39 Weeks Pregnant
Your are about the edge of your labor time so make up your mind as you as well as your baby has to go through some painful period of time. There is very little space left for your baby in the uterus and he is almost ready for birth time. Slightest of movements can still be felt by you as if your baby is changing his position.
Apart from all the major organs, the development of brains cells and immune system is still in progress. Because the immune system is still not functional, placenta supplies the essential antibodies from your body to the baby to provide protection against the infections and several other diseases. Even after the birth, these antibodies provide protection to the baby for initial few weeks. Later, breastfeeding will help providing your baby the essential antibodies that are present in the breast milk and colostrums.
At this time of pregnancy, your baby has enough amounts of fat deposits underneath the skin and a perfect round, smooth body. Toenails are now prominent over the toes and there are patches of thick long hairs on the head. In some babies, there are no hairs on head at all. The body of your baby is still protected by vernix.
At this stage of pregnancy, almost all the women are aware of their baby’s playtime, sleeping time and hours of wakefulness. And according to the researches, majority of the times, babies keep the same time for their sleeping, playing and waking. In 39th week of pregnancy, you will still feel movements made by your baby.
40 Weeks Pregnant
Finally, you are in the last week of your pregnancy. Many women find it the longest of all weeks, especially if the due date is already passed as they are extremely conscious to have a baby in their laps.
During this week, a woman can undergo a series of unusual feelings.
So, finally the development of all the organs of the baby in the uterus is completed and the rest of growth will progress after the birth especially in the baby’s heart and lungs. Until the birth time placenta is accountable for providing sufficient oxygen and carbon dioxide to the baby, but after birth, lungs begin to start their function and the blood gets oxygenated in the lungs and baby starts breathing.
In the 40th week, the baby in the womb is much alike the newly born baby in appearance. At this stage, your baby is tightly wrapped up in the uterus, i.e. his chin is pressed onto his chest and knees are bent up. If your baby is born with a breech position or bottom-down position, his knees may remain bent up for a couple of days. Some babies born with one or both feet turned in (positional talipes).
Interestingly, your baby while still in uterus, moves his head sideways, these movements are there to search milk. After his birth, you can predict these movements while having your baby in your arms. The only voice and movements he is aware of is certainly yours and you often find him responding to your voice or movements.