Week 39 of Pregnancy | Signs of Labour & Full Term Pregnancy Care
Week 39 of pregnancy: baby development, common symptoms, antenatal care and warning signs to watch for this week.
🌸 Week 39 of Pregnancy
“Every cramp now makes you wonder… IS THIS IT?! 👀😭🍼”
You are almost at the finish line now 🤍✨
A normal pregnancy usually lasts around:
✨ 40 weeks
Most women go into labour:
✔ within a week before
✔ or after their due date
So yes…
👀 your baby could arrive any day now
🤰 What’s happening in your body?
🌸 Discharge & the “Show”
You may notice:
✔ more vaginal discharge than usual
This is usually normal if it is:
- thin
- light in colour
- and not strongly smelly
🩸 The “Show”
If you notice:
✔ thick mucus
✔ yellow discharge
✔ or mucus mixed with blood
This is called:
✨ the “show”
It happens when the mucus plug blocking your cervix starts coming away 👀
💡 BUT:
❌ it does not mean labour will happen immediately
✔ it could still be days away
💢 Back Pain & Pelvic Pressure
As your baby moves lower:
✔ backache may worsen
✔ pelvic pressure increases
✔ and everything may feel HEAVY 😭
🧹 Nesting Instinct
Suddenly cleaning drawers at midnight? 👀
Welcome to:
✨ nesting mode
Your brain is officially preparing for baby 😄
💉 RSV Vaccination
If you haven’t had the RSV vaccine yet:
✔ it can still be given before labour
It helps protect your baby from:
- bronchiolitis
- severe chest infections
🚨 9 Signs You Should NEVER Ignore
Contact your doctor or hospital urgently if you develop:
- vaginal bleeding
- brown or pink discharge
- severe itching especially at night
- severe persistent headache
- blurred vision or flashing lights
- pain under the ribs
- sudden swelling
- persistent abdominal pain
- fever above 37.5°C
👶 7 Things You Might NOT Expect After Birth 😄
👶 1. Babies don’t always cry immediately
Movies lied to us 😄
Some babies need a few seconds before crying properly.
🩺 2. Your baby gets checked immediately
Doctors assess:
- breathing
- heart rate
- movement
- colour
- reflexes
using the:
✨ Apgar score
💙 3. Hands & Feet May Look Blue
This is usually normal because circulation is still adjusting.
😮💨 4. Breathing May Look Strange
Newborn breathing can be:
✔ fast
✔ slow
✔ or pause briefly
Usually normal in the first minutes.
👶 5. Baby Boys May Have Large Testicles 😄
This is often temporary due to:
✔ hormones
✔ fluid retention
🤍 6. Bonding May Take Time
Not everyone feels immediate connection after birth.
And that is completely normal 🤍
🍼 7. Breastfeeding Helps Your Uterus Shrink
Breastfeeding stimulates uterine contractions and helps the womb return to normal size faster.
⚠️ Symptoms at Week 39
You may experience:
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- sleep problems 😭
- stretch marks
- bleeding gums
- round ligament pain
- piles
- headaches
- backache
- indigestion & heartburn
- constipation & bloating
- leg cramps
- feeling hot
- dizziness
- swelling
- urine infections
- vaginal infections or discharge
- skin changes
- acne
- thicker hair
✔ plus:
- mood swings
- cravings 😄
- leaking breasts
- stronger sense of smell
📞 When Should You Call the Hospital?
Call if contractions:
✔ last 60 seconds
✔ and come every 5 minutes
🚨 Or anytime if:
- movements decrease
- bleeding occurs
- or you feel something is wrong
👶 What Does Your Baby Look Like?
Your baby is now around 50.7 cm long — about the size of a small watermelon 🍉💙
🧴 Vernix
Your baby’s skin is covered in a creamy white coating called:
✨ vernix
It:
✔ protects the skin
✔ helps during birth
Some babies are still born with patches of it.
🧬 Skin Development
A few weeks ago, your baby’s skin was almost transparent.
Now it is:
✔ thicker
✔ stronger
✔ better at temperature control
💧 Waters Breaking
Stay alert 👀
Waters breaking does NOT always happen like in movies 😄
✔ it may be:
- a trickle
- or a gush
🚨 If you think your waters broke:
👉 call your doctor or hospital.
🌿 This Week’s Treat
Spend some time outdoors 🤍
✔ walk
✔ sit in nature
✔ water plants
✔ breathe deeply
Fresh air and movement help your brain release:
✨ feel-good hormones
🧘♀ Important Things This Week
✔ enjoy maternity leave 😄
✔ continue pelvic floor exercises
✔ keep taking vitamins
✔ eat healthy meals
✔ stay gently active
✔ focus on emotional wellbeing
✔ think about contraception after birth
✔ ask about newborn screening
💫 Baby MovementEven though your baby is bigger:
✔ movements should still stay regular
🚨 Reduced movements should NEVER be ignored.
Mama…
you are SO close now 🤍✨
And honestly?
At this stage you may feel:
👀 hyper-alert
😭 exhausted
😄 emotional
🥹 excited
all at the same time 😭💙
At Dr. Mohamed Abdelghany Clinic, we support you every step of the way:
✔️ Pregnancy follow-up
✔️ Labour preparation
✔️ Fetal monitoring
✔️ Emotional and medical support
💙 Book your visit and feel reassured about your delivery journey.
Book your visit at Dr. Mohamed Abdelghany Clinic
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