39 weeks pregnant: symptoms, tips and more
Well, the pregnancy period is almost over and there is not much left!.. no problem, right?. We know how hard it is to wait for the birth of a child... in the 39th week of pregnancy, if you are tired of pregnancy and the days drag on.
Will you survive the remaining days?... Yes.... Will this remaining time be interesting?... No.... Here are some things to expect in the final weeks that you will have to deal with.
Also read this article: 38 weeks pregnant: symptoms, tips and more
What is the condition of the body in the 39th week of pregnancy?
This stage is strange, tense and uncomfortable....no one likes to wonder several times a day if they have "lost their bladder or broken their water bag"....Also, you may be terrified of meeting your baby for the first time and at the same time feel like you are bursting with excitement.
It becomes difficult for you to move with a big belly that is in front of you 24 hours a day.
Don't feel bad if you're trudging from room to room, can barely get up off the couch, or sleep on a hunched bed at night...it'll all be over soon!
It's okay to think that you can and will succeed, because, well....you really can!...but get some good rest and sleep because you need it.
Symptoms of the 39th week of pregnancy
What are the "normal" symptoms (i.e., symptoms that are not related to labor pain) in the 39th week of pregnancy? We will mention the most common symptoms below:
- Heartache and nausea
- Intermittent Braxton Hicks contractions
- back pain
- hip pain
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Severe fatigue
- Loss of appetite
Meanwhile, the baby will be born soon.... So, below are some of the signs before labor pains that the big day is near:
Cervical changes
At the same time as the body prepares for childbirth, the cervix becomes soft and ready.... In addition, the cervix dilates (opens).
The pressure of the fetal head on the cervix also helps this process.... The doctor will check these symptoms during examinations and inform you.
Diarrhea
Muscles expand during labor, so the body sends this signal to the muscles that it is time to rest.... These signals also affect the digestive muscles, causing the food you eat to move faster through the intestines and diarrhea.
Destruction of plaque mucus
To keep the uterus safe during pregnancy, the cervix produces a mucous plaque that prevents germs and bacteria from entering the uterus. At the same time as the body prepares for labor pain, the cervix naturally expels these substances with a little blood.
Within hours or days, plaque mucus may be flushed down the toilet or seep into your underwear....you may not even notice it, but if you do, it will look sticky and bloody (called a "blood wash" for obvious reasons).
rupture of water bag
If you expect the bag of water to pop like a water balloon bursting, remember: it may be exactly that, or it may be like the slow trickling of a drop of water (in other words, a completely opposite feeling).
Confusing?.. Yes.... But you should know that: If the fluid is clear and a lot of it comes out of your underwear or still leaks even after lying down, it's probably amniotic fluid and not urine or discharge... so call your doctor.Tips to cope with waiting in the 39th week of pregnancy
Emotional health is one thing when you are impatiently waiting for the pain of labor and another thing to deal with the physical stress of 39 weeks... when you can't eat well, walk, sleep or even poop... how can you cope?
Nap
Long and uninterrupted sleep is not possible at this stage due to pain and bruising, but if you can nap during the day, the lack of sleep will be compensated a little.
Use a pillow... As soon as you realize it, until further notice, all the pillows in your house are yours, so use whatever you can to make you feel comfortable....put a pillow under your back and legs....you can sleep on your side to make breathing easier.
Small meals
The digestive system is very compressed at this stage, which means it cannot handle large meals... If you feel that you have to eat snacks throughout the day instead of overeating in the main meals, it is not a problem... In addition, to reduce heartburn and nausea in the last three months of pregnancy, it is better to avoid spicy foods.
Drink plenty of fluids
If you don't drink enough fluids, you will have less energy, you will feel dizzy and even your bowel movements will be disturbed.
Slowly change position
Yes, you feel like you're 90, but don't suddenly move....before getting out of bed, roll onto your side and then sit up....if you've been lying on the sofa for a while, stretch your legs....if you live with your partner, don't be shy to ask for help...after all, he owes you!>
Stress reduction methods
Aromatherapy, yoga, dark chocolate, Netflix....it doesn't matter what your to-do list is to relax, just do it.....it's time to relax and you have full permission and approval to relax.
Symptoms of labor pain in the 39th week of pregnancy
We have already mentioned four of the main signs of approaching labor pains:
- diarrhea
- Destruction of plaque mucus
- rupture of water bag
- Cervical prolapse
These symptoms are important, but apart from the rupture of the water sac, you may experience one or more other symptoms, but the labor pains don't start until days or weeks later.
So how do we know when it's time to give birth? The answer is one word: uterine contractions... the first sign of approaching the day of delivery is uterine contractions... of course, real contractions, not Braxton Hicks.
What is the difference between real contractions and Braxton Hicks?. It is important to pay attention to several points:
- Braxton Hicks is irregular, but real uterine contractions are regular: If contractions can be counted at regular intervals (usually every 7 minutes), this is a sign of real contractions.
- The pain of Braxton Hicks is the same, but the pain of a contraction becomes intense: When you have a Braxton Hicks contraction, you feel a sense of freedom, but the pain is not so severe that it knocks you off your feet....if you can't talk, walk or laugh during a contraction, it's probably not wrong....that means you need to focus between each contraction..
- Braxton Hicks can be relieved by resting and drinking water It goes away, but not the original contraction: One of the best ways to tell if a contraction is real or not is to drink a glass of water and lie down... If the pain subsides or stops, it's probably not labor.
If you are sure that the pain is getting worse in frequency, intensity, and duration regularly and that lying down or changing position does not relieve the pain, you should contact your doctor....this is real pain!
If you don't have labor pain symptoms yet, should you be worried?
No!
You probably don't like to hear this, but unless you're seriously ill or at risk, your doctor won't insist on giving birth before 40 or even 41 weeks..
On the other hand, not all babies give you early warning that they're ready to be born....sometimes you wake up in the morning with no signs of labor pains, and in the afternoon you're sitting in the hospital with a baby in your arms....if the baby has one trait, it's unpredictable.
Also read this article: Screening test for the third trimester of pregnancy
Fetal status in the 39th week of pregnancy
The fetus is fully developed, so it looks like a baby!... fingers and toes are fully formed, it can see and hear, it may or may not have hair, and body fat is forming.
Actually, the brain and lungs are still developing, but this growth continues until the first few days after birth.... The functioning of these organs is sufficient to meet the needs of the first day of birth.
In this week, the baby's head should be down.... Most babies are on their backs, but sometimes they are forwards at birth. This situation is not dangerous during childbirth, but unfortunately it increases the pain of childbirth for the mother... The longer the baby stays in the mother's body, the more it grows...
Checklist for 39 weeks of pregnancy
- Count the baby's kicks....although the baby has grown and its movements have changed, it should still be active....you may notice that the baby has slowed down in the womb just before delivery, but it should never stop moving....if you are concerned about this, call your doctor.
- Take prenatal vitamins... Most doctors recommend that you continue taking these vitamins while you're breastfeeding, so don't stop taking them just because you're recovering from childbirth.
- Not to mention that you get enough sleep.
- Get moving....you may not be able to do a lot of physical activity, but you'll feel better if you don't lie on the couch all day (your body won't stiffen and your flexibility will increase)....take a walk around the neighborhood, relax in the living room, or put on a song and dance while cooking dinner.
- Open the door to labor pains... Actually, there isn't much evidence that traditional beliefs like eating spicy foods and having sex affect the onset of labor pains... but some tricks (like walking and certain exercises) can help prepare your body for a difficult labor.
Summary
At 39 weeks pregnant, you need to be ready for almost anything.... Labor pains can start two weeks or two hours later, so make sure you're mentally prepared to endure most of the pregnancy or go to the hospital at any moment.
At the same time, take care of yourself: sleep as much as you can, rest your body as much as possible and think positively... you will succeed!... If you have problems or concerns, contact your gynecologist.
Forums related to this article
- Weighing the fetus in the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy
- My cervix has been open for two years, when will I give birth?
Source: Healthline
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