Pregnancy Week 39

Entering pregnancy week 39 and baby is still baking! I was born at 38 weeks but looks like baby Mia is enjoying her time in the belly! 🙂

What’s happening this week?

• Baby’s crown to rump length is 36-37 cm or 14.2-14.6 inches. Baby weighs about 3.2 kg or 7 pounds.
• Baby’s skin is pink and smooth now.
• Baby’s eye is large and well formed, although its neural networks are not yet sophisticated enough for the baby to focus. Vision in newborns remains poor for  a few weeks after birth while the eye continues to develop.
• The head will be covered with hair, a few wispy strands – or no hair at all.
• Breathing is now rhythmical, with your baby making around 40 breathing movements every minute.
• The baby is so low in your pelvis that you have probably exchanged discomfort in your upper abdominal area for pressure on your bladder.
• Walking may help encourage labor.
• Diarrhea, nausea, and indigestion are all possible signs of labor.
• It’s a good idea to put baby’s car seat in the car now so it doesn’t get forgotten.

The Power of Music

According to my favorite pregnancy book Pregnancy Day By Day research has shown that women who listen to music during labor tend to feel less stressed and are less likely to need pain relief. There’s also some evidence that suggests that babies born to the accompaniment of music are calmer. One study compared different beats and found that classical, instrumental sounds were the most relaxing. Familiar tunes and rhythms could distract you from the pain and – if you choose the right track – help you focus on your breathing. Line up a selection of tunes on your iPod well in advance of labor. You can find some examples here.

HOW IS YOUR 39TH WEEK OF PREGNANCY PROCEEDING? PLEASE SHARE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW 🙂

You might also like:

Growing Pregnant Belly Week By Week

Baby Birth Guide

Hospital Bag For Labor Checklist

5 Top Birth Songs