Your Baby's Development: Week 39

Week 39
You are now 39 weeks pregnant - and you're almost there! Your baby now probably weighs over seven pounds (3288 grams) and is so big, he can hardly move around inside the uterus. At this point in your pregnancy, baby's lungs are nearly completely developed and they function.

This week, as the baby starts to settle right into your pelvis, it will relieve some of the pressure from your diaphragm. As a result, breathing becomes much easier. The down side is that the baby is now pressing right on your bladder. And this could result in you running off to the bathroom every few minutes!

Has Your Water Broken?
Watch out for the rupture of your amniotic sac; it could happen any time now. When their water breaks, some women have a large gushing of water, while for others it is more like a steady trickle. If you suspect that your water has broken or you are having contractions that are regular, call your health care provider. You may be going into labor.

Because your baby weighs around seven pounds and now takes up all of the room in your uterus, it's not uncommon for the umbilical cord to knot or become wrapped right around him. The umbilical cord is 20 inches (about 50 cm) long now and is about 1/2 inch thick (or 1.3 cm). It carries nutrients to your baby from the placenta.

The vernix that covered your baby's skin has, for the most part, disappeared, along with the lanugo. (Read up on how your newborn looks.)

Your body now begins to give the baby antibodies through the placenta. This will help boost your baby's immune system and fight infections during the first six months of your baby's life.

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