In this article you will be able to read about everything related to being pregnant in week 39. You'll find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and tips you might need along the way.

Baby: Soon you will meet!

The baby is now about 50 cm long and weighs around 3.2 kg. He is getting ready to face the world! 💕

In Sweden, most babies are born between week 37+0 and week 41+6, right where you are now, and during this period the pregnancy is considered full-term. 

Development
Everything in the baby is developed by now and until birth, the baby will continue to grow and gain weight. The baby is still growing in length - but this increase is not as marked as the weight gain during this period. 

The lanugo hair slowly disappears at the end of pregnancy and by this week it usually disappears completely. However, it is common for some babies to be born with small, fluffy hairs on their bodies even in later weeks of pregnancy. These will disappear a few days to weeks after birth.

If you are expecting a boy, the testicles will most likely have descended into the scrotum between weeks 36 and 38. If it's a girl, her labia will be fully developed by now. Do you know the sex of your baby? If not, we understand that the suspense is unbearable!

Foster fat
The white fetal fat that has covered the baby's skin will usually have disappeared by now but may remain in some skin folds around the neck, armpits and groin after birth. Some babies are more or less covered in amniotic fluid and this is also normal.

Amniotic fluid acts as a natural ointment and protects the baby's delicate skin, so you should not wash it off. Instead, smear the amniotic fluid from areas where there are larger amounts to help nourish the skin. 

Mom: Pregnant in week 39

BF will be here soon! How much are you looking forward to it? 

The slime plug
Your uterine tube contains the so-called mucus plug, which is made up of the hormone progesterone. To facilitate childbirth, your cervix will usually start to soften, shorten and then open. When this happens, you may experience increased discharge or even whole lumps in your underwear or when you wipe yourself after using the toilet.

You may not notice when the mucus plug loosens. It may remain in place until the birth starts or it may come out when the baby is born. If it has loosened before labor starts, you may notice streaks of blood in it, but this is nothing to worry about. However, if the blood is fresh and more abundant than a spot the size of a crown, it should be followed up by contacting a midwife at the birth center.

Are you experiencing exacerbations?
By now, you may be experiencing exacerbations that come and go. They tend to be felt mostly during the evenings and nights and as long as they subside, you don't need to do anything about them. Most births start with night-time contractions because the levels of the hormone oxytocin are higher in your body at night when you are relaxed and/or asleep.

Given that labor often starts at night and that there is no set template for how long labor will take, it is very positive to rest and try to get some sleep every day until the time comes. If you can't fall asleep, the physical rest is good enough! You need to have lots of energy for your birth and resting and recovering properly beforehand is something we think all moms-to-be should give themselves.

When childbirth starts
As labor starts and you begin to feel contractions, you may experience some minor bleeding. If it is a small spot (like a crown), it is likely to be due to the blood vessels in the cervix being affected as it has softened, which is perfectly normal. If the bleeding is heavier, you should contact your obstetrician.

The latent phase and the active phase
The first part of labor is called the latent phase. In general, the latent phase is the longest part of labor, often starting with irregular contractions that can last for different lengths of time. During this phase, you are usually at home. Eventually, the contractions become more frequent and the birth turns into a active phase!

In the active phase, your contractions become more regular and increase in intensity, at which point you should call in to your chosen labor ward. The labor ward will usually ask you questions about your contractions and recommend that you go in when you can clock three contractions in ten minutes. If your contractions are a few minutes apart, feel painful and intense, and have felt that way for a while, it is usually time to go into labor. 

It can be difficult to know what painful and intense labor means as a first-time mother. When you feel labor coming on, it's important to trust your gut about how painful it feels to you and to have a dialogue with the birth team.

Water outlet
Some births start with water breaking, but this is actually more unusual than labor starting with contractions. If your waters break, they can happen in different ways! A big splash like in the movies is rarely the scenario you experience, instead it is more common for fluid to seep out that you may even think is urine at first. 

If it's your water that's gone, you won't be able to stop it from flowing. There may be a lot of water coming in at once and you may wake up to find the bed wet. Then you should look at the color to see if the water is uncolored or if it has any color. Then it is time to contact your maternity ward! You may be asked to go to the maternity ward to have your water checked, and you will often be asked to put on a pad in case there is more leakage.

You can read about week 38 here.

You can read about week 40 here.