Pregnancy Guide for Couples: Week 40
Here we are: it’s your due date week! 🙌🏼 🎉
What’s Going on with Baby
At Week 40, your baby is the size of a large pizza!
So your baby is finally at the 40-week mark, and they may or may not appear when we all expect them to! In fact, many women go past their due date, which is totally okay to do. Since you’re attending prenatal appointments every week, your doctor will continue to asses you and your baby to see if it's okay to let your little one stay put a while longer.
What’s Going on with Mom
You may wonder if you should be induced if you are past your due date. Maybe your doctor has already mentioned this option to you. Before making a decision, consider some pros and cons of being induced:
Induction may be necessary to manage certain medical conditions (e.g., pre-eclampsia)
Induction may be recommended to prevent complications from an infection, placental abruption, etc.
Scheduling an induction allows for better planning
Induction can cause an increased risk of C-section
Induction creates stronger and more painful contractions
Induction can cause fetal distress
If you’re unsure about getting induced, consider taking a birth class for couples. This class will walk through every type of birth unbiasedly so that you can feel supported and confident in deciding on induction.
What’s going on with Partner
Have you thought about taking a birth class with Mom so that you can both feel encouraged, confident and educated leading up to the birth of your child? We highly recommend it! Taking a class together will also help you get on the same page from the beginning and ensure you advocate for the same birth plan and preferences. It’s also a great way to bond before baby arrives!
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
I summarize all my tips for induction in this blog. Click the link below to read!
