Are you impatient to meet your baby? When the 39th week of pregnancy arrives, childbirth is increasingly imminent. This increases desire and also nervousness. Take advantage of these days to get the baby's room ready, wash her clothes, prepare the hospital bag and place the safety seat in the car.
The maturation process of the fetus is complete, as it is considered to have reached term at week 37 of gestation. Because she has grown so large, she has less room inside the uterus to move around. Consequently, you are likely to notice their movements and kicks less. If they stop completely, see your doctor to make sure everything is going well.
The development of the baby is practically complete, its organs are ready and it will be able to breathe without difficulty when it is born. Although their brain will continue to develop and grow until they are two years old and their lungs are considered fully mature at three years of age.
While the bones in her body have already hardened, her skull remains soft and flexible for easy passage through the birth canal. Those soft holes, known as fontanelles, will harden in their first two years of life. At week 39 of pregnancy, the baby weighs about 3.2 kilos and measures approximately 46 centimeters.
In the final stretch of pregnancy, the mother's discomfort increases as a result of the weight of the belly and the pressure of the uterus. You probably feel uncomfortable, tired, fatigued and find it difficult to move normally. Depending on each particular case, the doctor's recommendation may be to walk or rest.
The pressure of the uterus in the pelvic area will be painful and annoying. Your back will also hurt, especially the lower back, due to the weight of the belly and the curvature derived from it. Also, the pressure on the bladder will make you need to go to the bathroom regularly. All in all, it is likely that you will have difficulty sleeping.
Surely you already feel contractions, so they can send you to carry out monitoring tests to control fetal well-being. Another symptom that can announce that the time of delivery is approaching is expelling the mucous plug, a discharge with a thick texture and pink color – it can include some blood – that protects the cervix from bacteria. And, of course, the water breaking is a sign that you have to go to the hospital as soon as possible.
