Guess what, mum? Your baby is due to come out any time! Most first-time mums might still have their buns in the oven as many first babies tend to come out a little late. There’s nothing to be concerned about just yet. Continue to monitor foetal movement and speak to your doctor if you have any concerns. Learn more about week 41 of pregnancy here.
How Big is Your Baby?
Your baby is the size of a medium-sized jackfruit. Your baby is measuring around 51.5cm and weighs about 3.6kg now! It is a good time to speak to your doctor about your immediate birth plan.
Image courtesy: Pinterest
Your Baby’s Development
In this week-by-week pregnancy guide, you’ll learn that:
- At week 41 of pregnancy, your baby’s endocrine system, which is in charge of hormones, is getting ready for birth. (During their birth, the endocrine system will produce the largest amount of stress hormones in your baby’s life. Don’t be frightened! These hormones are meant to help them adjust to life outside better.)
- A slowdown in foetal activity is usually an indication that your baby has reached full size and is now too cramped to move around. However, you should continue monitoring the movement and report to your doctor if you notice no activity for an hour.
Pregnancy Symptoms
Your body is now ready for birth as it will ever be. Here are some symptoms you may experience at week 41 of pregnancy:
- You may be feeling anxious, worrying about when you’ll give birth, or about the actual labour process.
- By 41 weeks, you may go into natural labour. Signs to look out for include: your water breaking (clear liquid that does not stop flowing even if you do Kegel exercise–not to be confused with urine which is yellowish), discharge of blood-tinged mucus, and regular and frequent contractions (not to be confused with Braxton Hicks).
- Until then, you may experience frequent urination, pelvic pains, nesting instincts, haemorrhages, and diarrhoea.
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Pregnancy Care: Your Checklist For Week 41 of Pregnancy
- Stay near bathrooms—your baby’s big size puts a lot of pressure on your bladder.
- Give your body a break; relax in a warm tub or pool. Water counteracts gravity thus giving you more comfort during the remainder of your pregnancy.
- Relax (or do your very best to). You may have passed 40 weeks but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your baby is overdue. Miscalculation of the time of conception causes 70 per cent of post-term pregnancies.
- If you haven’t discussed induced labour with your doctor yet, do so now. But know that if your cervix is not ready for labour, your doctor may use of hormones to ‘ripen’ it before inducing. The doctor may suggest using drugs such as Oxytocin to jumpstart contractions.
- Try getting a prenatal massage or other means of pregnancy pampering to pass the time. Most of all, get some sleep while you still can – just take our word for it.
- Have emergency numbers at hand. And if you notice a drastic decrease in foetal movement or frequent leaking from your vagina, inform your doctor immediately.
Your next week: 42 weeks pregnant
Your previous week: 40 weeks pregnant
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.
