41-42 WEEKS PREGNANT

Week by Week Pregnancy Guide: 41-42 Weeks

Now that you are 41-42 weeks pregnant, you probably would have heard stuffs like you are overdue. Well, you need to understand that there are some babies who don’t come at the expected delivery date. While some come before then, there are a few others who still hang around until probably a week or two before they eventually show up. While you have no reason to fret, it is possible there was a miscalculation with the due date predicted to you.

At this period, note that babies that are overdue tend to be a bit larger than those who come at the expected time. This is because they have had longer time to grow while their skulls also may have had some more time to fuse together. So, the implication of this is that you are likely to be assisted in the delivery with either forceps or ventouse.

One thing your midwife or doctor may discuss with you is inducing labour of the baby if he does not come in the next few days. A reason for this is to avoid the risk of complications for both you the mother and the baby. The longer the baby stays, the more it could lead to stalled or prolonged labour, or even end up injuring your vagina during delivery or end up a stillbirth.

But then, at 41 weeks pregnant, it is expected that the eyebrows, eyelashes and even the fingers of your baby together with his organs would have been fully developed and everything intact as he prepares to join you in the real world.

While your baby should be about the size of a watermelon by now, on an average level, his weight should be around 7.9 pounds while his length will be about 20.4 inches.

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And for you, it is most likely your midwife will have you do an ultrasound scan to ensure that your baby is still developing and doing fine. They will watch your baby to see that his heartbeat and movements are fine. Alongside these, it is possible you are offered a membrane sweep. This process is about her sweeping a finger around your cervix so as to separate it from the membranes that hold the amniotic sac where your baby is in. With this process, labour is likely to be triggered within 48 hours.

More so, it is most likely you are experiencing some pains around your pelvic region. It is simply because your baby has dropped further downward to the birth canal, and as a result of this, he is mounting pressures on the muscles, joints and bones inside your pelvis. If you feel this, try and take a warm bath or lie on your back but make sure your hips are elevated so you have some relief and comfort.

And very important, watch out for labour contractions. Although, the symptoms vary among women, but it could come like just pain in the front of your body, menstrual cramps or backaches. Whatever it is like, if you are not sure, call your midwife to find out what exactly it is.