Welcome to week 39. Only one more week to go!
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Baby
Your mini watermelon-sized baby is almost ready to make its debut into the world and is the size of a honeydew melon. Your baby measures 19.7 inches (50 cm) and weighs 7.6 pounds (3.4 kg).
At week 39, your baby is full term and should be fully developed. Hopefully, your baby is head down. Only about 3-4% of babies are breech at term. With all your baby’s growth, they probably do not have much room to move around.
Your baby’s brain is still growing at an astonishing rate and will continue to grow rapidly for the first three years. Your baby’s skin color has finally changed from pink, thanks to a thick layer of fat deposited over the blood vessels. Complete pigmentation of your baby’s skin occurs soon after birth.
Mom
With your due date just around the corner, you may be anxious about going into labor. The best thing you can do is go on with your life, and your baby will let you know when they are ready. This week could be a good time for self-care. When people talk about self-care, you often get a picture in your mind of taking a bubble bath or reading a book. Self-care looks different for everyone. You know best what you require to take good care of yourself. That could mean putting on a facemask and taking a bubble bath, working out, or watching a funny movie. Think about what refuels you. See this episode for more on self-care during pregnancy and as a new parent.
Many expecting parents spend a lot of time preparing for birth and don’t think about parenting. You can start mentally preparing for motherhood and learn methods to get parenting right from the start. If you are a dog owner, you may want to think about navigating pregnancy and a new baby with a dog. There are also episodes on pacifiers, vaccines in the first two years, five rules for new parents, and taking care of yourself as a parent.
Tip for Dads and Partners
Labor is a marathon. It is one of the most physically and emotionally challenging workouts your significant other will ever go through. Don’t plan to sit back and relax while she is in labor. You can expect to be there physically and emotionally for the duration of the event. You need to be well rested and prepared to be present for the entire thing.
Want more evidence-based information to navigate your pregnancy and birth?
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