeks pregnant , your baby is ready to meet you. It weighs around 3.2 kilograms and can measure just over 51 centimeters in length. Its size at this point you can compare it to a small Pumpkin .

Symptoms of women at 40 weeks of pregnancy:

We know that at 40 weeks pregnant you are anxious about the birth of your baby and may even be worried that the time of delivery has not yet come to fruition. But you should relax, as we told you some babies are born at week 41 or 42 of pregnancy.

The reason the expected delivery date may have passed is that some women ovulate later than usual and it could be that the pregnancy materialized on another date and didn’t really have a very long delay.

In any case, if you’ve reached 40 weeks of pregnancy , your gynecologist will be checking you closely to make sure your baby is in perfect health. In the event that the delivery takes many days to lengthen, your doctor will assess the possibility of a cesarean section, although this will only be if it concludes that your baby or you cannot continue the pregnancy.

Recommendations:

Let’s see some suggestions and special recommendations for the 40 weeks of pregnancy :

• Rest to relax at the time of delivery is important. So calm the Anxiety you can do this week by doing something you enjoy, like watching a movie or talking to friends who are also moms.
• Don’t forget to practice breathing exercises for the moment of delivery. The key to the whole process flowing much more smoothly is just that.
• Eat very light all the time so you don’t have any problems when contractions occur.
• When your baby is born, it’s important that you ask your doctor to leave you by your side for a few minutes. Surprise your little one between your chest so he can calm down and feel safe. We promise that this moment will be unforgettable.
• Share this moment with your partner or family. The moment of delivery is usually an experience that brings the couple closer together, so you can ask for the father to be by your side at all times.

Frequently asked questions at 40 weeks pregnant:

In Health Tips we want to answer all the questions you have during this week, that’s why we’ve made a selection of the most frequently asked questions by pregnant women during the 40 weeks of pregnancy .

40 weeks pregnant, how many months is it?

Congratulations! At 40 weeks pregnant , you are in the second week of your ninth month, and probably the last week of your pregnancy. It is only necessary that your baby finally decides to leave so that you will have him in a very short time in your arms.

How are the baby’s movements?

You can clearly feel when your baby is stretching. Right now it’s very tight in your belly and about to come out, so the kicks you’re feeling could be the impulse to finish making the leap into this world.

Remember to keep counting the baby’s movements and, if the frequency decreases, call your doctor.

Is the belly normal?

If you have reached 40 weeks of pregnancy and you have a hard belly, it could be a sign that the baby is about to be born and contractions can come at any time. So be aware of any signs such as contractions or amniotic fluid secretion.

If you think your belly is still hard for a long time, call your doctor to have it evaluated.

How much does childbirth hurt?

This is one of the questions that many women ask themselves when they are in the last week of pregnancy. What happens is that the pain that can be experienced at the time of childbirth is usually different for every woman. While some women happily say that the pain of childbirth was no more than a stomachache, others say it is a very painful experience.

Some factors that influence childbirth more painful than others are whether the birth canal is lubricated or not, whether the female pelvis is wider or not and whether women are calm or very nervous, so be prepared for childbirth by exercising. and taking it as a natural process for which the body is prepared, will be decisive in pain assessment.

Note: It is important to note that each baby develops at a different rate, experts say even this happens when the baby is in the womb. This page was created to give you a general guide to how pregnancy progresses and how the baby develops. Each pregnancy is particular. If you have any doubts, questions or inconveniences, consult your doctor.