Pregnancy Week 40
Baby’s Growth During the 40th Week of Pregnancy
At 40 weeks, each newborn baby is different so at this point, it’s hard to say how big your baby is in weight and in length. On average, most newborns weigh about 7 1/2 pounds (and boys tend to be bigger than girls). The skull bones are not yet fused together which allows them to overlap since it’s a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called “molding” is the reason your baby’s head may look a little cone head after birth. Rest assured, it’s normal and only temporary.
Body Changes in the 40th Week of Pregnancy
After months of anticipation and waiting, your due date is rolling around. If you find that your due date comes and goes with no sign of baby, it’s common. But, you may not be as late as you think, especially if you’re relying solely on a due date calculated from the day of your last period because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with reliable dating, some women have prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reason.
At your doctors, you may have a biophysical profile (BPP), which consists of an ultrasound to look at your baby’s overall movements, breathing movements, and muscle tone, and measure the amount of amniotic flud that surrounds baby. You may also have a fetal hear rate monitor also known as a non stress test (“NST”) performed as well or you may have what is known as a modified biophysical profile (“BPP”), which consists of an NST and an ultrasound to assess the amount of amniotic fluid.
