Week 39

My Baby This Week

Did you know that the umbilical cord would have reached a length of almost 50 centimeters by this time? And it is rather thick, at over 1.2 cm.

Your baby would be well over 3.3 kg (Asian babies may be up to 20% smaller) and would take up most of the space in the uterus. His kicking will have turned into an uncomfortable wriggling.
The vernix (waxy coating) that used to cover his skin would have disappeared along with the lanugo (fine hair) and your body will begin supplying baby with antibodies to prepare his immune system for the first few months of life!

What’s Happening To My Body?

You might experience false labor contractions this week. They may however, be as strong (and painful!) as the real labor contractions. The main differentiating factor is that these false contractions don’t come at regular intervals!
Also, your waterbag could break at any time now. Sometimes, it happens as a sudden gush of small amounts of water, wetting your bed of chair. Other times, it will be a slow, steady trickle.

The more common sign of labor is the release of a thick mucus plug. This may be tinged with a small amount of blood. Remember, once labor starts, it will take a while before the labor contractions are 10 minutes apart. So don’t rush to the hospital too early or you might be too tired from the process of waiting for delivery! It’s always easier to rest at home, in a familiar environment.

If you are in doubt whether or not you’re going into labor, call your doctor – who will tell you what to do. If the doctor thinks its time for you to deliver, you’ll be required to be admitted into hospital. If you haven’t packed your bags by now, you quickly put together a few essentials. Bring a set of baby’s sleeper suit and mittens, a towel to wrap him up, your toothbrush and a change of clothing. Also, don’t forget your marriage certificate and your NRIC (plus your husbands) as many hospitals allow you to register for your baby’s birth certificate at the hospital itself! If you have a Chinese name for him, you need to remember it or bring a copy along as you will be required to write it on the registration form yourself.

If you do not enter labor within a week of your due date, your doctor may recommend a nonstress test, which will monitor your baby’s heart rate and movement to ascertain if he is receiving enough oxygen. It will also tell us whether his nervous system is responding properly. If the doctor thinks that your baby is at risk of being “stressed”, labor will very likely be induced.

Once you’ve been admitted, you will either be prepared for a cesarean section or be given the hormomne oxytocin via an intravenous drip to help the process of labor along. Then, it’s a matter of waiting for the big moment!

Note of caution:

Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, which may trigger labor but can also result in long contractions that will place unnecessary stress on your baby!