Congratulations! At 40 weeks pregnant, you've reached the week of your due date. If you haven't already gone into labor, you will this week or the next. (Most doctors will induce labor at 41 weeks pregnant to avoid any complications. Post-term babies are at higher risk for problems.)
At 40 weeks pregnant, your baby can weigh anywhere from 6 to 8 pounds (or more). He or she may be around 20 to 21 inches long from head to heel.
Fun Fact: By this stage in pregnancy, the process of ossification (soft cartilage calcifying and turning into bone) is complete in your baby's body. The ends of the long bones and tips of the fingers and toes remain to be cartilage, so that your baby can grow taller as he or she ages.
Your baby's internal organs are fully matured and ready for life in the real world! By 40 weeks pregnant, the final details of your baby's physical appearance are also in place. Your baby's eyelashes and eyebrows, his or her fingernails and toe nails, his or her nose and mouth are all completely formed.
At 40 weeks pregnant, your little one's eyes are well formed, but the nerves inside his or her eyes will continue to develop in the first weeks after birth. As a result, newborns often have poor vision immediately after birth. It is not until your baby is six to eight weeks old that he can focus and follow objects with his eyes. Your baby's vision should be 20/20 by the time he or she is two years old.
At 40 weeks pregnant, you are probably ready to give birth. You may start to feel real contractions and other signs of labor this week. Most women will have already started to feel the early signs of labor.
By this stage in pregnancy, your healthcare provider should have already discussed with you about when you'll need to go to the hospital or birthing center. Some physicians may recommend that you come in sooner; this is especially true if you're a high-risk pregnancy. Your individual doctor or midwife can advise you on your specific situation.
At 40 weeks pregnant, you may want to desperately give birth, but the child inside of your womb may not be ready just yet. Although it's hard not to be impatient, you should trust your body and pay attention to any signs of labor. Mother nature will give you important clues that your baby is ready to greet you.
Here are common signs that labor will soon start:
Lightening (baby "drops" into the pelvis) - If this is your first pregnancy, you should have felt your baby descend into your pelvis a few weeks ago. By 40 weeks pregnant, your bump should be lower in your abdomen, and you have probably felt increasing discomfort in your pelvic area. (You're probably waddling too.) If you are a second or third time mother, your baby will drop into your pelvis after labor begins.
Diarrhea and flu-like symptoms - In the 2 days (48 hours) prior to the onset of labor, you can experience frequent bowel movements and diarrhea. Your body may be cleansing your bowels in preparation for childbirth. You may also start to get nauseous and even vomit. It may feel like you're battling morning sickness all over again.
Bloody show - At 40 weeks pregnant, as your cervix starts to efface and dilate, you may notice a "bloody show," or a mucus discharge that is tinged with blood. Passing your mucus plug is a good sign that labor will soon arrive.
Your water breaks - If your bag of water breaks at 40 weeks pregnant, you should be having regular contractions. Some women don't have any contractions until after their water breaks. This is a sign that your baby is ready to come out into the world. When your water breaks, it can be a gush of fluid - just like a dramatization that you'd see on TV. However, you may also feel a trickle of fluid from your vagina.
Contractions - When you're in labor, you will start to feel true contractions. Unlike Braxton Hicks contractions, you are going to feel contractions that get stronger, occur closer together, and last longer. At first, they may be 10 or 20 minutes apart. As labor progresses, they are going to start hitting you every 5 minutes. It's a good idea to head to the hospital when your contractions are coming every five minutes for at least one hour.
At 40 weeks pregnant, you may be experiencing a few signs of labor. If you haven't, don't worry. A healthy, full-term baby can still be born anytime from 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy. After that, your baby is considered "post-term," and your doctor will either induce your labor or ask you to have a cesarean section.
Helpful Tip: Remember to rest as you wait for the arrival of your new bundle of joy. Talk to your baby, because at this stage in pregnancy, your baby may react to familiar sounds. In fact, the mother's voice is one of the first things a baby recognizes after birth.
Braxton Hicks contractions will become more intense at 40 weeks pregnant. There's a good chance that these practice contractions will turn into real labor pains this week. If your contractions aren't going away, regardless of whether you take a short rest or walk around, you're having real contractions! At this final week in your pregnancy, it's a good idea to start timing your contractions.
Cervix effacement and dilation might be taking place without your knowledge at 40 weeks pregnant. In late pregnancy, Braxton Hicks contractions can begin to thin out and open your cervix just a little bit. As you enter labor, your cervix will continue to dilate and efface. When your baby is ready to be born, your cervix will have dilated to 10 centimeters!
Pelvic pressure is probably causing you a lot of discomfort at 40 weeks pregnant. Most babies are in the head-down position by now, so don't be surprised if your little one's head decides to bump against your bladder and hips. Fortunately, this pelvic pressure will go away once your baby is born.
Difficulty sleeping is an understatement at 40 weeks pregnant. Your huge belly makes it uncomfortable to even side sleep these days. Some women find that the only place to rest is a comfy recliner. Although it may be tempting to take some herbs or sleep aids, resist the temptation. You won't have to suffer through this symptom for much longer.
Isn't it amazing how much weight you've gained? You have gone from less than five pounds in the early weeks of your pregnancy to over 25 pounds. For the average-sized woman her weight gain at 40 weeks pregnant is roughly 25 to 35 pounds. This is the recommended weight gain. Ideally, overweight women should have gained roughly 15 to 25 pounds, and underweight women should have gained anywhere from 28 to 40 pounds.
Are you thinking about ways to induce your labor naturally at week 40 pregnant? If you are, you should take great care to make sure that you don't try to do anything that might be harmful to your baby.
There are a number of natural 'labor inducers' that will stimulate labor contractions and start labor. Some women will swear by these methods, whereas others simply had fun trying. Here is a list of the more common natural labor inducers women have been trying since the dawn of time:
Intimacy - This is by far the most popular. You may be thinking of anything but intimacy at this point in your pregnancy, particularly given your size and weariness. However, semen contains prostaglandins, which can help stimulate contractions and start labor. Because of this, many women are willing to give it a try. You may find your partner a more than willing advocate, particularly since relations will be off limits for six weeks postpartum. Why not give it a try? There certainly is no harm. Some women prop their feet up after to give their cervix a chance to bathe in the prostaglandins. If nothing else, it may help ripen the cervix. Orgasms can also trigger contractions in a woman.
Walking - Walking is great exercise. It can help stimulate labor particularly if you are having contractions that aren't yet regular. Walking can help your baby move further down into your pelvis for delivery. Most women find walking also helps relieve some of the discomfort associated with contractions.
Spicy Foods - Some people believe that spicy foods or foods that contain cumin and garlic help trigger labor. While there is no specific 'science' behind this idea, there is nothing wrong with trying.
Nipple Stimulation - Nipple stimulation can be a very powerful way of inducing labor. Nipple stimulation causes the body to release oxytocin, which like pitocin (a synthetic substance used to induce labor contractions) can cause uterine contractions. Nipple stimulation can lead to very long and very strong uterine contractions. This can be dangerous for your baby because it can cause your baby's heart rate to slow. You should only perform nipple stimulation if you have your doctors approval and even then you should monitor your contractions slowly to be sure you don't over stimulate. Generally you should ease off nipple stimulation during each contraction to help minimize hyper stimulation.
Castor Oil - You should not try inducing labor with castor oil unless you talk with your healthcare provider first. Many midwives suggest that women who are past their due dates consider using castor oil. It may trigger spasms in the colon and intestines, which surround the uterus. These can result in labor contractions. Castor oil is foul smelling and generally tastes very bad. It will cause horrible diarrhea in many women. If you are considering this, be sure to talk with your doctor first to see what dose they might recommend, or what other methods they might suggest.
Membrane stripping - In some cases, your doctor may strip your membranes. This can sometimes help start labor. During a vaginal examination your doctor will place a finger through the cervix and basically 'sweep' the membranes. This helps release the amniotic membranes from the lower uterine cavity. Sweeping of the membranes may release prostaglandins, which can help push the body into labor.
Most natural labor induction methods will only work if your cervix is ripe and you are ready to go into labor anyway. You should never try to induce labor before you are 40 weeks pregnant to ensure that your baby is well developed. There is also some evidence that supplementation with evening primrose oil may help soften the cervix and prepare your body for delivery. You should be able to find evening primrose oil supplements at your pharmacy. Ask your healthcare provider about dosing.
Remember, after 40 long weeks you are almost on your way to delivery! Take some time to enjoy your last few days as a pregnant woman. If you can take some time to sleep. You certainly won't be getting much sleep after your newborn baby arrives!
Many women find journaling a delightful and fun experience at this point in their pregnancy. Consider taking some time to sit down with your thoughts and feelings about labor, delivery and the pending meeting you will have with your newborn baby. One day you will have the opportunity to look back on this day with fondness and joy. You can share your thoughts with your loved one as they grow and mature. You can even take some time out to journal to pass the time away when you are in early labor. Simply pull out a pen and paper and start writing! It doesn't matter if your thoughts are random or coordinated. Just write down what comes to mind. You may find yourself laughing and weeping years later when your little ones have flown the coup. Congratulations on your pending motherhood!
Your due date is this week, but that doesn't mean your baby is going to be born at 40 weeks pregnant. Only five percent of newborns are born when they are scheduled to be. A baby is considered "full-term" when he or she is born between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy.
After 42 weeks pregnant, you are considered to be "post-term." Having a post-term pregnancy increases the risk of stillborn babies (deceased infants who died in the womb), an overly large baby, and the potential for fetal distress.
In the United States, your doctor will induce you before you reach 42 weeks of pregnancy. Don't worry. With good prenatal care, your baby has a good chance of being born healthy and strong.
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At 40 weeks pregnant, you are probably ready to give birth. You may start to feel real contractions and other signs of labor this week. Most women will have already started to feel the early signs of labor. 
Are you thinking about ways to induce your labor naturally at week 40 pregnant? If you are, you should take great care to make sure that you don't try to do anything that might be harmful to your baby.
Your due date is this week, but that doesn't mean your baby is going to be born at 40 weeks pregnant. Only five percent of newborns are born when they are scheduled to be. A baby is considered "full-term" when he or she is born between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy.
