Week 42 - Pregnancy Week by Week

A vaginal exam may be performed to see if your cervix is favorable. Remember that not all of the preparations for birth can be measured by a vaginal exam. There may be health reasons to induce, though by the end of this week 98% of women will be enjoying new babies. Sometimes the mother has an illness, like PIH or diabetes that means a birth sooner would be better than later.

So, settle in and enjoy the last few days of pregnancy. And remember to enjoy those last few hours of baby movements, it will be what you miss later!

• 40 Weeks and Beyond Belly Gallery
• 101 Things to Do When You're Due
• Birth Pictures

Babies honestly don't tend to get that much bigger after 37-38 weeks. A baby who is truly postdates (after 42 weeks) is usually characterized by the loss of weight and body fat.

Remember to do those fetal kick counts to monitor the baby's health in between visits to your practitioner. You may also be asked to do some further testing, like a non-stress test to monitor baby a bit more closely. You may also talk about a medical induction of labor if the baby or you are having problems, though many moms also try non-medical induction techniques.

Be sure the car is full of gas, that your birth bag or birth kit is ready and that you get as much sleep as you can. (Don't forget to pack a bag for you!) Be sure that you've got the numbers for your doctor, midwife, doula and anyone else attending the birth with you at all times. Hang in there! You'll do a great job!

What will you call grandma and grandpa?

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