40-weeks pregnant: baby development and diet tips
Time’s up! You are now feeling very ready to meet your baby. Most babies arrive between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Hang in there if your baby hasn’t arrived yet! Read more about this week to understand what happens after 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Baby development
This will be the shortest “Baby Development” paragraph of all time – your baby is ready to be born! No new developments, but your baby is still growing as each of you waiting for the big event.
Your body
Most babies will arrive between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy which is called being born “at term.” . Did you know that birth is just as much a real physical achievement for the baby as for the mother? In normal childbirth, your baby is born head-first, through the vagina at term. Unless there is a medical reason to intervene, most women are encouraged to pursue normal childbirth. In a stroke of smart design, when babies are born their skulls are soft which helps them pass through the birth canal. You may notice one or two spots on your newborns head that seem like they are not protected by bone. These soft spots are called “fonatanelles” and are normal gaps in your baby’s skull that allow for rapid brain growth over the next year. Sometimes you can even see your baby’s pulse at the soft spot! It can take 9 to 18 months before a baby’s skull is fully formed.
Nutrition
During labour and delivery, your health care provider or hospital may have policy about what you can eat and drink. Some may insist that you do not eat or drink anything, except some ice chips or dilute juice. This recommendation is based largely on concerns about aspiration of stomach contents into your lungs if you are found to need general anesthesia during delivery. If your doctor thinks you are at a low risk of complications and you are hungry or thirsty, ask the hospital staff about what foods or beverages you could have.
Tips
Congratulations and best wishes in your new life!
References:
SOGC pregnancyinfo.ca. Normal Childbirth. Normal childbirth – Pregnancy Info Accessed October 2021.
Healthychildren.org. Your Baby’s Head. Your Baby's Head - HealthyChildren.org Accessed October 2021.
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