Week 41: The waiting game
Image: @lovebyleah
Welcome to week 41 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
Why might I be offered an induction?
Reaching week 41 of pregnancy can evoke a whole range of feelings. Whilst some people enjoy making the most of these final days of pregnancy, it's completely normal to feel fed up and impatient for your baby to arrive.
This week your midwife will likely discuss induction of labour with you.
There are a number of reasons why an induction may be offered, including: a concern for the health of the baby, a concern for the health of the mother or because of a risk factor with the pregnancy.
It is important to have a good understanding of why your medical team is offering you an induction of labour and to take the time to discuss any risks or benefits so that you can reach an informed decision of whether you would like to go ahead.
“Why am I being offered an induction for being 'overdue'?”
Some risks associated with a pregnancy continuing beyond 41+0 weeks may increase over time and these include:
increased likelihood of caesarean birth (about 360 more women per 10,000)
increased likelihood of the baby needing admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (about 130 more babies per 10,000)
A small increase in the likelihood of stillbirth and neonatal death (about 31 more babies per 10,000)
Read the statistics from the latest research in full here
It will always be your choice to accept an induction or not and so it is important that you have discussed your personal situation with your midwife and doctors and come to a decision that works for you.
If you decide not to accept the induction you will usually be offered regular checks of your baby's heartbeat and possibly an extra scan.
Your baby’s development in week 41
Size of a regular pumpkin
Weighs on average 3-4kg
Around 52cm long
Your baby will be preparing to take its first breath in the outside world, which will be the first time the air sacs inside their lungs have inflated.
Continue to monitor movement and tell your midwife straight away if you notice any reduction in activity.
Your baby’s nails will definitely be getting long now, although it might be hard to see them as their hands are likely to be scrunched into little fists for a few weeks after they’re born.
Your baby’s genitals may look quite swollen when they are born but this is just due to hormones and they will change to a normal size in time.
Week 41 Checklist
You might like to:
Plan something fun to do each day this week. Waiting for you baby to arrive can feel frustrating. So plan a fun week of things to do, like meeting a friend or going for a massage, so you have something to look forward to, whether your baby arrives or not.
Practice relaxation techniques. Listen to a pregnancy relaxation, read some positive affirmations and practice your breathing techniques to help you stay in a good head space - your baby will be here before you know it.
Spotlight on: Clumsiness
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Clumsiness
If you're feeling a lot less coordinated lately, you wouldn't be alone.
Clumsiness in pregnancy is very common. This is because you’re carrying extra weight in different places, causing your centre of gravity to shift.
Relaxin has also caused your joints and muscles to loosen which means your fingers and toes may not be as strong as usual. You may also be feeling more tired than usual and if your concentration lapses it’s easy to drop stuff or crash into things.
Try not to despair, these symptoms will usually disappear once your baby is born - but if they don’t make sure to contact your medical team.
Birth story of the week
This week we catch up with TJ and Tom from our Forest Hill course who share the positive birth of their baby Miles.
“The Happy Parents Happy Baby antenatal course helped me prepare me for labour in ways I never imagined! There were so many things I had no idea about. The movies love to give a very false sense of what birth truly is, so if it wasn't for HPHB, I wouldn't have known what the true experience was like. All the little things you don't know you need to know until the time comes - hypnobirthing, birth plans, the decisions you and your partner are expected to make in the heat of the moment - HPHB covered all the details - from stressful to joyful and I honestly don't know what I would have done without that godsend of a checklist for the hospital!
On the afternoon of Monday, July 20th after trying literally every natural induction method under the sun because I was 5 days overdue, I discovered that my mucus plug had gone (ew!). For the rest of the day, I felt cramping, but it was minor and sporadic. We went for a few walks to try and get things going, and then before bed I really started to feel contractions. When I woke the next morning, the contractions were more intense. This is where Hypnobirthing really came in handy. With Tom’s help I worked on positive affirmations and breathing techniques to fight through the cramping. I used the yoga ball, watched literally every episode of Friends (I always find this comforting as it reminds me of home), took lavender baths where Tom would pour the water over me when a contraction would come on (so helpful!), and long showers squirting the shower head directly on my belly. I also found it really helpful to sit on the toilet directly following a contraction - after a while it was the only thing that would bring me relief.
“As we waited on the gas and air, Tom started to set up the room with our playlist and speaker, lavender oil diffuser, battery tea lights (we dimmed the lights which was really nice), a fan, frozen flannels for my head and neck and Avene face mist. I know, I know, it all sounds like a bit much, but it honestly really helped in the moment. Once the midwife came back, I was able to use my hypnobirthing breathing techniques and the gas and air and started to offer some relief. At this point, I knew all of my energy was depleted, so we asked for the epidural. The anaesthetist was a lovely, funny man, which was welcomed at that point, but I have to admit it wasn’t the most pleasant procedure. Once the epidural was in, the contraction pain subsided a bit.
“From there Tom and I were left to rest a bit (I really wish I tried harder to sleep in this moment because I could have used the extra energy to push in the end) and our midwife team swapped. Our time in the room with the second midwife was a 5 very calm hours. She just kept watching the heart monitor to ensure that the baby was okay and would check my dilation every hour or so. When I was nearing 8cm, my contractions still weren’t 3 in 10 mins, so she decided it would be a good idea to break my waters to speed up the process.
“Eventually I was 10cm - it was time to start pushing! My midwife was a godsend - I am not sure I could have done it without her! The pushing process was much different than I imagined - you kind of need to push like you’re having a poo. Once my midwife said that, it all made sense to me and I was able to go on that way for about an hour. The baby’s heart rate was going up on the monitor and so after discussion, they decided it was time for an episiotomy. From there, I pushed a few more times with everything I had left and Miles was born! He was put straight on my chest and Tom announced to me that it was a boy! We both cried for a solid 20 mins. That very moment made everything worth it. Everything. Tom was able to cut the cord and Miles was on me for about an hour. I have never felt anything like that in my life. We were instantly in love.”
Congratulations TJ and Tom!
Treat of the week
You’ve made it to week 41 and you’re still pregnant- you deserve a relaxing treat. Neal’s Yard Remedies Mothers Bath Oil can help you to unwind with its blend of relaxing and uplifting essential oils.
It won’t be long until you meet your baby now.
Sit back, relax and enjoy.
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
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That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts.
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