Facts About Pregnancy Week By Week: Weeks 35-40

Not sure what to expect from your pregnancy week by week during the final weeks? YOUR PREGNANCY WEEK BY WEEK: WEEKS 35-40 helps you discover how your baby is growing and changing, what symptoms you may experience, what precautions to take during the last five weeks of pregnancy, and more.

Week 35th

Your baby is getting bigger, and you are moving closer to meeting them. At this point, their lungs are fully developed. They are still gaining fat deposits, so they will stay warm after they leave your womb. Your child weighs about as much as a 5-pound bag of potatoes.

Point To Be Noted Mommy- Your doctor will test you for Group B streptococcus bacteria between now and 37 weeks. Your uterus is about 6 inches above your navel. By now, you have probably gained 24-29 pounds.

Tip For The 35th Week- Get ready for the arrival of your baby by collecting the necessary baby clothes, equipment, and furniture. Be sure you have acquired a car seat to get you through the first few weeks after your baby is born – at least!

Week 36th

This week, your baby is about 20.7 inches from head to toe, weighing in at about 6 pounds. They are dropping lower in your abdomen and assuming the head-down position to prepare for birth. Their brain has been developing rapidly, and they are practicing blinking, while their tiny fingernails are reaching the end of their fingers. With their skin acquiring a pinker tone, and legs looking chubby, it is getting hard to believe that your baby is ready to join you and the rest of the family on the outside.

Point To Be Noted Mommy- It is coming down to the wire and you have just got one month left before your due date. You are feeling a combination of emotions: excitement, anxiety, and relief. By now your uterus is stretching into position under your ribs, leaving you with slightly less room for breath — and food! You may be tired and still have aches or discomforts from several sources, but there are plenty of ways to get that baby moving, including an abdominal massage.

Tip For The 36th Week- One easy way to save time after your baby is born is to stock up on frozen foods. Your casserole, chili, and other favorite dishes can be made and frozen into single portions, saving you the time it takes to cook those first few weeks.

Week 37th

Many women find this time of pregnancy easier than the last weeks of pregnancy. Your symptoms might start easing up, and you might feel much better. But your baby is quickly growing every day. Your baby is positioned headfirst down in your pelvis with his or her back facing out toward your stomach. With this position, you will be able to push during the pushing stage of labor more easily than if your baby was positioned butt first or sideways.

Point To Be Noted Mommy – The Basics: You still have a few more weeks left to go. Your baby’s lungs may be mature enough to survive outside the womb, but you can both benefit from a little more time together. – What’s Going On: Your uterus might be the same size now as it was a week or two ago. You should be around 25-35 pounds heavier during Week 37.

Tip For The 37th Week- It is finally time to pack your bags! You may deliver anytime from now until a few weeks from now, and you do not want to be caught unprepared. Pack one bag for you with the things you will want during labor (warm socks, lip balm, slippers), and another for your newborn (things like a car seat and diaper bag). Soon you will be snuggling with your little bundle.

Week 38th

Your baby is almost ready for birth. Its growth is slowing, but fat cells under the skin get plumper for life outside the womb, and most of its downy hair (lanugo) and whitish coating (vernix) are disappearing. Your baby’s immune system is getting stronger, too, thanks to antibodies it is getting from you.

Point To Be Noted Mommy – You may feel big and bulky these days, but do not give up — you will not be pregnant forever. Your baby’s bones are still soft, but they are starting to harden. Now it is time to start thinking about childbirth classes, breastfeeding, and a place for the baby to sleep. Losing your mucous plug means labor could start any day now.

Tip For The 38th Week- At 38 weeks, you are almost there. Your baby has reached his or her full length of around 20 inches. He or she will continue to gain around half a pound per week until birth. If you are having a boy, you will have to decide whether you would like to have his penis circumcised (the removal of the foreskin) during the first few days after birth.

Week 39th

By week 39, you are on the home stretch. Baby’s lungs have reached full maturity and the head has dropped into your pelvis (a head-down position lets you breathe a little easier). Toenails and fingernails are in place. Baby’s movements may feel different now that there is less room to move, but remember, these final weeks of pregnancy might be uncomfortable, but they are worth it!

Point To Be Noted Mommy – This week you are feeling a bit uncomfortable about the size of your abdomen, which is getting quite large. Because you are so far along, it may seem like your baby takes forever to arrive. But most pregnant women will have their baby within two weeks of the estimated due date.

Tip For The 39th Week- Week 39 is here, and the finish line is in sight. If you are not feeling excited, do not worry. The nerves are normal moms go through them all the time. Featuring week-by-week advice on symptoms and changes, dietary guidelines, health tips, and information about how your baby is growing and developing, Your Pregnancy Week by Week is the perfect reference for all expectant mothers.

Week 40th

Your baby has been gaining half a pound a week for the last six weeks, and her weight will continue to increase. You may notice some “practice” contractions as your pregnant body prepares itself for the labor deal — labor. These contractions are called Braxton Hicks, and they are normal. If your baby is a boy, his testes are descending from the abdomen into his scrotum. In girls, the ovaries are in place and ovarian follicles are starting to produce eggs. The amount of lanugo, the fine hair that covers your baby’s body, is decreasing.

Point To Be Noted Mommy – Those endless months of waiting are almost over. Your baby is almost ready to enter the world outside his home for the past nine months. Over the next few days, or even weeks, you will continue to grow, and you will feel more uncomfortable as your weight gains make it harder to walk around. Make sure that you have a hospital bag packed by this time so that if things happen quickly (as they sometimes do) you will be prepared. Hang in there – you are at the end of your pregnancy.

Tip For The 40th Week- By week 40 of pregnancy, the baby will have settled into a head-down position, ready for birth. But both of you still have a few hurdles to get through. Learn what you can expect in the final month of your pregnancy, as well as how to ease your discomfort and get ready for labour.

By week 40, your uterus is likely to reach the bottom of your breastbone. If you are past your due date, your doctor may do a nonstress test once a week to check on you and your baby. If they are AML (abnormally elevated), you may need an ultrasound to see whether the placenta is wearing out.

Do You Know What’s Happening Inside You?

Here is a summary of what the baby will be doing during this final stage of your pregnancy: Your baby has grown and matured to the point that they are almost ready to enter the world. The lungs are fully developed, and your baby’s reflexes have become coordinated enough that they can blink, close their eyes, turn the head, grasp firmly, and respond to sounds, light, and touch. You should still feel movement every day, and their position will change to prepare itself for labor and delivery by dropping down in your pelvis.