What to Expect At 39 Weeks Pregnancy
At 39 weeks, you are almost there. You have almost completed your term and should now have your overnight bag packed and ready. There are other things you perhaps should talk to your doctor about like whether you want drugs during delivery or your chances of needing a cesarean.
This is the week, if it has not happened earlier, that the baby will settle on to the pelvis, getting ready for the birth. This could lead to increased pressure on your bladder and you feeling the need to urinate frequently. These are the predominant symptoms in 39 weeks pregnant women. The baby is reaching its optimum weight and height. It now mostly measures about 7 to 8 pounds and is about 19 to 21 inches long. Your baby’s fat layer is filling out the baby’s body in order to enable it to survive outside the womb. The central nervous system and the lungs are completely maturing. Babies grow the maximum in the last few weeks of the trimester. You can also see fetal development week by week
It is important that you get as much rest as you can in this week. You must feel tired and exhausted and unable to sleep. The plus is that the pregnancy term is ending and soon you will have your bundle of joy.
The doctor will check you to see if you are leaking amniotic fluid or any other anomaly. There could be spotting. If the spotting colors or smells, it is something that will need the doctor’s attention. The baby will be growing rapidly at this stage gaining half to one ounce a day. You could also have some brown spotting this week, which is normal. But if the spotting turns red, do remember to call your doctor as it is not normal. The plus side is that the pregnancy is drawing to a close and you should deliver a baby soon. You need to pay careful attention to the movements. The movements do decrease as there is less space for the baby in the womb. You could also face increased heartburn and constipation which you can remedy by eating more fiber in smaller, frequent meals. It becomes important that you eat well as the baby directly depends on you for nourishment. The diet has to be rich in calcium, protein, and vitamins. You may not realize when your body goes into labor.
Submitted by N on February 2, 2011 at 10:33
