39 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms and What to Expect

39 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms and What to Expect

Your Growing Fetus at 39 Weeks

One More Week! Your baby is measuring in at 19.9 inches this week and weighs around 7 pounds, that is the size of a table lamp.

Here’s what your little guy (or girl) is up to this week

  • Their body is fully developed, but their brain continues developing. Your little pumpkin is getting smarter by the day
  • Their fingertips may have grown past the tips now
  • Baby has shed most of their vernix
Pregnancy Superfood for Week 39

We’re spicing things up this week with Red Bell Peppers as our superfood for week 39. This vegetable has almost 3 times as much vitamin C as an orange, which is great for your immune system and your baby’s.

It also provides both of you with iron and aids in the development of your baby’s brain. You can easily incorporate red bell peppers into your diet. Chop one up and throw it into your scrambled eggs in the morning or on your salad at lunch.

For a little more variety give this delicious recipe a try

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Quinoa, cooked
  • 1 can green chiles, (4 ounces)
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • ½ cup black beans, drained
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
  • 3 tbsp, cilantro
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • 6 bell peppers

How to Prepare:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper.
  • While the oven is preheating cut the tops off of the bell peppers and take out the seeds and stems.
  • In a large box mix all the ingredients together.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once everything is combined, spoon the mixture into each bell pepper.
  • Place the peppers on the baking sheet with the opening facing up.
  • Bake the peppers for about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • You will know they are down when the peppers are tender and the mixture inside is heated through. Enjoy!
Top Tip for Week Thirty-Nine

If you are not trying to induce labor, avoid nipple stimulation! It has been proven as an effective method to induce labor. We recommend avoiding it if you are not at a hospital or being supervised by a medical professional.

Inspirational Message of the Week from Already Moms

“When you moved, I felt squeezed with a wild infatuation and protectiveness. We are one. Nothing, not even death, can change that.” ― Suzanne Finnamore

Big Efforts from your Co-Creator

There’s no doubt in our mind that parenting will come naturally to you. However, it still might be a good idea to watch a couple of videos on youtube for some last minute insight. Brush up on diaper changes, bath time, and the proper way to put your baby to bed.

This Art of Allowing

You’ve spent the last 39 weeks imagining labor. You even created a birth plan, which is great. It is wise to also prepare yourself for the chance that your delivery may not go according to plan.

Remember that you and your baby are your doctor’s top concern. Even if they have to stray away from the plan they will do whatever it takes to make sure you and your baby are safe.

Pregnancy Symptoms of Week Thirty-Nine

Just one more week of these pesky pregnancy symptoms. You’re almost there!

Lightning Crotch: Yep, you read that correctly. You may experience shooting pain in your pelvis, this pain is known as the Lightning crotch. You will mainly feel it when your baby moves and the pain usually goes away quickly. Taking a dip in the pool will lighten the load on your pelvis and ease your pain.

Frequent Urination: Your baby is nestling into the delivery position which is causing more pressure on your bladder. The extra pressure is sending you to the bathroom quite often but keep drinking water!

Shortness of breath: Even though your baby may be laying low, your uterus is still pushing against your lungs. While you may not feel as short of breath as you have felt in previous weeks you should still take it easy.

Leg Cramps: You may continue to experience leg cramps. Stretching and staying hydrated may prevent them.

Vaginal Discharge/ bloody show: The amount of discharge you’re producing will continue to increase until the day you deliver your baby. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal. Your body is working to keep the bacteria out. If your discharge turns yellow, green, or smells badly consult your doctor. If you notice a thick mucus and a little bit of blood, that’s your mucus plug.

Swelling: If you are experiencing severe swelling give your doctor a call. However, swelling of the hands and feet are totally normal.

Dizziness: Low blood sugar could be causing you to feel dizzy. Carry around healthy snacks to keep you feeling in tip-top shape.

Leaky breast: By now you may have purchased nursing pads, which is great because you will need them again this week. You will continue to leak breast milk.

Your Body will Change and It’s Necessary
  • By now your baby has probably dropped and is chilling until D Day.
  • Their head will be applying pressure on your cervix.
  • Your cervix will begin to stretch and get thinner to prepare for delivery.
  • The thinning and stretching of your cervix is known as effacing and the opening of your cervix is known as dilation.
  • Effacement and Dilation prepare your baby for their journey through the birth canal.
Our Recommended Remedy for Week 39

Let’s get you familiar with induction, just in case. For some women, labor doesn’t occur naturally.

In fact, if you are past 41 weeks pregnant, have developed preeclampsia, or experiencing no signs of labor after your breaks your doctors will want to induce labor. When you go in for your appointment this week, your doctor will examine your cervix to see if it has begun dilating and softening.

Your doctor might bring up the topic of induction if your cervix is still hard and closed. Getting you familiar with it now, will help make you calmer when your doctor brings it up. Most of the time doctors will give you Pitocin through an IV to induce labor.

However, there are other ways one of them being AROM. The Artificial Rupture of Membranes is the breaking of your water.

Doctors will put a latex cover on their finger, it looks like a glove. At the very tip of this glove is a small hook. They will reach inside of you and use the hook to break your water. It’s not as scary as it sounds, we promise.

Do your research before trying to induce labor on your own. Chugging castor oil is not a safe way to induce your pregnancy, no matter what you previously read.

Here are a couple safe ways you can induce labor, but we always recommend talking to your doctor first.

Sex: While there aren’t exactly proven studies, many women swear by it. If you’re feeling up to it go right ahead

Walking: Many experts believe going for a long walk will induce labor. As you walk, gravity will push your baby down onto your cervix, thus causing pressure. The extra pressure will start the dilation of your cervix.

Our Best Advice to Soothe The Uncomfortable

You are probably overjoyed at the idea of meeting your baby. However many women experience postpartum depression in the days and weeks after childbirth. It is important to recognize the signs of postpartum depression so you can treat it. We are encouraging you to educate your partner on this topic as well.

Signs of postpartum depression are; becoming distant, changes in eating and sleeping habits, loss of interest in activities, and feelings of panic and anxiety.

  • If you begin to notice yourself becoming depressed ask family members to watch your baby for a couple of hours, get out and exercise, eat nourishing meals, and be sure to get enough sleep.
  • There are plenty of support groups for new moms.
  • Try joining one and talking with other women who can relate to what you are going through.
Preparation for Motherhood
  • If you are having a boy, now is the time to make the final decision on if you are having him circumcised.
  • Relax and Rest
  • Make sure the car seat is installed

Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guides

1 Week
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
4 Weeks
5 Weeks
6 Weeks
7 Weeks
8 Weeks
9 Weeks
10 Weeks
11 Weeks
12 Weeks
13 Weeks
14 Weeks
15 Weeks
16 Weeks
17 Weeks
18 Weeks
19 Weeks
20 Weeks 
21 Weeks
22 Weeks
23 Weeks
24 Weeks
25 Weeks
26 Weeks
27 Weeks
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks
31 Weeks
32 Weeks
33 Weeks
34 Weeks
35 Weeks
36 Weeks
37 Weeks
38 Weeks
40 Weeks