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  12. Week 39
  13. Week 40
  14. Week 41

Week 41

It's not unusual to go past your due date, try to be patient and use this extra time to relax with your feet up.

What's happening in my body?

It's usually fine to go over by a week or so without any extra risks. However about 10 or 12 days after your due date, there is some evidence to suggest the placenta starts to work less well.

Your care providers will discuss the best ways forward with you, which could involve extra monitoring or induction.

You might be offered a membrane sweep to start with.

This is where your midwife or doctor sweeps their finger around inside you and separates your cervix from the membranes around your baby. The idea is to stimulate hormones that could bring on your contractions.

Labour may then start within 24 to 48 hours. However, you may need a couple of sweeps to get going, and it does not work for everyone.

RSV vaccination

Have you had the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine? It's usually offered at around week 28 but can be given later if needed, right up until you go into labour.

Having the vaccination can lower your baby's risk of a severe lung infection called bronchiolitis, which can make it difficult for your baby to breathe and feed. If you've not had it yet, speak to your midwife or a GP.

Read more about the RSV vaccine on NHS.UK.

Induced labour

Around 1 in 5 births are induced, which means that drugs are used to get the labour going.

You might be offered a membrane sweep first – this can feel uncomfortable, but it does not harm you or the baby.

A drug called prostaglandin is then used to open up the cervix and get contractions going. It's put into the vagina as a gel or tablet.

It can also be delivered through a pessary, which looks like a mini tampon and releases the drug over 24 hours.

You may need to have your waters broken if they do not break naturally. You may also be offered a drip containing another drug called syntocinon if the labour needs to be speeded up.

There's a lot to consider when you're offered an induction, so ask as many questions as you like.

Here are a few things to consider:

  • there could be medical reasons why it's important for your baby to be delivered sooner rather than later
  • induction can often avoid the need for a caesarean
  • it could be more painful than a spontaneous delivery – you may end up with an assisted delivery using forceps (which are a bit like tongs) or a ventouse (which is a special suction cup)

Read more about your options for giving birth over 40 weeks.

3rd trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 41 weeks or more)

You could be feeling very frustrated, but try to stay calm as that's best for you and the baby.

Your signs of pregnancy could also include:

You may also experience symptoms from earlier weeks, such as:

Read Tommy's guide to common pregnancy symptoms.

What does my baby look like?

The average baby is now around 3 to 4kg. We cannot be too precise, but imagine that there's a small pumpkin or a watermelon sitting in your stomach.

The fast period of growth is now over. Your baby should be chubby enough and mature enough to survive outside the uterus (womb) without any assistance.

Overdue babies tend to have red, dry and peeling skin. This is usually because they've lost their vernix, which is the greasy layer that stops their skin from drying out in the amniotic fluid.

Don't be tempted to moisturise your baby's rough skin, as it could make it even worse. The red layer will peel off after a few days, without any help, revealing perfect skin underneath.

Read more about what your baby will look like.

Composite. One side shows a foetus attached to the placenta by the umbilical cord. The foetus is recognisable as a baby. Other side shows a person holding a pumpkin.
Your baby is about the size of a pumpkin or watermelon.

Action stations

Enjoy your maternity leave

You'll be on maternity leave now. Find out how much maternity leave and pay you're entitled to.

Start doing pelvic floor exercises

It's a good time to tone up your pelvic floor muscles. Gentle exercises can help to prevent leakage when you laugh, sneeze or cough.

Get the muscles going by pretending that you're having a pee and then stopping midflow.

Visit Tommy's for more information on pelvic floor exercises.

Antenatal classes

Ask your midwife or doctor about online antenatal classes – they may be able to recommend one. The charity Tommy's has lots of useful information on antenatal classes and preparing you for birth.

Ask your partner if they would like to take part in the antenatal classes. Even if you've had children before, antenatal classes are still worth going to as you can meet other parents-to-be.

The NCT offers online antenatal classes with small groups of people that live locally to you.

Smoking, drinking and caffeine in pregnancy

Do your best to stop smoking and give up alcohol, and go easy on the tea, coffee and anything else with caffeine.

Ask your midwife or GP for support.

Vitamins in pregnancy

To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D.

From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March, you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make enough from sunlight.

Some people should take a vitamin D supplement all year round, find out if this applies to you on the NHS website.

You just need 10 micrograms daily (it's the same for grown-ups and kids). Check if you're entitled to free vitamins.

Exercising in pregnancy

It's recommended that you do 150 minutes of exercise a week while pregnant.

You could start off with just 10 minutes of daily exercise – perhaps take a brisk walk outside. Check out Sport England's #StayInWorkOut online exercises (scroll to the pregnancy section).

Listen to your body and do what feels right for you.

Healthy eating

There's no need to eat for 2.

Now you're in the 3rd trimester, you may need an extra 200 calories a day, but that's not much. It's about the same as 2 slices of wholemeal toast with margarine.

You just need to eat a healthy balanced diet, with a variety of different foods every day, including plenty of fruit and veg. Have a look at our guide to healthy eating in pregnancy.

You may be able to get free milk, fruit and veg through the Healthy Start scheme.

Emotional and mental wellbeing

How are you today?

If you're feeling anxious or low, talk to your doctor or midwife, who can point you in the right direction to get all the support that you need. You could also discuss your worries with your partner, friends and family.

You may be worried about your relationship, or money, or having somewhere permanent to live.

Don't keep it to yourself – it's important that you ask for help if you need it.

Contraception

Getting pregnant again is probably the last thing on your mind right now. However, now is a good time to start planning what type of contraception you would like to use after your baby is born.

Getting pregnant again could happen sooner than you realise, and too short a gap between babies is known to cause problems.

Talk to your GP or midwife to help you decide.

Talk to your midwife about newborn screening

You will be offered newborn screening tests for your baby soon after they are born.

These screening tests are recommended by the NHS because they can make sure your baby is given appropriate treatment if needed.

Your decisions about whether or not you want these screening tests will be respected, and healthcare professionals will support you.

Ask your midwife or doctor for more information about newborn screening.

Baby basics

From the essentials of caring for your baby to understanding their sleep, find out all the baby basics you need to know about your newborn.

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