You’re now one week away from week 40 – the final week of your pregnancy. Strange to think back 39 weeks, where you wouldn’t even have known you were pregnant. Lots has changed since then, and a lot will continue to change before and after birth.
Your body at week 39
At this point, you’ll definitely be feeling your pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions, leaking colostrum from your nipples and the frequent urge to urinate may all be part of your daily life. You may be having trouble sleeping, struggling with pelvic and back pain, and your vaginal discharge may be tinged with pink or brown as the blood vessels n your cervix rupture.
It is possible to be diagnosed with preeclampsia in your last weeks of pregnancy. This is high blood pressure in pregnancy and is accompanied by protein in your urine and swelling of the hands and feet. Vomiting, nausea and dizziness are also symptoms you may have preeclampsia, and if you suspect you have it you’ll need to contact your doctor right away.
Your baby at week 39
Your baby is now roughly the size of a honeydew melon and is considered full term if they’re born this week. At this point, their lungs are producing surfactant so that when they take their first breath, the air sacs won’t stick together.
Things you should keep in mind at week 39
You may be wondering if you can still keep doing light exercise, or what you can do to keep active during this time. Exercise in late pregnancy is still doable and is a good idea if you’re feeling up to it. Although you may be worried about damaging your growing baby, exercise during this time is beneficial as it can help strengthen your body for delivery and birth. That being said, it’s important to clarify what you plan on doing with your doctor, and focus on short, low-intensity exercises such as certain yoga and water aerobics.
Administered by Medscheme Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Bonitas aims to make quality
healthcare accessible to all South Africans and offers a wide range of plans that are simple to understand and easy to use. The Fund has the largest GP
network in South Africa, a Specialist Network and a host of supplementary
benefits paid from risk and carefully crafted managed care programmes to
cover chronic conditions, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. This allows members to derive real value for money and stretch their benefits as far as possible
- Due soon?What to include in your hospital bag - November 22, 2024
- Putting together your birth plan - November 15, 2024
- Premature birth – what to expect - November 8, 2024
