It doesn’t feel like much has happened in the last week, baby wise. I’ve been getting a little nausea in the mornings, but it’s not bad and it disappears pretty quickly. We’ve been getting lots of calls from friends and family, asking if the baby’s here yet…..nooooo, trust us, we would have let you know if it was!! hehe. I don’t mind at all, it’s nice that they ask.

At the Birth Centre appointment this morning everything was fine. My blood pressure was 120/74, fundal height hasn’t changed since last week, and the baby’s heartbeat was fine. The midwife told me that if I make it to my appointment next week they’ll talk about induction and make a plan, but I’m going to see if this negotiation thing that the lady from the antenatal classes talked about will work. I’ve no desire to be induced, and unless there is some medical reason that either baby or I would be better off with it, I think I’d rather wait it out. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, though.

Info from Birth.com.au:

You are now 40 weeks pregnant. Your baby is due and cooked to perfection! However, only 5% of babies are born on their actual due date. Most babies are born during the week after the day estimated. Birth weights vary greatly. In Australia, newborns weigh on average 3,300 grams (7lb 41/2oz), but this can range from 2,800grams to 4,500grams (6lb 3oz to 9lb 15oz). An average length is 50 cms (20 inches), however this can range from 46 to 56 cms (18 to 22 inches). Your baby’s head circumference is also measured at birth and can range from 33 to 37 cms. If your baby is born around this time congratulations! If your baby has not arrived as yet – try and be patient and remember that the normal length of a pregnancy is regarded as any time from 37 to 42 weeks.

Inducing labour: If labour does not start before your pregnancy is 10 to 14 days overdue, most caregivers will recommend inducing the labour by artificially stimulating contractions, rather than waiting for them to begin on their own.

Wondering if labour will ever start. It is very common to feel like your labour will never begin. As each day passes, it can feel like an eternity. However, in the whole context of a nine-month pregnancy and your baby’s lifetime, these few days are really not that many, are they? Feeling disappointed, upset or impatient can be compounded by others making comments like “Haven’t you had your baby yet?” Often the phone starts ringing from well-meaning friends and family, adding to the stress of getting into labour and feeling pressured to perform. You may wish to stay close to home now and perhaps place a message on your answering machine saying, “We have not had our baby yet, but we will let you know when he/she arrives.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 9:19 am and is filed under Pregnancy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.