| On your week 39 of pregnancy, your baby should | | | | tell you the exact date and time when your baby is |
| weigh about 7 to 7.5 pounds and measure between 19 | | | | coming. |
| and 21 inches long. He will continue to build a layer of | | | | Even during your week 39 of pregnancy, your baby |
| fat to help control his body temperature after birth. | | | | should remain active right up to delivery so make sure |
| During this week, it's not uncommon to experience | | | | you pay attention to your baby's movements. If there |
| early signs of labor such as mild contractions or | | | | seems to be a decrease, inform your care provider at |
| Braxton-Hicks Contraction. If you start experiencing | | | | the soonest time possible, the same goes when you |
| early signs of labor, you need to start timing them. If | | | | think your water may have broken. |
| they come at irregular intervals and do not increase in | | | | Your baby's heart rate may be monitored during labor |
| intensity, they are probably just false labor pains. If | | | | and delivery. This will help your doctor and the rest of |
| you're having true labor, the contractions would be at | | | | your healthcare team to evaluate your baby during |
| regular or timed intervals, as you near deliver, they will | | | | labor to make sure that everything is going well. On |
| increase in strength or intensity. | | | | week 39 of pregnancy, when the uterus contracts, the |
| During this stage, your doctor should do an abdominal | | | | oxygenated blood flows to the placenta is restricted. |
| examination to check your baby's growth and position. | | | | Since this is a natural process, it shouldn't be a problem |
| The internal exam's purpose is to see whether your | | | | for most babies. In some rare cases though, this can |
| cervix has started ripening- softening, thinning out and | | | | result to fetal distress. |
| opening. Even so, there's still no way for your doctor to | | | | |