Forty-first week of pregnancy
Welcome to the 41st week of pregnancy! The wait is almost over and within a few days you will meet your baby. It’s been a long journey, but the real adventure begins with the birth!
Weight and length at 41 weeks
Month | th month |
---|---|
Gestational age | from 40+0 to 40+6 |
Length of the fetus (*) | 51.2cm |
Weight of the fetus (*) | 3617 grams |
Weight gain (**) | +16kg |
Moms group | March 2023 |
41 a week: frequent symptoms
- Braxton-Hicks contractions (hard belly)
- Colostrum losses
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Backache
- Stomach ache
- Swollen feet and ankles
How your body changes
Everyone has their own times
If you are reading these lines, it means that your little one has decided to keep himself waiting longer than expected and this could make you feel a little anxious and worried. First of all, try not to feel “out of date”: you are a human being and not a pack of milk! Remember that counting the weeks of pregnancy is purely conventional and that the date of delivery is called “presumed” precisely because it is not certain at all! Your menstrual cycle, for example, could be longer than the classic 28 days or conception could have occurred later than expected.
For all these reasons, even if it’s not easy, try to face this expectation with serenity : rest and distract yourself with pleasant activities, pamper yourself with a prenatal massage or go for a walk. Don’t forget, by the way, that walking is one of the activities that helps stimulate the onset of labor!
How long will the wait be?
After the 40th week , the checks by the gynecologist and the obstetrician could become closer together , with times and methods that change according to the chosen birth point.
If the tests confirm that you and your baby are fine and the amount of amniotic fluid is adequate , there will be no urgency to induce the birth. Even in this case, however, the protocols differ according to the hospital structure .
In general we can say that, if the pregnancy continues in a physiological way, we usually expect from a minimum of 41 weeks + 2 days to a maximum of 41 weeks + 5 days . In some facilities, however, if the expectant mother is over 40, induction may be brought forward .
Symptoms of the last few weeks
During these days, back pain , bloating and heartburn may become more pronounced and the baby’s head may feel a kind of burning sensation in the upper part of the vagina . As annoying as it is, this is normal and will resolve after birth .
The appearance of diarrhea or nausea , possibly accompanied by vomiting , could instead indicate that your gastro-intestinal tract is “cleaning up” in preparation for labor. However, if they are accompanied by fever or if they last for more than 48 hours , it is advisable to contact your trusted doctor .
Finally, the onset of contractions may also be preceded by a feeling of weakness or shivering . Don’t worry and try to rest as much as possible. In the meantime, keep paying attention to your baby’s movements and get ready to get lost in his eyes!
How the child grows
It is approximately 51 centimeters long and weighs approximately 3.6 kilograms .
Matter of days
Even though your little one is taking his time, the big moment is getting closer and closer and he continues to practice all the skills he will soon have to put into practice: suck and swallow training for the first feed, inhale the amniotic fluid preparing to recognize your smell, expands the chest as if breathing and opens and closes the eyes , waiting to see your face. It’s really a matter of days now and you will finally be able to get to know each other, even if in reality it won’t really be a first meeting, but rather a meeting again. And are you ready to hug your baby?
Do you know that…
Babies born after the 40th week tend to have slightly dry and cracked skin , because the vernix has already been reabsorbed for a few weeks. Also, compared to full-term newborns, they may have longer nails and be more “hairy”!
For the dad
Try to support your partner and accommodate her anxieties. Listen to her, reassure her and help her to distract herself, so that she can live the days until the birth in the most serene way possible!
Checks and exams to do
The type and frequency of checks carried out in the next few days could change depending on the structure chosen to give birth. In general, however, the protocols provide for the execution of the following tests.
-
Obstetric ultrasound
-
External cardiotocography
The advice of the 41st week of pregnancy
If labor doesn’t seem to want to start, there are a few strategies that may help you induce labor naturally . Here are a couple of suggestions.
- Nipple stimulation : apply a warm compress or jet of warm water to one breast and then the other for about an hour. According to some studies, this technique promotes the release of oxytocin , the hormone responsible for contractions
- Sexual intercourse : it is one of the best known methods of initiating labor naturally, even if it has no scientific evidence. In fact, semen contains substances, called prostaglandins , which could favor the onset of contractions. Furthermore, the female orgasm is associated with the release of oxytocin .
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.