40 weeks pregnant: Baby’s development, symptoms and top tips

Sorry to tell you this, but it could be up to another week or two.

Some doctors will want to induce you (use medicine to start your labour) if your baby is one week overdue; others prefer to wait until two weeks past your due date, to see if labour will begin on its own.

At 40 weeks your baby is about 3.5 kg (7 lb 7oz) and measures just over 51 cm from head to heel.

Your baby is still moving around at 40 weeks, so don’t believe the myth that movements reduce as your due date approaches. The movements might feel different, but the activity level shouldn’t change. If you notice a reduction in movements, go to your maternity unit. They will monitor your baby’s heartrate to make sure that everything is ok.

Skin

Your baby may be born coated in a thin layer of vernix – the greasy white substance that’s protected their skin in the womb. However, some babies – particularly ones that come a little later – have already shed their vernix and have dry skin as a result. There’s no need to worry, or treat them with any moisturiser (unless advised by your midwife or doctor) as within a short period of time their skin will right itself.

What will your baby look like?

People often say that all babies look the same, but when your baby arrives there’s a good chance you’ll recognise features familiar from your own face, your partners, or even your siblings! Though the colour of their eyes might change, the shape of their eyes might look familiar, and you might recognise things like long fingers and toes as family traits.

Cleansing?

Symptoms can vary enormously in terms of severity and location in the last week of pregnancy, as your body is facing a new challenge and a lot of hard work. The cocktail of hormones causes your body to try to cleanse itself again, which may result in feeling nauseous and possible vomiting and/or diarrhoea. The intestinal contractions involved in diarrhoea stimulate uterus contractions, and irregular uterus contractions can also trigger diarrhoea – the two mechanisms support each other.

Done

Probably your overriding feeling this week will be that you are ‘done’. Done with the pelvic pain, done with being kicked about, done with grunting every time you change position. You’ve done incredibly well, and soon your body will be more or less your own again (well, except for all the ways it’s not once you have a baby!) Give your bump extra rubs this week – you might actually miss it once it’s not there!

Stomach aches

When labour begins, the contractions will cause an intense pulling sensation in your abdomen. These will initially occur at irregular intervals over a number of hours before they eventually become even more intense and occur more regularly. Once your contractions are regularly occurring roughly every five minutes at medium-strong to strong intensity, tell your midwife or get your partner to take you to the hospital.

Keep your phone on you

You should now keep your phone charged and available at all times, and urge your partner to do the same. If you have a spare charger, pop it in your hospital bag for later.

Sleep as much as you can

If contractions start but aren’t too intense, try to get some sleep. You might not think it’s possible, but if it is it will give you the chance to rest up before you enter the more intense phase of labour.

Ask about inducing labour

If you have a preference about inducing labour, it's a good idea to speak to your midwife or doctor about it as soon as your due date passes. Your doctor might have a medical reason to induce you, but they should also take your feelings into account. 

If this is your first pregnancy, you should have a midwife appointment this week. They’ll be able to tell you about your options, and what happens during induction if you haven’t already talked about it.

Postnatal support

After your baby comes, you will still be under midwife care for at least the first 10 days. This gives them a chance to check on your postnatal health – keep an eye on any stitches, monitor your postnatal bleeding, and see how you’re coping with the huge adjustment to your life. If they are happy, they will discharge you after 10 days, after which your postnatal support will principally come from your health visitor. You should have already met your health visitor earlier in your pregnancy. They are there to offer advice and guidance on everything to do with raising a baby, from breastfeeding to sleep, baby milestones, development and more. You will have a fixed schedule of appointments with your health visitor, just as you did with your midwife – but like with your midwife, you can also contact them with any questions you might have.

What if labour starts at home?

Unless you’re being induced, your labour is unlikely to start in a hospital – and as labour can be quite a long process, hospitals tend to not want to see you until your contractions are 5 minutes apart. That being the case, your labour is most likely to start at home and you’ll probably have to spend at least some time at home managing it.

There are things you can do to ease your discomfort before you head to the hospital for pain relief:

What to do when you're 40 weeks pregnant with no signs of labour 

Don’t panic. Your baby isn’t going to stay in there forever. It will be two more weeks at most before you meet your baby – but probably less. Sometimes labour comes on suddenly with no warning signs at all.

If you are 40weekspregnant and experiencing no contractions but a lot of pressure, it’s worth talking to your midwife. It could be this pressure is its own early sign of labour and what you’re feeling is your cervix dilating.

If absolutely nothing is happening, why not try the various activities that are meant to kickstart labour – eating spicy foods, having sex, going for a walk, etc? If you’re worried, talk to your midwife. They might offer a membrane sweep – where they insert a (gloved) finger into your cervix and swirl it around a bit to try and separate the membranes surrounding your amniotic sac from your cervix. This causes your body to release hormones that may kickstart labour. A sweep is usually offered as a first step before other methods of induction are on the table.

You’re on the lookout for early signs of labour. The most obvious ones will be the ‘show’ (when your mucus plug comes away from your cervix), your waters breaking (when the amniotic sac bursts) and contractions that feel like someone is wringing out your uterus – these will increase in frequency and intensity throughout your labour.

There are other signs to watch out for, which might indicate that there is a problem with you or the baby.

In all cases, seek medical attention urgently.

What causes a baby to be overdue?

No one really knows why some babies arrive earlier or later than others, though it does seem to have a genetic component. Don’t worry – there’s nothing you’re doing wrong. Babies come when they come. Your baby will be in your arms soon.

How long does it take to go into labour after 40 weeks?

In the UK, doctors usually give your baby up to 42 weeks to arrive – the exact amount of time will depend on your health, your age, and your hospital’s policy. If labour doesn’t commence within that time, you will be offered an induction to kickstart labour.

What happens if baby is not engaged at 40 weeks?

Some babies are not engaged until labour begins. That won’t stop labour from happening. Sometimes labour begins and then the baby’s head engages; sometimes it’s the other way around.

Why is my baby’s head not engaged at 40 weeks?

Most likely, the contractions necessary for that transition to take place haven’t happened yet. The baby can still move down once you are in labour.

In relatively rare cases, the baby’s head can’t move lower because of the shape or size of your pelvis. If this appears to be the case, your medical team will pick up on it and you will be offered a C-section.

Should you rest at 40 weeks pregnant?

Yes, though permanent bed rest is not necessary unless it has been recommended by your healthcare professional! Take your time getting up in the morning, take an afternoon nap, get to bed at a reasonable hour, but if you spend all your day resting you will end up feeling achy and irritable. A certain amount of gentle activity is good for you!

Got questions? At the HiPPBabyClub, we bring you real-world advice and support from HiPP parents, midwives, nutritionists and more. Join our Baby Club to find out more.