What’s happening in week 39 of your pregnancy?
Your baby weighs between 2.9 to 4 kg and measures about 50.8 to 55.8 cm from head to toe.
The umbilical cord is now almost two feet long (60.9 cm) and has allowed you to feed your little one with nutrients from what you eat. It’s time for your little one’s last spurt of growth before he/she is born, so continue eating healthy foods with a range of essential nutrients to nourish him/her.
Your baby’s immune system is using the antibodies you’ve been transmitting throughout the pregnancy. These antibodies will protect your baby from infection for up to 12 months after birth, until he/she can produce their own.
How is your baby’s brain developing?
Your baby’s brain has now developed up to 100 billion of brain neurons, some of which are responsible for learning and memory.
What pregnancy symptom might you experience this week?
If your vagina is leaking fluid, it may not be a sign of immediate labour but a premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Here’s how to maintain a healthy pregnancy until the end:
Call your doctor right away. Tests at the hospital will check if your membranes have ruptured.
Know the other signs of labour. Contractions can signal the onset of labour. These painful contractions will occur at regular intervals and feel stronger and longer over time.
Mom’s Tip of the Week
Watch out for your water breaking or not breaking. If it breaks, expect a trickle or a small gush unlike the flood of water you may be imagining. If it doesn’t break, and you’re experiencing signs of labour past your due date, the doctor may break it for you to aid the pregnancy labour. Remember to talk to your doctor about this, and other pre-labour symptoms.
Reference
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