Pregnancy week 40

Your baby’s development

Week 40 is the week of your estimated due date. Your baby is about the size of a butternut squash: roughly 51.2 cm long and 3462 g. These are averages, and healthy babies can be smaller or larger. All organ systems are ready for life after birth. Your baby is still in the amniotic fluid and nourished through the placenta. In most babies the head has settled into the pelvis, ready for birth. Only a small share of babies are born on the exact due date; most arrive a week before or after, so the date is a guide rather than a target. Your baby's movements should still follow the pattern that is usual for you. In these final days your baby produces hormonal signals for labour and your body adapts to the process. Waiting can be hard, but it is an ordinary part of the journey.

Changes in the mother

Reaching your due date, it is natural to feel both excitement and impatience. Labour not having started by the date does not mean something is wrong; for most people birth happens before or after it. Contractions, back pain and pelvic pressure may increase. Messages from relatives and friends asking whether the baby has arrived can feel overwhelming, and you do not need to answer. This week your provider may discuss a monitoring plan: checks of the baby's movements, heartbeat and, if needed, the amniotic fluid. Review the signs of labour and the 5-1-1 rule one more time. Rest, watch or read something you enjoy, take a short walk, and do not push yourself too hard. Your provider's advice comes first.

To do this week

• Talk with your provider about the monitoring plan after your due date.
• Review the signs of labour, the 5-1-1 rule and your threshold for going to hospital.
• Keep track of movements each day, and seek help without waiting if they decrease.
• Take a break from messages and social media to make space for yourself.

Tip for the partner

You can answer questions from relatives after the due date yourself, giving her room to breathe.

Nutrition tip

Small, satisfying meals and plenty of fluids help protect your energy as birth nears.