40 weeks of pregnancy are forerunners of childbirth what. Possible physical sensations

Breastfeeding pads can help mums if they are producing too much milk. They are designed for proper breast care, hygiene, and aesthetic purposes.
Regularly wet clothes and breast problems will not give a woman confidence and may cause her to refuse to feed her baby.

We have collected useful information about what gaskets are, how to choose them or make them yourself and use them correctly.

Why and when milk leaks

For 2-3 months after childbirth, and sometimes longer, the breasts are often full. Under constant pressure, muscles become weak, stretched and unable to hold large amounts of milk.

The instability of its appearance is associated with two reasons: hot flashes before the establishment of stable lactation, as well as reflex milk release.

Tides arise until the female body has revealed how much nutrition and when the baby will need. In addition, in the first weeks of life, babies often confuse day with night.

Nature has provided that the mother has a sufficient amount of milk at any time. Due to the regular flow of milk, there is often more milk than necessary, so it starts to leak.

Spontaneous hot flushes stop after the baby is 1 to 3 months old. And by six months, food appears strictly for each feeding, if a clear regime has been developed.

Until lactation is established, breast pads will come in handy.

Reflex milk secretion. In this case, milk is released from one breast when the baby is feeding from the other, or when the mother hears the baby crying.

It is believed that it begins to leak even when thinking about a baby. This process continues even with stable lactation. It depends on the woman's impressionability, as well as the weakness of the chest muscles.

Allocation of milk in this case is insignificant. You can do without special absorbent products. The period of reflex discharge ends before the baby is a year old.

When and why to use nursing pads

Breast pads are especially useful in the first few months after giving birth. They are intended for women whose breasts are regularly full of milk and it leaks, moisturizing clothes and creating discomfort.

Special products protect clothing from getting wet and ensure the necessary hygiene of the mammary glands.

If there is no surplus milk, and the bra is always dry, there is no need for inserts.

With a regular flow of milk, the products will help:

• keep clothes dry;
• protect your breasts from rubbing with a bra;
• protect the skin from inflammation and irritation;
• prevent the emergence of infectious diseases and mastitis;
• carry out prevention to prevent cracks on the nipples. If you already have them, quality pads will help and speed up healing.

It is important to use the product correctly. After getting wet, it must be changed. And if a woman has thrush or other infections, this should be done after each latching on the baby to the breast.

What types of bra pads are there

Products can be disposable or reusable.

Reusable. Cotton or wool is used for their manufacture. The latter are good as warming properties, but are potentially dangerous with possible allergic manifestations.

Reusable earbuds are used for several months, so it is more profitable to buy them than disposable ones. After use, the products are washed with baby powder or laundry soap.

It is best to iron them on both sides before using them again.

Disposable. As a rule, they are very thin, therefore they are invisible under clothes. Repeat the anatomical shape of the breast. Unlike reusable ones, they do not require maintenance, therefore they are loved by many women.

However, they are more expensive to use. Poor-quality earbuds can leave lint on your chest or cause allergies.

Secrets of choice

For earbuds to be useful, you must choose them responsibly. Before buying, you need to evaluate the following indicators:

Availability of additional packaging. Products stored only in a box may not be hygienic.

The quality of the material. It must meet two main conditions - it absorbs moisture well, and does not irritate sensitive skin.

Therefore, it is worth rejecting products with a waterproof or synthetic coating.

Colour. Don't buy colored earbuds. They can cause irritation or an allergic reaction.

The presence of mounts. The spacers will be convenient to use if they have special Velcro. With their help, the product is attached to the bra.

The Velcro straps secure the liner firmly. This relieves discomfort, as well as possible injury to the nipples.

Certificate for the product. There must be a certificate for high-quality gaskets in a store or pharmacy, which must be presented upon request.

How to replace special products

To save the family budget, many mothers prefer to make liners with their own hands or find another alternative.

Sew at home

Self-sewn gaskets will require a little material. Their thickness and softness depend on the woman's preference.

Gauze or flannel are suitable materials.

Use disposable diapers

Another method invented by lactating women is to cut panty liners from disposable absorbent diapers.

Those who use this option are pleased with the convenience, thinness, good moisture absorption and cheapness of this material. You can cut the diapers into squares or circles.

You can also use simple panty liners. Before use, they are cut into the required number of parts.

Lactation pads are an excellent remedy for milk leaks. They will help keep your breasts dry and prevent cracking or infection.

You can choose from reusable or disposable earbuds. The former are more economical, while the latter are more convenient. You can also make do-it-yourself absorbent items.

When lactation is established a few months after childbirth, the need for inserts disappears.

Labor is due this week. But in practice, only 4% of women in labor give birth on the estimated date. Much more often the baby appears earlier or later than this period and mainly for a rather banal and harmless reason: the gestational age was calculated with an error. So it may well be that this week you will not give birth yet. But, of course, you are already looking forward to the cub. How is he there?

Fetus at 40 weeks of gestation: perturbations

He is already preparing too. There is nothing to say about the appearance: everything has long been formed and took its place, the excess has disappeared, the missing has appeared - the baby is flawless. The growth of a baby at 40 weeks averages 51.2 cm, weight reaches 3.5 kg. The cheeks are plump, the skin is smooth, the ears-eyes-nose are pretty. You are about to meet him!

The kid can no longer actively move, but you still have to feel. Moreover, its movements are very obvious: there is practically no space left in the uterus, therefore, you feel any push of the crumbs very well.

Be sure to listen to the baby's motor activity: any change in the nature and intensity of movements in the direction of attenuation, or, conversely, excessive activity, becomes a signal to the subject of a crumb of trouble.

In general, about 10 perceptible movements within 12 hours are considered the norm for a period of 40 weeks. In the case when the child walks a lot more actively, there is every reason to suspect his suffering from a lack of oxygen. The calming down of the baby, the absence of movements will also be a bad sign. If they are absent, notify your doctor.

Future mom

But don't worry if there is still no indication of childbirth. As we already said, most likely there was an error in calculating the gestational age.

Do not sit on suitcases - lead a normal life. But be sure to be ready to give birth at any time.

Childbirth at 40 weeks of gestation: harbingers

Therefore, do not worry if labor has not yet begun - this will most likely happen in the coming days. And you will learn about the approach of childbirth thanks to the presence of their obvious precursors. What will inform you about the approach of the cherished "Hour X"?

One of the not two-digit harbinger of childbirth is the lowering of the abdomen: the baby in the uterus goes down, pressing its head against its bottom and preparing for an entertaining journey into a new world. You observe this as a certain lowering of the abdomen, due to which your heartburn is noticeably relieved, heartburn disappears. But, at the same time, sinking into the uterus, the baby begins to put pressure on the bladder - hence the increased need for urination.

Along with frequent visits to the toilet to “pee,” shortly before giving birth, you may find disorders of the food system, which is also considered one of the harbingers of childbirth. Stool thinning, nausea, vomiting - all these unpleasant phenomena may well precede the onset of labor, and appear approximately 24-48 hours before their onset.

Shortly before the start of labor, you may find a slight decrease in appetite, sometimes you do not want to eat at all. Against the background of a lack of appetite, weight changes are also possible: it either remains fixed on one designation, or even decreases by 1-2 kg.

The last weeks of pregnancy are also the time when the woman's so-called "nesting instinct" awakens. A pregnant woman suddenly begins to equip the apartment, clean and tidy everything up, prepare the baby's room. Do you feel the need for even greater improvement of the "family nest"? Expect an early birth.

And yet, the most obvious, clearest precursors of childbirth are the prolapse of the mucous plug, the discharge of amniotic fluid and the appearance of regular painful contractions. You will recognize a mucous plug by the presence of a dense lump of thick mucus on the panties, possibly streaked with blood. The entire period of pregnancy, the mucous plug closed the cervix, preventing infections and viruses from getting to the baby. Now the cork comes out, freeing the baby's birth canal.

The outpouring of amniotic fluid is also difficult to miss: just before the onset of labor, the waters literally pour out in a stream, crawling along the legs in trickles. At the same time, they look like a watery liquid, often transparent, but if the baby's original feces meconium gets into the amniotic fluid, the waters can acquire a yellowish or greenish tint.

And, of course, contractions - regular, more and more frequent, accompanied by painful sensations - will inform about the onset of labor. Many women, especially primiparas, are afraid to confuse false contractions with true ones, especially since false contractions by the end of pregnancy are already painful in nature and are repeated much more often than before. To determine which contractions you are dealing with, simply change your body position during the contractions. Get up, walk around the room, sit on a stool. If the contractions stopped at the same time, it means that the birth will still have to wait.

Abdomen: pulls, hurts

By the 40th week, the stomach has usually dropped, the baby has taken a position from which he will begin to move towards the meeting to meet mom and dad. However, if no changes have happened to your belly, do not worry: in some cases, the belly does not lower until the onset of labor.

Do not be alarmed by abdominal pains - pulling pains in the lower abdomen, passing to, indicate the imminent onset of childbirth. The child is now "at a low start" before going out, his head presses on the pelvic bones, the load on the abdomen and lower back due to the colossal increased weight of the woman is colossal. Hence - and the feeling of a pulling, painful abdomen.

Pain at 40 weeks of gestation

In addition to painful sensations in the lower abdomen and in the lower back, you most likely also feel pain in your back, spine, your legs probably hurt. Such pains are now normal: the ligaments and muscles are stretched, the body is preparing for childbirth, and the soreness characteristic of this stage of pregnancy appears.

For the same reason - stretching and softening of bones and joints - you, most likely, also feel some heaviness, soreness in the groin. Your pubis hurts, your pelvic bones pull and hurt. The pelvis is now gradually diverging, the bones of the pelvis under the influence of the hormone relaxin become softer, so certain pains arise. By the way, in addition, you can also find pain in the hip - this happens when the uterus squeezes the femoral nerve, moreover, the stabbing pain in this case can even reach the knee.

Be that as it may, track pain, analyze how it can be caused. And, if even the slightest suspicion arises that something is going wrong, it is better to play it safe and consult a doctor on this matter.

Focus on your child: listen to him and keep in touch with him at all times. Talk, caress, keep unity - in childbirth you will be a real team! It is imperative to act in a coordinated manner.

The first cry of a newborn will notify you that you can already breathe a sigh of relief. This is a truly unique moment: for the first time, mother hears the voice of her blood, and thanks to a cry, the child takes her first breath and starts her respiratory system. But do not be disturbed by the infant's silence: it happens that it takes him some time to get away from the shock. The kid is in a certain amount of stress, he is exhausted, scared and confused. Doctors know what to do in such cases, so soon you will still hear the best melody in the world.

Discharge at 40 weeks of gestation

... And now, while the meeting with the baby is just expected, do not stop monitoring the vaginal discharge: light, mucous discharge is considered normal for this period. The viscosity and viscosity of the discharge is the result of the gradual separation of the mucous plug, which up to this point closes the cervix. Keep in mind that mucus can be pinkish, red, brown: when the cervix softens and contracts, small vessels burst, respectively, blood stains the discharge.

But, if suddenly you find exactly bloody discharge in yourself, regardless of their amount, immediately go to the doctor with this sign. The appearance of blood from the genital tract is a clear symptom of placental detachment, a phenomenon that threatens the life and health of the baby and mother.

Of course, you should not hesitate when you see "colored" green or yellow, earthy discharge, foamy discharge, curdled, with an admixture of flakes. Such changes indicate the addition of an infection, which, if not treated, can be transmitted to the baby during the passage of the birth canal. Consult your doctor and start treatment immediately: you may still have time to minimize the risks of infection of the baby before labor begins.

And, of course, taking your bags, go to the hospital, noticing the discharge of amniotic fluid. You will learn about the outpouring of amniotic fluid by the appearance of liquid, watery, abundant secretions - the waters on the eve of the onset of labor are literally poured out in a stream. But keep in mind that not always and not necessarily amniotic fluid is poured out only right before childbirth and one-time: amniotic fluid may well simply leak, oozing in small quantities. This is possible when the membranes are depleted or when their integrity is violated, which poses a danger to the child - an infection in violation of the integrity of the membranes can penetrate the fetus within the first 24 hours. Therefore, even if you feel constantly wet panties, do not hesitate to inform the doctor leading the pregnancy about this.

Ultrasound

At the 40th week of pregnancy, an ultrasound scan may be needed to monitor the baby's condition and exclude any prenatal problems. With the help of an ultrasound examination, the doctor, for example, will assess the condition of the placenta: with each week the placenta is getting older and at some point it ceases to cope with its duties. As a result, the baby begins to experience oxygen starvation, which can cause depression of brain activity, heart dysfunctions, and in severe cases, even fetal death.

Evaluating the placenta on an ultrasound scan, the doctor will also see how the baby is doing there and whether everything is fine with him. Once again, the size of the fetus will be confirmed, the likelihood of entanglement with the umbilical cord is excluded, the quality and quantity of amniotic fluid, the state of the uterus and the maturity of the cervix will be assessed.

Now you can clearly see the baby in the form with which you will meet in the very near future. Undoubtedly, the baby will be the most beautiful for you. But to be honest, many parents are somewhat confused by his appearance. The head can be clearly deformed, the body is covered with mucus, the skin is kind of spotty and strange in color, and even covered with hair in the most unexpected places, and due to the increased level of hormones, the genitals can even swell, sometimes liquid comes out of the papillae. Do not be confused by any aesthetic "defects" - all of them will disappear soon after childbirth.

Try to immediately attach the baby to your breast - more and more modern doctors are inclined to believe that this is extremely useful for both mother and baby. And then it will be weighed, measured, and the first toilet in their life will be carried out: they will clean it, wipe it off, dress it, the eyes will certainly be instilled with medicinal drops to prevent the development of an eye disease.

The new Man will be assessed on the Apgar scale and a tag will be assigned to him, where your name, medical record number, date and time of birth and the gender of the child will be indicated.

The neonatal period begins, where worries, troubles, difficulties and a lot of happiness await you!

Let everythnig will be alright!

Specially for- Elena Kichak

The fortieth week of pregnancy is considered the final period of bearing a baby, and by this time he usually already weighs about three and a half kilograms, but can weigh up to four. A child is usually about fifty centimeters tall.

During this time, all the main vital systems of the body have long been formed and are working at full capacity so that it can live outside the mother's body. By this time, all the necessary changes in the functioning of internal organs have already taken place, as for the endocrine system. But this period is characterized by a significant increase in the growth of the adrenal glands, since their correct work is necessary during childbirth. Adrenaline, like norepinephrine, produced in this case, are the means of an adaptation mechanism when a baby is born. The nervous system of the child and his sense organs at this time are aimed at constant interaction with the mother's body, and it is for this reason that the connection between the mother and the child is felt much stronger.

Pregnant women by this time can experience quite understandable excitement. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that even the most experienced doctor is not yet able to predict the exact date of birth of a child, but at the slightest physiological signs of a post-term pregnancy, you can count on qualified help.

It is believed that it is the child who initiates the onset of the birth process. This happens because the placenta gradually wears out, and there is too little space in the uterus. Thus, the baby's body begins to produce an increased amount of stress hormones, and the mother's body reacts accordingly to this phenomenon.

Doctors recommend all expectant mothers to relax and have more rest at this time. You can keep yourself busy watching your favorite movie or reading a book; daytime sleep is very useful. This respite will allow you to fully prepare for what is considered a very important event in a woman's life.

But what if the 40th week of pregnancy is in progress, there are no signs of an imminent birth, and is not expected? The first step is to stop panicking or winding yourself up, since not all pregnancies lasting more than forty weeks are recognized as postponed. It also happens that the 40th week of pregnancy passes, there are no harbingers of the next birth at all. Usually, experienced specialists in such cases console frightened expectant mothers with the fact that about a third of all pregnancies are initially calculated incorrectly, which means that the date of the start of labor is also very conditional. This is not at all due to the negligence of medical professionals. Today, it is still impossible to accurately determine the date of conception, up to an hour or a minute.

If so much time has passed and labor does not begin, 40 weeks of the term can bring some particularly sensitive women to a panic state. It is worth learning more about the fact that prolongation can be both true, that is, occurring for physiological reasons, or imaginary.

In the second case, the imaginary fetal prolongation occurs due to the physiological characteristics of the expectant mother. This means that her menstrual cycle lasts more than thirty days; in this case, the baby will develop much later, and the very bearing of the baby is considered prolonged. Official medicine recognizes prolonged pregnancy as quite normal, since the child is born absolutely healthy, and without the slightest signs of postmaturity.

40 weeks, and there are no contractions - for what reasons can this happen and what is the risk? Doctors recognize as post-term only the pregnancy in which a baby was born with any symptoms of post-term. Among the possible signs are excessive thinness of the child, dry and unhealthy skin on the head and body, a complete lack of lubrication at birth. The eyes of an overripe child have already opened long ago, and the hair and nails are noticeably longer, in addition, the baby is much more active.

If 40 weeks have passed, there are no harbingers of the proximity of childbirth, then doctors usually begin preparations for stimulating labor due to the constantly increasing threat to the woman's health.

Among the possible consequences of overriding a child, a woman may experience such as the risk of bleeding and complications during childbirth. There is also a threat of acute hypoxia for the baby, due to which the likelihood of surgical extraction increases many times over.

This phenomenon is especially dangerous for pregnant women, whose bearing of a child is additionally complicated by the conflict of the Rh factor. In this case, the baby may be born with an acute form of jaundice. Sometimes a child may not even survive, but such cases are very rare these days, as the level of medicine has increased significantly. All expectant mothers who previously had difficulties with bearing due to conflicts of Rh factors need to undergo special preparation for childbirth and come to the maternity hospital in advance.

Diagnosis of post-term pregnancy is significantly difficult for the reasons that this phenomenon has practically no external signs. It is encouraging that, nevertheless, doctors are able to monitor the condition of the mother and her baby. An integrated approach allows you to monitor a woman's health in more detail. In this case, the decision on additional stimulation of labor is made on the basis of the results of examinations and analyzes.

Among the methods that allow you to monitor the course of pregnancy, the main place is occupied by numerous tests. If the doctor has a suspicion that the child may be born post-term, then the test results come to his aid.

For example, the analysis of the secretion of the mammary glands, since with prolonged maturation, it is milk that begins to be excreted and the amniotic fluid analyzes, which become significantly cloudy and acquire a dirty tint. A post-term baby can be born for a variety of reasons, which are often interrelated. Not a single doctor, even one who has worked for many years, can know exactly when a child will be born and what kind of pregnancy is post-term.

40 weeks pregnant - the last step on the way to a miracle! Although the entire path to the birth of a child has already been passed, the most important event lies ahead - childbirth. Expectant mothers are in a state of trembling fear of the unknown, first of all, this, of course, applies to those mothers to whom this is the first pregnancy. Now the final stage is underway: the woman's body is preparing for childbirth, and the child is also preparing for this event.

40 obstetric week of pregnancy is already 10 months of pregnancy, III trimester. Labor can begin at any time.

What happens to your baby at 40 weeks?

The beginning of the 40th week of pregnancy means that the meeting with the baby will take place from day to day, and the baby is already waiting for this.

At 40 weeks, its weight is already 3-4 kg. Some babies weigh up to 5 kg. To give birth to such large babies naturally, a woman must have a wide pelvis. Otherwise, she will be shown a planned caesarean section. Boys are usually slightly larger than girls. And girls, although thinner, are often taller than boys. The growth of babies at 40 weeks on average is 50-56 cm.

The fetus occupies the entire intrauterine space. He is already cramped and uncomfortable. The larger the baby, the more calm his movements are - this is due to the lack of free space. Over the past few weeks, Mom has noticed that her baby's tremors are not as strong. The frequency of fetal movements at 40 weeks should not decrease significantly, movements should still be felt regularly, just now the movements of the crumbs are smoother and not so strong.

A noticeable decrease in the frequency of movements may indicate a lack of oxygen and nutrients, therefore, with such symptoms, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor and be examined. The placenta is already old and may no longer cope with the delivery of everything the baby needs.

All organs of the baby are ready for existence outside the mother's belly. When the baby is born, his lungs will unfold and the baby will take its first breath. Mom learns that everything is all right with him at the first cry. Sometimes the children do not cry, then the doctor reminds them that now they need to breathe on their own, with a light slap on the buttocks.

While in the womb, the child listened to the beating of his mother's heart, the murmur of blood in the vessels, breathing. He was in this environment for long 40 weeks, and after birth he finds himself in a completely different world. To calm your baby, simply press him to your chest, sing a song or just talk. The pounding of her mother's heart and the sound of her voice, which he listened to for several months in the womb, will calm the baby, returning him to a more familiar environment.

What does a newborn look like?

Most women in labor are worried about what their baby will be like. Of course, mostly newborn babies do not look very attractive due to certain circumstances. The baby's head is elongated because it takes on such a shape during the birth process so that it is easier for the baby to push out. The baby's skin can have an unusual color, it can be red and yellow, and even blue, if the baby lacked oxygen during childbirth. At birth, the skin of the baby is coated with a vernix, consisting of white mucus and mother's blood. In the intestines of the newborn, meconium was formed in the womb - this is the original black feces, which will come out as a result of emptying the intestines several days after childbirth. Gradually, the baby's skin is cleared of all unaesthetic features and acquires a natural pink tint.

Often, blue-eyed and blonde-haired babies are born to parents with brown eyes and dark hair. This is due to the fact that while the child's body does not have a sufficient amount of pigment, which gives the iris a brown color. Within a couple of weeks, the baby's eyes will change their color.

What's going on with mom? Feelings of a woman at 40 weeks

The uterus stopped growing in size, as it reached its maximum size. Together with her, the belly also ceased to grow. The woman stopped gaining weight, and over the past week she could even lose a little weight. The approximate weight that women gain during pregnancy can be 10, 15, and 20 kg, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy and the woman's physique. Normally, weight gain during pregnancy should not exceed 15-16 kg.

The expectant mother is still worried about swelling, fatigue and pain in the legs, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, back and lower back pain. But at 40 weeks of gestation, all this fades into the background. The main thing that worries a woman at this time:

• When to give birth? Why hasn't the child been born yet, because the deadline has already come?
• How to behave when labor starts?
• How do you know when labor has begun and when to go to the hospital?
• Is the baby healthy?

The worries of expectant mothers are justified, because childbirth is a difficult and responsible process for which you need to carefully prepare. If the PDD has already passed, and you have not yet given birth, then most likely the day of the alleged birth was simply miscalculated. A mistake for a few days is perfectly acceptable. In addition, boys, as statistics show, are never in a hurry to leave the warm mother's womb ahead of time. But girls, on the contrary, are in a hurry to see the big world. In any case, everyone has their own birth date, and there is no need to rush the baby.

Most babies are born a little earlier or a little later than the due date, this is quite normal. The maternal instinct will not let you down and will prompt you in time what to do and how to do it correctly to help your son or daughter to be born. If childbirth is the first, carefully listen to the advice of obstetricians during childbirth, they will tell you how to behave correctly.

If it's your second birth, then you already know how to breathe properly and what to expect. However, remember that second births will be different from first births. The body has already gone through all this and remembers well what to do. The opening of the cervix during the second and third births is much faster than during the first, and the contractions are more intense and painful.

Harbingers of childbirth

At 40 weeks, almost all women show characteristic signs that indicate the imminent onset of labor, they are also called harbingers of childbirth. Here is some of them:

1. The belly sank. Closer to the date of birth, the baby drops lower, the head is tightly pressed against the small pelvis, thus, the baby is preparing to be born.
2. Recurrent pain in the lower abdomen. A woman may from time to time feel unpleasant but bearable abdominal pain. These are training contractions: the abdomen stiffens for a few minutes, the lower abdomen pulls and the lower back hurts, and then the pain is released. Such contractions do not lead to the onset of labor, but they indicate that childbirth is already very close, and the body prepares for them with the help of such training.
3. Discharge of the mucous plug. A mucous plug is a small amount of clear-colored mucus, and sometimes with a small amount of blood. Such a plug was a protection for the child from various infections, but now, if it has moved away, then labor can begin immediately, or maybe in a few days. A woman should be careful, due to the fact that the child is susceptible to various infections when the mucous plug ceases to perform its function.
4. Decreased fetal activity. Before the very birth, the fetus inside calms down, and the number of movements of the baby decreases, because the baby is preparing to go through the difficult path of birth.

Frequently asked questions on the forums

V.: The 40th week of pregnancy has gone, today in the morning there are pains like with menstruation. Maybe I'm giving birth?

A: Such pain may be a symptom prior to the onset of labor. Observe your condition, if cramping sensations appear, which will be regular and will become more frequent over time, then urgently go to the hospital. Training contractions can also take place with the same symptoms.

Q: The 40th week has begun and there are still no precursors of childbirth (second birth). When will I give birth?

A: Harbingers of childbirth in a second pregnancy may appear a few days before childbirth, or even a few hours (everything is very individual). The second childbirth takes place more rapidly, therefore, the harbingers appear much later.

Q: The waters are gone, but there are no contractions (40 weeks). What to do?

A: Waters often drain a few hours before the onset of labor, if we talk about a complete outpouring of water. If, after a few hours, contractions do not start, go to the hospital, you may have to stimulate labor. Also, at a period of 38-40 weeks, there is a leakage of amniotic fluid when they come out in small quantities. This happens often and is not something scary, but you should definitely consult a doctor for an examination.

Childbirth at 40 weeks of gestation

The first birth usually occurs at 40 weeks of gestation. They begin with short contractions, which gradually become more frequent and more palpable. The cervix opens slowly, so the first birth can last up to 15-20 hours.

Second births are much faster. Contractions already at the beginning of labor are quite intense and painful, and the opening of the cervix occurs several times faster than the first time.

If labor is not due this week and your pregnancy is more than 40 weeks, your doctor may suggest stimulation with medications to help induce labor. You can refuse this procedure and wait for the start of the natural process, or use grandmother's methods to speed up labor, the most effective of which is sex.

So, 40 weeks of pregnancy is the last step that will lead to the birth of the long-awaited happiness. The woman was looking forward to this event, perhaps feeling anxiety and awe. Childbirth is a difficult path for both the mother and the child, but the reward will exceed all expectations - a long-awaited baby who will delight his parents!

40 weeks of pregnancy is exactly 10 obstetric months.

Most likely, you will give birth in the coming days. If the baby has not yet been born before this week, do not worry, since you still have 2 weeks left.

What Happens at Week 40

Childbirth will begin when the baby is ready not only physiologically, but also psychologically to be born.

The baby is considered post-term, only after 42 weeks of pregnancy, so do not panic in advance. Only 4% of women give birth exactly on the date appointed by the doctor, the rest do it within 1 to 2 weeks of the set date.

In addition, not every pregnancy that lasts longer is considered post-term. This name is only given when a child is born overripe. Then he looks thin with dry, sometimes even flaky skin. In addition, he has long legs and is much more active than ordinary children. Read more about post-term and prolonged pregnancy.

If before that mucous plug has not moved away yet, it will definitely happen this week. When this happens, you will notice that there is yellow or white mucus in the discharge. In addition, there may be streaks of blood in the mucus, but this is quite normal.

Read more about other signs of labor in progress.

At 40 weeks, any movement requires an already enormous effort. The woman feels a strong heaviness in the lower abdomen. Now, during the active actions of the child, you can easily feel the buttocks, arms and legs of the baby.

Due to the fact that the uterus has descended, the woman feels strong pressure in the perineum. In addition, the volume of the bladder decreases, which means that a woman will run to the toilet much more often.

The beginning of labor

Many are interested in what exactly provokes childbirth. Many believe that it is the baby who is to blame for this. He is already completely uncomfortable in the tummy, so his adrenal glands secrete the hormone cortisol, which is stressful. This directly affects the hormonal background of the mother. All this affects the sensitivity of the uterus, and it begins to contract. As a result, there appear regular contractions, which are the main sign of childbirth. Read more about contractions.

It's time to go to the hospital when a woman has the following symptoms:

1. Contractions have become regular, that is, the interval between them is about 7-10 minutes.
2. Send away the waters. It should be borne in mind that they can pour out gradually or move away completely.
3. Increased body temperature, severe diarrhea and vomiting. Thus, the body is trying to get rid of all that is superfluous.

Possible reasons for the delay in labor:

• the normal menstrual cycle is abnormal;
• insufficient amount of hormones;
• psycho-emotional shock;
• any chronic diseases.

Well-being of a woman at 40 weeks

Almost all women are already ready to meet with the baby and even worry that the pregnancy has dragged on for so long. All sensations become more acute as labor becomes closer and closer.

As for the psychological state, it is also aggravated, and many women can experience serious shocks.

Possible physical sensations

A woman's body is already fully ready for childbirth and many women have a baby this very week. Any significant changes in the body and in the psychological state not happening:

1. Uterus. Continues to grow in size and prepare for childbirth. The distance to the pubic symphysis is about 40 cm, and to the navel is about 20 cm. The cervix becomes soft and contracts as it prepares for future childbirth. The volume of the uterus has increased 100 times in relation to the usual size, and its mass has grown 20 times.
2. Stomach. The belly no longer grows, but the skin is so stretched that the woman may feel itching. This can be a harbinger of stretch marks. To avoid this, be sure to use which will prevent their occurrence.
3. Braxton Hicks contractions. They get stronger and more frequent. During training contractions, it is very important to breathe correctly and relax as much as possible in order to improve your condition. To learn how to distinguish training contractions from the onset of labor, read
4. Breast. The mammary glands are already fully prepared for breastfeeding. First, a thick liquid will be released from them, which has a high nutritional value - this is colostrum. It will stand out for about 4 days, and then milk will replace it. It is recommended to prepare the teats for feeding. To prevent cracking, rub your nipples with a hard towel. This will make them much rougher.
5. Allocations. Continue to monitor your secretions. If you notice the appearance of leucorrhoea that looks like pus, see your doctor immediately. They urgently need to get rid of in order to exclude possible infection of the child during his passage through the birth canal. The appearance of blood in the discharge may indicate placental abruption. In this case, urgent hospitalization is necessary, as this can threaten the life of the mother and her child. Watery discharge indicates the discharge of amniotic fluid, which indicates the onset of labor. Read more about the nature of discharge during pregnancy.
6. Stirring. The baby is no longer very active, as he is gaining strength before childbirth. Stirring is essentially a child's way of communicating with its mother. For example, if he is hungry, he will push the placenta, thereby provoking an increase in the supply of nutrients. The woman clearly feels the movements of the baby. They are so strong that you can only sleep when this child is doing. Continue to control the number of movements, as a sharp decrease in activity may be a sign of fetal freezing. Excessive activity may indicate insufficient oxygen. Read about why it is important to follow the movements of the child.
7. Painful sensations. Back and joint pain occurs due to the preparation of the body for childbirth. This week, they can occur in absolutely all parts of the body. The abdomen becomes hard and pulling pains appear, this is due to the approaching birth. Due to the increased pressure on the perineum, severe and sharp pain in the perineum may appear. Pain in the sacrum occurs due to pinching of the femoral nerve.
8. Nausea... At this stage of pregnancy, late toxicosis may occur, but it appears very rarely. Nausea is most often felt in the morning, in order to reduce its manifestation, try not to eat much during the day. If the nausea persists, see your doctor immediately.

Possible emotional experiences

In the last weeks, it is very important to stay calm and not panic.

Many women in this period can fall into a real depression. And all because of the delay in pregnancy.

Do not panic, especially since the doctor says that everything is in order. The kid clearly understands your condition, and it negatively affects him. On the contrary, you should be happy so that he understands how good it is outside and how quickly he was born.

To get rid of the fear of the unknown, which is experienced by a huge number of pregnant women, read useful literature about childbirth, go to and be sure to talk with your doctor and close relatives. Helpful advice and communication can help relieve your anxiety and calm yourself down.

Reviews of women about 40 weeks

Women who have not yet given birth experience many different emotions, which ones, let's find out:

Valentine: “The 40th week has already begun, and no precursors of childbirth have appeared. I feel absolutely normal, yes, of course I'm tired, but, as it is, everything is in order. There is a little excitement before childbirth, I worry that everything goes quickly and well. My husband decided to support me and goes with me to childbirth in order to meet our son together. "

Ksenia: “I gained a lot, as much as 27 kg, but the doctor says that I shouldn't worry and everything will be fine. It’s so hard for me that sometimes it seems that my legs will not be able to withstand such a load and will just break. Apparently, the baby is not going out at all, since there is not a single harbinger of childbirth, not even training fights. The child is even behaving too actively, as if not 40, but 25 weeks. "

Svetlana: “It’s already 40 weeks, and I still haven’t given birth, although I was going 2 weeks ago. My husband and I are looking forward to meeting our little son. Apart from the training fights, nothing else bothers you. The last days of pregnancy are the happiest, as a woman lives by meeting her little one soon. "

Oksana: “Although we were set to give birth at 39 weeks, already 40, but we are still in the tummy. I have started training fights, my stomach has been aching for quite a long time, sometimes it shoots in my back. From time to time, nausea, and even vomiting, excruciates. The baby does not want to go out and dangles her legs, as if protesting at all my persuasions. Tomorrow I will go to the doctor so that he can see when we will have to give birth. "

Valeria: “I’m just sure that in the coming days I’ll have a face, as I feel training contractions more and more often, the mucous plug has come off, I feel a pulling pain in my stomach. It would have happened faster, since there is practically no strength left, and you still need to overpower the childbirth. "

faith: “God, for 40 weeks now, it seems to me that I have been pregnant all my life. Walking is very difficult, even lying is uncomfortable, and the baby is sitting in the "house" and is not going to go out. We have already passed the deadline, but the doctor said that everything is fine and we will have to wait another 2 weeks. "

Hope: “The cork has come off, and the training contractions have intensified, and the stomach is pulling, but still have not begun. I was very tired, but not physically anymore, but mentally. Constant mood swings have already tortured not only me, but everyone around me. It's good that everyone understands me and does not take offense. "

Karina: “I feel, oddly good, even though it's already 40 weeks. Heartburn is gone, breathing became much easier. There are no harbingers of childbirth, so I don't know when the time will come for us to give birth. Massage and yoga can help you get rid of pain. In general, everything is fine, now it remains to wait a bit before meeting my son. "

Olga: “The doctor said that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck, because of this I am very worried. I only put on 15 kg, so I think it will be easy to get back in shape. The training contractions have increased, and the traffic jam has gone away, maybe this week it will turn out to give birth. "

Catherine: “I’m probably one of the few women who enjoy walking pregnant. The husband fulfills any whims, everyone loves and pity you, but inside there is your child, whom you love more than anything in the world, can there be anything more pleasant. But I feel that soon all this will end and I will have to give birth. "

Fetal development at 40 weeks of gestation

The baby is already ready to be born in order to finally see his mother, who is waiting for him.

The baby's weight this week is about 3.8 kg, and the height is about 54 cm.

These data are average, so you shouldn't take them as ideal. For example, a girl may be born with a lower weight. The baby has filled almost all the free space in the uterus, and now he cannot move calmly. It is in a bent position with the head down, the knees touch the chin.

Due to good intestinal motility, it already contains accumulated original feces called meconium. It is taken during the processing of amniotic fluid in the digestive system. It consists of parts of the epithelium, primordial lubricant, lagoon. Basically, it comes out after birth, but there are times when this happens in the womb. As a result, the baby will be born in green slime. The meconium that is already in the baby's intestines is sterile, but after childbirth, various microorganisms will appear in the intestines.

Now the child's chest sticks out a little, this is due to increased level estrogen in a woman's body, a couple of weeks after birth, it will pass. In addition, due to this hormone, girls who are born may have minor vaginal discharge. This phenomenon is considered quite normal.

Bilirubin, which is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells in the fetus, is excreted through the placenta to the mother and is rendered harmless by her liver. After birth, the child will cope with this task on its own. The child's blood supply is no longer dependent on the mother, since his hematopoietic organs are fully formed and work independently.

There is no need to worry that the baby does not have enough colostrum, which is produced in a small amount by the mother's breast, since volume his stomach is about 15 ml. In the first week of life, the stomach will increase several times.

This week navel has already fallen into place. The lubricant that previously covered the entire body of the baby has completely disappeared. A small amount of lubricant remains only in places where the skin is very delicate, such as in the armpits and groin.

The immune system the baby is not fully matured yet, and the baby receives the necessary antibodies through the placenta. After birth, he will receive them through breast milk.

To make it easier for the child to survive the birth process, his body actively produces adrenaline and norepinephrine. These hormones will reduce pain and make it easier for you to pass through the birth canal.

Photo of 3D ultrasound of the fetus

Helpful hints:

1. Use the remaining time to get some rest, as you will have a lot to worry about after birth.
2. You can still eat something tasty, so do not deny yourself the pleasure. Remember that you will have to follow a fairly strict diet after giving birth.
3. Take a relaxing bath to help get rid of negative thoughts.

Proper nutrition

This week, you do not need to experiment, go on a diet or, on the contrary, overeat before the strict diet that awaits you after childbirth. The main nutritional condition this week is to eat foods that will help relieve depression, quickly recover from childbirth and speed up the process of milk production. In addition, you need to eat foods that include carbohydrates. They will help you stock up on the energy you need during labor.

Don't forget about vitamins... This week, your body needs more vitamin K, which can be found in dairy products and lettuce. This vitamin improves blood clotting, which prevents bleeding during childbirth. Also, do not forget about vitamins of group B and A. fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, a fish, and, of course, dairy products... It is very important that all products are natural and of high quality.

If labor pains have already begun, but you feel intense hunger, then eat something easily digestible, for example, it can be chocolate, jelly, and other foods that contain fast carbohydrates. All of these foods will give you the energy you need to give birth.

Intimate relationship

If the doctor does not prohibit and you have a desire, you can not deny yourself the pleasure.

In addition, late-term sex has its own advantages:

1. Orgasm is an excellent stimulant of contractions.
2. Male semen contains prostaglandin, which softens the walls of the uterus.

Examination at 40 weeks of gestation

This week, the woman will have another visit to the doctor and standard procedures:

• weighing;
• measurement;
• dimension
• listening to the heartbeat.

Besides necessarily you will need to pass in order to monitor the work of the kidneys.

If the date of delivery set by the doctor has passed, then he can prescribe a conduction. This study will assess blood flow in the vessels of the uterus, placenta and fetus. The doctor will be able to find out if the baby is getting enough nutrients and oxygen.

Another study that can be assigned to a pregnant woman is. CTG- Synchronous recording of fetal heartbeat and uterine contractions. Thanks to this study, the doctor will be able to exclude intrauterine hypoxia.

Video about 40 weeks pregnant