Pregnancy Calendar at Week 42
What's Happening with the Baby
This week marks the end of the optimal period for the baby to be born. If the 42nd week of pregnancy is coming to an end and labor hasn't started, doctors will talk about a post-term pregnancy.
At 42 weeks, the baby is fully ready for birth and life outside the mother's body. The baby continues to grow and gain subcutaneous fat. Here's what the baby looks like:
- The body is proportional, with a well-defined layer of subcutaneous fat;
- The skin is pink, and there is still some vernix caseosa present;
- There may be a small amount of fine hair on the back and shoulders;
- The hair on the head is about 1-2 cm long;
- The bones of the skull are not fully ossified yet – this is necessary for the baby to pass through the birth canal;
- The nails on the hands and feet extend beyond the tips of the fingers and toes;
- In boys, the testicles have descended into the scrotum, and in girls, the labia majora cover the labia minora;
- The average weight is around 3600-3700 grams, and the length is 53-56 cm.
The baby is viable, can breathe on its own after birth, suckle, and cry loudly.
In rare cases, if there was an error in calculating the estimated due date, signs of post-term pregnancy can be detected during an ultrasound at 42 weeks:
- Oligohydramnios – absence of "forewaters";
- Change in the quality of amniotic fluid – it is cloudy, mixed with meconium, and lacks vernix particles;
- Excessively dense skull bones;
- The baby's skin appears wrinkled and lacks vernix;
- The placenta shows signs of aging.
If the doctor observes at least one of these signs and the cervix remains "immature,"treatment to "mature"the cervix will be administered in a hospital setting. If the cervix is "mature,"artificial – medication-induced – labor stimulation is indicated. When a pregnancy is overdue, the baby is the one who suffers the most:
- Due to aging and deteriorating function of the placenta, the baby experiences chronic oxygen deprivation, which primarily affects brain function;
- Lack of nutrients leads to reduced fetal weight due to depletion of subcutaneous fat. This makes it harder for the baby to adapt to life outside the womb, especially to the relatively low ambient temperature;
- Amniotic fluid contaminated with meconium can trigger severe lung inflammation;
- Excessively dense skull bones cannot physiologically deform while passing through the birth canal, which at best can cause tears in the mother's soft tissues. At worst, the baby may be unable to pass through the birth canal on its own, requiring assistance from obstetricians. Obstetric interventions to extract the baby significantly increase the risk of birth injuries;
- Dry, unprotected skin of the baby is prone to increased vulnerability.
Considering all these factors, in some cases, obstetricians recommend a cesarean section.
What's Happening with Mom
Mentally, mom has been ready for labor for a while now and is even a bit tired of waiting. The baby is moving less frequently with sharp movements – it's getting really cramped in the womb. Physically, the pregnant woman's sensations are due to the dropped belly.
The dropping of the belly makes it easier for the pregnant woman to breathe, heartburn subsides, but trips to the bathroom for "number one"become more frequent, and constipation can be bothersome. Right before labor, diarrhea might occur. This is caused by the initial contractions of the uterus on one hand, and the body's need to cleanse itself before labor on the other.
Pain in the perineum, lower back, and legs is troubling. This is due to the dropping of the uterus, the separation of the pelvic bones before labor, and the pregnant woman's increased body weight.
Weight might decrease – blood thickens, and swelling reduces. This is the body's way of preparing to minimize blood loss during labor.
Braxton Hicks contractions – "false"contractions – become more frequent and intense. They are preparing the uterus for labor. It's important not to miss the start of true contractions – they will be regular, increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration.
When pressing on the nipples, drops of colostrum are released – the woman's body is ready to feed the baby.
Helpful Tips
At this stage, it is recommended to:
- always carry your documents (passport, insurance policy, exchange card) and mobile phone with you, even if you're just stepping out to the store next door for five minutes;
- prepare 3 bags with essentials. The first one is to take with you to the hospital, containing documents, a mobile phone with a charger, washable slippers, and a half-liter bottle of still water. The second one should have items and diapers for the baby, which your relatives will bring right after the birth. The third one should have clothes for both mom and baby for the discharge;
- you can try to speed up the baby's arrival with long walks, having sex, and nipple stimulation.
Active activities requiring physical strength and intense movements are not recommended.
Labor
The onset of labor is characterized by the breaking of water, increased intensity, and lengthening of contractions. The sequence of stages is strictly defined; no stage can be skipped, only their duration may vary. For women giving birth for the first time, labor typically lasts 12-16 hours, while for those who have given birth before, it lasts 8-10 hours.
During the preparatory period, the frequency and duration of contractions increase, with intervals of more than 20 minutes between them. During this time, you can take a shower and get ready to go to the hospital. When the interval between regular contractions is 15-20 minutes, it marks the actual start of labor. The stages are as follows:
- Opening. For first-time mothers, the cervix opens in about 10-12 hours, while for those who have given birth before, it takes 7-9 hours. This is the longest period, with contractions increasing in intensity, becoming painful, and the intervals between them shortening.
- Expulsion. Also known as the pushing stage. It lasts 1-2 hours for first-time mothers, and for those giving birth again, it takes from 20 minutes to an hour. This is the most painful stage, requiring the mother to maintain self-control. It's important to push correctly—towards the point of pain—and to do so when the midwife instructs. Relief comes almost immediately after the baby's head is born. Once the baby is born, they should be placed on the mother's abdomen for at least a few minutes. This "skin-to-skin"contact triggers crucial mechanisms for the baby's adaptation to life outside the womb and helps establish lactation for the mother.
- Afterbirth, lasting from 5 to 30 minutes. This period is less painful and ends with the separation of the placenta and fetal membranes.
For 2-4 hours after delivery, the woman stays in the same delivery room where doctors monitor her condition. They measure blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and check for bleeding. Then, she is transferred on a stretcher to the postpartum ward.