40 weeks pulls the stomach down. Possible complaints and problems

40 weeks pregnant. If the birth has not happened yet, then there is a fifty percent chance that it will happen soon. Although in fact, no matter how insulting it may sound, doctors do not know how to predict the estimated date of birth. As a hydrometeorological center, they hit the sky with their finger in 96% of cases. Therefore, even if it seems to you that you are desperately prolonging your pregnancy, there is no reason for even the slightest concern. Take a closer look: at a gestational age of 40 weeks, the harbingers of childbirth sometimes manifest themselves very actively, maybe there are only a few hours left to wait?

40th week of pregnancy - the cork has come off

If only at the 40th week of pregnancy the cork came off, this happens, this is normal, which means that the body is just slowly but surely preparing for childbirth. This does not mean at all that you just need to sit with your hands around your bag, nothing like that - mind your own business, but do not go outside without an exchange card. You never know kind people an ambulance will be called if you have contractions, and explain later so that you are not sent to the ward with the infected.

Pregnancy 40 weeks, harbingers of childbirth - belly dropped

If the stomach has dropped, this means that the child is taking a starting position and is waiting in the wings, he has not been left to stay in his mother's belly for so long, so all that remains is to wait and believe, everything will work out.

40 weeks of pregnancy - the stomach turns to stone

The feeling that at the 40th week of pregnancy the stomach stiffens, it pulls, the pain radiates to the lower back and pelvis, is also a direct sign that childbirth will begin soon. The bones diverge a little to let the baby through, the muscles hold the huge weight of the uterus and the baby, so such painful sensations are normal and signal that everything is in order, the body is just getting ready.

Pregnancy 40 weeks, harbingers of childbirth - nausea and diarrhea

Also at the fortieth week of pregnancy, such harbingers of childbirth as slight nausea, diarrhea and lack of appetite can often be observed.

Sex at 40 weeks pregnant

By the way, sex at the 40th week of pregnancy is not only not contraindicated, but it is even quite prescribed as a means of natural stimulation of childbirth: prostaglandin hormones contained in semen, which help the uterus to activate contractile activity. Therefore, if the husband has nothing against it, you can enjoy intimacy for your own pleasure - after giving birth, there will not be such an opportunity for a long time.

40 weeks pregnant - discharge

A special role in self-diagnosis is played by discharge at the 40th week of pregnancy, by their nature it is possible to determine whether there is any pathology. A whitish, odorless or mucous discharge is normal, a loose plug and ordinary leucorrhoea are now indicators of the absolute norm.

And, of course, it is worth keeping an eye on the discharge - often the amniotic fluid does not pour out immediately and completely, but begins to flow, and they can be felt on wet linen. If there is a suspicion that it is water, it is enough to lie down on a clean, dry sheet, relax and lie down for about fifteen minutes. When leaking, you can find a wet spot on the bed. If it is colorless, you can safely gather, but if it has a yellow or green tint, then this indicates that the fetus is lacking oxygen, and you should immediately go to the hospital.

40 weeks pregnant - brown discharge

If you see even the slightest spotting, then this indicates placental abruption, and in no case should you hesitate with this diagnosis, you should immediately call an ambulance.

And, of course, you should even make a call if the amniotic fluid has departed - all at once or are stretched in “portions”, in any case, the birth has already begun, and there is nothing more to wait, you have to go. You will see your baby very soon!

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fortieth week of pregnancy

Among experts, there is still no consensus on how labor begins, what is primary: the “desire” of the child to come out or contractions of the uterus that pushes the baby out.

It is believed that prostaglandins, hormones that are produced by the uterus during pregnancy, affect the onset of labor. Before the onset of labor, their number increases dramatically, and they cause the functioning of the muscles of the uterus and release oxytocin with the participation of the cerebral pituitary gland. On the other hand, the onset of labor is stimulated by the fetus itself and the placenta. So we can say that the onset of labor is a mutual process, which is influenced by both the fetus and the uterus.

By the fortieth week of pregnancy, women who have not given birth often begin to worry about whether they are carrying a baby. In fact, the normal due date can shift up to two weeks in one direction or another. So childbirth at 42 weeks is as normal as at 38. However, if the doctor notices signs of a pregnancy overdue, he may prescribe labor induction. However, it is better to rely on your body and the body of the crumbs.

It is known that a healthy, properly conducted pregnancy usually ends in an equally healthy birth, so if the pregnancy went well, then there is nothing to be afraid of. If there were any complications, then by the 40th week the woman is most likely already hospitalized in the hospital.

It is worth calling an ambulance and going to the hospital at the beginning of regular contractions. The first birth lasts an average of 14 hours, so it will take quite a bit of time and the long-awaited baby will be in the arms of the mother. We sincerely wish them good luck!

Join the wishes of good luck medical center doctors"Euromedprestige", who during all 9 months led your pregnancy, watched the development of the baby, protected mom and baby from adverse factors, interacted with the future dad.

In our center, thanks to the work of obstetricians and gynecologists, you will approach with all responsibility and readiness for the birth of your baby.

We remind you that no article or website can make a correct diagnosis. Need a doctor's consultation!

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40 weeks pregnant: stomach pulling

Many women have a burden of 40 weeks of pregnancy - the stomach drops, therefore, childbirth will begin soon. If your stomach hurts at 40 weeks of pregnancy, this is normal. It is generally accepted that the last difficult period is the 40th week of pregnancy: the stomach pulls, headaches and wild weakness appear.

The pregnancy is already coming to an end. It can be as long as forty weeks, but for some mothers it reaches a longer period. This mainly depends on the correctness of the calculations of the expected date of the upcoming birth. Many may not wait for this period, but if it does, you should find out some details of this stage of pregnancy.

Causes of abdominal pain

At the end of pregnancy, the baby will behave more calmly, because there is not enough space for this. There is simply nowhere to make violent movements, since the size of the fetus has already reached its maximum size.

At 40 weeks of pregnancy, the stomach hurts because the baby sinks to the bottom of the pelvis, and also fits head down, after which it will be completely ready to be born.

If the 40th week of pregnancy is characterized by the occurrence of any bloody or mucous discharge, and there is also some feeling of moisture, then childbirth may occur within the next day. In the last week before the birth of a woman, emotional perception may be heated, but at the same time it becomes much easier physically.

When the 40th week of pregnancy comes, the stomach pulls, and there is also a sharp fatigue and a desire to rest, which does not allow a more active lifestyle. In a similar way, a woman's body prepares for the birth process, so you should not worry about this.

Tips for the 40th week of pregnancy

Such advice is to prepare a woman for childbirth. During this period, sex will have a beneficial effect on the woman's body, due to the presence of prostaglandins in semen, which can soften the cervix. Its opening will become less painful. Orgasm can cause uterine contractions, and also stimulates the onset of labor. It will also help the woman relax and calm her nervous system.

If the 40th week of pregnancy has come, the stomach can pull, which indicates the fact that it has sank. This should happen just before the start of contractions or beforehand, about a few days before the birth.

In order to accurately determine whether the stomach has dropped or not, you need to place your palm in the area of \u200b\u200bthe solar plexus. Childbirth will begin soon if the beginning of the abdomen is lower than the palm.

The imminent birth of a baby is indicated by a large number of different factors that should not be ignored.

Continued next. page

Your condition

The body of a woman before delivery changes significantly. All those mechanisms that were previously aimed at maintaining pregnancy are no longer needed, and it is necessary to rebuild, preparing for the birth of the crumbs. These processes begin long before childbirth, from the 32nd week the hormonal background begins to change, every day more and more estrogen hormones, which are necessary for the development of contractions, accumulate in the body. And of course, pregnant women feel a lot of symptoms, sometimes not very pleasant.

Possible complaints and problems

By the fortieth week, the discharge increases in all women. They can be physiological, or they can talk about deviations in the state of health.

Mucous yellow or light discharge without itching and odor.
Mucous pink, brown, bloody (but not bloody, blood is present only in streaks) discharge. They can appear immediately in large numbers, in the form of a dense cork, this is what they call, the cork has come off.

White curdled discharge, accompanied by itching and redness of the genitals, is thrush. It is dangerous for the baby, as it can become infected during childbirth.
Watery discharge, aggravated by motion. This is how water leaks, which means that in the next few hours from the appearance of this symptom, a child should definitely be born, it is urgently needed in the maternity hospital.
Abundant blood, frequent evidence of placental abruption and threat to the life of the child.
Greenish, yellow discharge with an unpleasant odor and itching are characteristic of genital infections.

At the end of the term, urinary incontinence is possible with laughter or stress; do not confuse it with water leakage, you will immediately understand everything from a sanitary napkin. Amniotic fluid is odorless and normally colorless.

Many pregnant women at week 40 periodically note that their stomach hurts and seems to turn to stone. Pulls the stomach, because the tone of the uterus rises. At the same time, the increase in tone occurs gradually, in a wave, at the peak the stomach is firm, then the discomfort subsides, and it relaxes. Of course, in most cases, these are not real contractions yet, but only harbingers, but do not lose vigilance.

The most common symptoms at 40 weeks of gestation (% of women surveyed):

Back and lower back pain 79%
Uterine contractions 72%

Nausea in the last months, due to the fact that having reached its maximum size, the uterus draws in the stomach. The knee-elbow position helps, the ability to lie down after eating for at least 20 minutes, as well as frequent fractional nutrition. In extreme cases, doctors prescribe Rennie and similar drugs.

Among other gastroenterological disorders, diarrhea should be noted. At this time, it may be associated with the onset of labor, and not a really existing problem with the intestines, be careful. Quite often in the last months of pregnancy, the back and lower back hurt, pain can radiate to the leg and intensify with exercise. It is especially difficult if the back was problematic before. In addition to gymnastics and a bandage, nothing will help you. Medicines are not allowed, because the baby will suffer. Almost always after childbirth, the pain goes away.

Sometimes pulling the lower back for other reasons:

in connection with the onset of labor (this is accompanied by cramping pain in the abdomen)
due to kidney disease, pyelonephritis (usually the temperature rises, and the urine becomes cloudy and smells bad).

Edema is also possible, they usually indicate late gestosis.

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40 weeks pregnant

The birth is due this week. But in practice, only 4% of women give birth on the expected date. Much more often, the baby appears earlier or later than this period, and mainly for a rather banal and harmless reason: the gestational age was calculated with an error. So it is quite possible that you will not give birth this week either. But, of course, you are already looking forward to the cub. How is he there?

Fetus at 40 weeks pregnant: movements

He is getting ready too. There is nothing to say about appearance: everything has long been formed and taken its place, the excess has disappeared, the missing has appeared - the baby is impeccable. The growth of a baby at 40 weeks averages 51.2 cm, weight reaches 3.5 kg. The cheeks are plump, the skin is smooth, the ears-eyes-nose are pretty. This is where you will meet him!

The baby can no longer actively move, but you should still feel the movements. Moreover, his movements are very obvious: there is practically no space left in the uterus, therefore, you feel any push of the crumbs very well.

Be sure to listen to the baby's motor activity: any change in the nature and intensity of movements in the direction of attenuation, or, conversely, excessive activity, becomes a signal of trouble being experienced by the baby.

In general, about 10 perceptible movements within 12 hours are considered the norm for a period of 40 weeks. In the case when the baby is floundering much more actively, there is every reason to suspect that he is suffering from a lack of oxygen. A bad sign will be the calming down of the baby, the lack of movement. If they are missing, notify your doctor.

Future mom

But don't worry if there are still no signs of labor. As we have already said, most likely there was an error in calculating the gestational age.

Do not sit on suitcases - lead a normal life. But be sure to be ready to give birth at any moment.

Childbirth at 40 weeks of gestation: precursors

Therefore, do not worry if the birth has not yet begun - this will most likely happen in the coming days. And you will learn about the approach of childbirth due to the presence of their obvious harbingers. What will tell you about the approach of the cherished "Hour X"?

One of the non-ambiguous harbinger of childbirth is the lowering of the abdomen: the baby in the uterus sinks down, pressing its head against its bottom and preparing for entertaining journey in new world. You observe it as a slight lowering of the abdomen, due to which your breathing becomes noticeably easier, heartburn disappears. But, at the same time, descending in the uterus, the baby begins to put pressure on bladder hence the increased need to urinate.

Along with frequent visits to the toilet to “pee”, shortly before childbirth, you may find eating disorders, which is also considered one of the harbingers of childbirth. Liquefaction of the stool, nausea, vomiting - all these unpleasant phenomena can well precede the onset of childbirth, and appear about 24-48 hours before they begin.

Shortly before the start labor activity you may find a slight decrease in appetite, sometimes you don’t feel like eating at all. Against the background of a lack of appetite, weight changes are also possible: it either remains fixed on one designation, or even decreases by 1-2 kg.

The last weeks of pregnancy are also the time when a woman awakens the so-called “nesting instinct”. A pregnant woman suddenly begins to equip the apartment, clean and clean everything, prepare a room for the baby. Do you feel the need for even more improvement of the "family nest"? Expect an early birth.

And yet, the most obvious, clearest harbingers of childbirth are considered prolapse of the mucous plug, discharge amniotic fluid and regular painful contractions. You will recognize the mucus plug by the presence of a dense lump of thick mucus on the panties, possibly with streaks, splashes of blood. The entire period of pregnancy, the mucous plug closed the cervix, preventing infections and viruses from entering the baby. Now the cork comes out, freeing the baby's birth canal.

The outpouring of amniotic fluid is also difficult to miss: immediately before the onset of childbirth, the waters literally pour out in a stream, crawling along the legs in streams. At the same time, they look like a watery liquid, often transparent, but if meconium gets into the amniotic fluid, the water can acquire a yellowish or greenish tint.

And, of course, the onset of labor will be reported by contractions - regular, more and more frequent, accompanied by painful sensations. Many women, especially primiparas, are afraid to confuse false contractions with true ones, especially since false contractions by the end of pregnancy are already painful in nature and are repeated much more often than before. To determine what kind of contractions you are dealing with, simply change the position of the body during contractions. Get up, walk around the room, sit on a stool. If the contractions have stopped at the same time, then the birth will still have to wait.

Abdomen: pulling, sore

By week 40, the stomach has already usually sank, the baby has taken a position from which it will begin to move forward to meet mom and dad. However, if no changes have occurred with your stomach, do not worry: in some cases, the stomach does not fall until the onset of labor.

Do not be afraid of pain in the abdomen - pulling pains in the lower abdomen, passing to the lower back, indicate soon start childbirth. The baby is now “at a low start” before going out, his head presses on the pelvic bones, the load on the stomach and lower back due to the enormously increased weight of the woman is enormous. Hence the feeling of a pulling, painful stomach.

Pain at 40 weeks pregnant

Apart from pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, you most likely feel pain in your back, spine, your legs probably hurt. Such pains are now normal: the ligaments and muscles are stretched, the body is preparing for childbirth, and so the soreness characteristic of this stage of pregnancy appears.

For the same reason - stretching and softening of the bones and joints - you most likely feel some heaviness, soreness in the groin. Your pubis hurts, your pelvic bones are pulled and hurt. The pelvis now gradually diverges, the pelvic bones become softer under the influence of the hormone relaxin, and certain pains arise. By the way, in addition, you can also find pain in the thigh - this happens when the uterus squeezes the femoral nerve, moreover, the stabbing pain in this case can even reach the knee.

Be that as it may, track the pain, analyze what it can be caused by. And, if there is even the slightest suspicion that something is going wrong, it is better to play it safe and consult a doctor about this.

Focus on the child: listen to him and constantly keep in touch with him. Talk, caress, keep unity - in childbirth you will be a real team! We need to act in concert.

The fact that you can already breathe a sigh of relief, you will be notified by the first cry of a newborn. This is truly a unique moment: for the first time, the mother hears the voice of her blood, and the child, thanks to the cry, takes her first breath and starts her respiratory system. But don't be alarmed by the baby's silence: it happens that it takes him some time to recover from the shock. The kid is in a certain stress, he is exhausted, scared and confused. Doctors know what to do in such cases, so soon you will still hear the best tune in the world.

Discharge at 40 weeks pregnant

... And now, while the meeting with the baby is just expected, do not stop monitoring the vaginal discharge: normal for this period are light, slimy discharge. The viscosity and ductility of the secretions is the result of the gradual separation of the mucous plug, which up to this point covers the cervix. Keep in mind that the mucus may be colored pinkish, red, Brown color: when the cervix softens and contracts, small vessels burst, respectively, the blood stains the discharge.

But, if suddenly you find yourself spotting, regardless of their quantity, immediately go to the doctor with this sign. The appearance of blood from the genital tract is a clear symptom of placental abruption, a phenomenon that threatens the life and health of the baby and mother.

Of course, you should not hesitate when “colored” green or yellow, earthy secretions appear, foamy, curdled, with an admixture of flakes. Such changes indicate the addition of an infection, which, if not treated, can be transmitted to the baby during the passage of the birth canal. Consult your doctor and start treatment immediately: you may still have time to minimize the risks of infection of the child before the birth begins.

And, of course, taking bags, go to the hospital, noticing the discharge of amniotic fluid. You will learn about the outflow of amniotic fluid by the appearance of liquid, watery, abundant discharge - the waters literally pour out on the eve of the onset of childbirth. But keep in mind that amniotic fluid is not always and not necessarily poured out only right before childbirth and one-time: amniotic fluid may well simply leak, seeping in small amounts. This is possible when the membranes are depleted or their integrity is violated, which is dangerous for the child - an infection in the event of a violation of the integrity of the membranes can penetrate the fetus in the first 24 hours. Therefore, even if you feel constantly wet panties, do not fail to inform the doctor leading the pregnancy about this.

ultrasound

At the 40th week of pregnancy, an ultrasound may be needed to monitor the condition of the baby and exclude any prenatal problems. With the help of ultrasound, the doctor, for example, will assess the condition of the placenta: every week the placenta is aging more and more and at some point it ceases to cope with its duties. As a result, the baby begins to experience oxygen starvation, which can cause inhibition of brain activity, dysfunction of the heart, and in severe cases, even death of the fetus.

Assessing the placenta on ultrasound, the doctor will also see how the baby is doing there and whether everything is fine with him. Once again, the size of the fetus will be confirmed, the possibility of entanglement with the umbilical cord is excluded, the quality and quantity of amniotic fluid, the condition of the uterus and the maturity of the cervix are assessed.

Now you can clearly see the baby in the form that you will meet in the very near future. Undoubtedly, the baby will be the most beautiful for you. But to be honest, many parents are somewhat embarrassed by him appearance. The head can be clearly deformed, the body is covered with mucus, the skin is somehow spotty and of a strange color, and even covered with hair in the most unexpected places, and due to the increased level of hormones, the genitals can even swell, sometimes liquid comes out of the papillae. Don't be embarrassed by any aesthetic "defects" - they will all disappear shortly after childbirth.

Try to have the baby immediately attached to your chest - more and more modern doctors are inclined to believe that this is extremely useful for both mother and baby. And then they will weigh him, measure him, and carry out the first toilet in his life: they will clean, wipe, dress, his eyes will certainly be dripped with medicinal drops to prevent the development of an eye disease.

The new Man will be assessed on the Apgar scale and given a tag with your name, number medical card, date and time of delivery, and gender of the baby.

The newborn period begins, where worries, troubles, difficulties and a lot of happiness await you!

Preparing to become a mother, women are interested in the question of what to do when the lower back hurts at the 40th week of pregnancy. At the end of the journey of bearing a baby, every spasm and attack of pain is perceived especially acutely and causes a lot of doubts. We will figure out what happens to the body of mom and baby at this time, what causes discomfort, and how to deal with them on your own.

Each period of bearing a baby is accompanied by its own characteristics. The child develops in stages, and the mother's body gradually prepares for motherhood. A pregnancy that has reached 40 weeks is considered full-term. By this time, both the mother's body and the child himself are ready.

After months of waiting, the female body is ready for the birth of a new life. The size of the uterus reaches its maximum value, it rises to a height of 35-40 cm from its usual position. The cervix is shortened, and its structure becomes soft so that the baby is not injured during childbirth. If the cervix is not ready by the fortieth week, the doctor prescribes certain medications.

Weight and volumes future mother stop growing. Some women in recent weeks weight loss during pregnancy.

The skin on the abdomen is strongly stretched, so stretch marks and itching may appear. To increase the elasticity of the skin, it is recommended to use special care products: creams, lotions, oils.

40 weeks of pregnancy are characterized for a woman by the appearance of anxiety, fear and excitement before the upcoming birth. Try to relax: walk more, do pleasant shopping and think positive. At the same time, be attentive to yourself, listen to the signs that your body sends, at this time, childbirth can begin at any time.

The birth of a child can develop according to several scenarios, and may indicate the beginning.

Fetal development at 40 weeks

All systems of the baby's body are ready for birth. The vital organs are formed, the baby becomes active and constantly disturbs the peace of the mother with jerks. Upon impact, you can easily distinguish parts of the baby's body; tiny hands, elbows and knees are clearly visible through the highly stretched skin.

The weight of a full-term baby ranges from 2500 to 4000 g, height is from 45 to 60 cm. Of course, there are exceptions. Today, heroes weighing up to 5 kg and miniature princesses a little over 2 kg are not uncommon. At the same time, such children receive rather high Apgar scores.

The child may be in the head and breech presentation. In the first case, the baby's head is felt a few fingers above the pubis, and the strongest blows are felt in the bladder area. In the second case, the mother's stomach has a more elongated shape, and the shocks fall on the area of \u200b\u200bthe woman's stomach. Depending on the presentation, doctors decide on the method of delivery.

At 40 weeks, the baby no longer has enough space and nutrients received from the mother’s body for active growth and development, so he is ready to be born.

Causes of pulling pain

Pain in the lower back and lower abdomen common cause treatment of women in the fortieth week of pregnancy in the emergency room of maternity wards.

Let's figure out what can cause discomfort at week 40:

Load on the spine. A month before birth, it doubles, because the weight of the child is growing rapidly. To maintain balance, pregnant women lean back, thereby increasing the load on the lumbar;
Divergence of the pelvic bones. For the unimpeded passage of the baby through the birth canal, the body produces a hormone that softens the bones of the pelvis and pubic joint. The child's head begins to sink and put pressure on the sacrum, causing discomfort in the lower back;
Placental abruption. If the pulling pain in the lumbar region is accompanied by spotting and uterine tone, you should immediately go to the hospital. Such signs are characteristic of the process of exfoliation of the placenta. timely health care save the life and health of mother and child;
False contractions. This type of contractions trains the body before the upcoming birth. To determine whether these contractions are false or not, it is enough to detect the intervals. In real labor activity, contractions begin at regular intervals with increasing force;
The beginning of the birth process. If cramps in the lower back are accompanied by a mucus plug, leakage of amniotic fluid and pain in the lower abdomen (contractions) at regular intervals, most likely your baby is ready to be born and let you know about it.

In any case, you should not leave discomfort in the lower back and lower abdomen unattended. If lower back pain is accompanied by a change in the nature of the movement of the child: he freezes for a long time or, conversely, is hyperactive, you should immediately consult a doctor. On average, within an hour you should feel at least one perceptible movement of the fetus.

To diagnose the condition of the mother and child, CTG is performed. The device measures the baby's heartbeat and the frequency of contraction of the mother's uterus.

Maybe you are interested:

Braxton Higgs contractions

The type of contractions that prepares the uterus for early delivery. It is characterized by discomfort in the lower back and lower abdomen. Indicates that the appearance of the baby will occur in the near future.

Training fights differ from ordinary ones in that the intervals between them are different or absent at all, and the strength does not change with time.

Until now, doctors disagree about the origin of Braxton Higgs contractions. They agreed on only one thing, so the body is preparing for the upcoming birth.

Taking a couple of antispasmodic tablets or a papaverine vaginal suppository will help to cope with discomfort. Take a warm shower and then try to relax and sleep. If the contractions are really false, you will succeed without difficulty. Otherwise, take the things and documents prepared in advance, go to the emergency room of the maternity ward.

Other causes of back pain

In 72% of women, the lower back is pulled at 40 weeks of gestation. Basically, this is how the harbingers of childbirth appear. However, the causes of lower back pain can be serious chronic diseases:

Neuralgia. Diseases of the lumbar spine, such as sciatica and hernia, are exacerbated during pregnancy. It is recommended to wear a bandage from the first weeks of pregnancy;
Diseases of the kidneys. Pyelonephritis and renal colic are common among pregnant women. If there is a pulling pain in the lower back along with pain during urination, an increase in body temperature and blood pressure, a change in the color of urine, you should immediately consult a specialist;
Symphysite. A disease associated with the divergence of the bones of the womb. Accompanied by tissue swelling and pain in the pubic area.

At 40 weeks pregnant, a woman feels tired and exhausted. Various pains become her constant companions. It is the nature of the pain syndrome and secretions from the genital tract that will be able to tell in time what is happening.

About what they might mean pain in the stomach and unusual discharge at this time, we will describe in this material.

Physiological features

Week 40 is the end of your baby's pregnancy. At its end, the expected date of birth is planned. Pregnancy is considered full-term, childbirth can occur at any time. The uterus has increased more than 500 times its original volume. She weighs about 1300 grams without taking into account the weight of the baby, placenta, water.

This week, the uterus occupies almost the entire abdominal cavity, and the baby in it - all the free space. His body is tightly wrapped around the walls of the uterus, so the movements of the fetus are perceived very noticeably and even painfully. Internal organs, the usual "inhabitants" of the abdominal cavity, are pressed, pushed aside by the uterus in different directions.

For example, the stomach is pressed by the bottom of the uterus from below, and the intestinal loops are displaced by the uterus back and squeezed along the anterior wall.

It becomes more and more difficult to carry such a burden every day, the load on all organs and systems of a woman in the last days of pregnancy is enormous. The center of gravity changes, because of this, the back hurts and pulls the lower back. The belly looks huge, and the woman becomes clumsy.

Under the influence of special hormones, for example, relaxin, the ligaments and bones of the pelvis soften, which leads to pain in the pubic region, backache in the sacrum.

The child at 40 weeks almost in all cases sank, his head pressed against the exit from the small pelvis. He braced himself, tucking his chin to his chest, crossing his arms. He is ready to start.

After lowering the abdomen, the expectant mother began to breathe easier, but the pressure on the bladder increased, so she constantly runs to the toilet for small needs.

If the stomach has not yet lowered (which is rare at the 40th obstetric week), then the baby has not yet risen to the desired pre-launch position, its head is above the entrance to the small pelvis. There is no need to worry, apparently, the baby is in no hurry to be born, and his time has not yet come.

At week 40, global hormonal processes take place in the woman's body. Previously, the hormone progesterone was responsible for maintaining pregnancy, now it is being replaced by large amounts of estrogen, oxytocin, which prepare the body for childbirth, restructuring the work of many systems.

From a hormonal "attack" a woman may feel tired, drowsy, her mood is unstable, often changing for no apparent reason. A variety of pain and discharge are also mostly due to changes in hormonal levels..

Why does my stomach hurt?

Reasons for the occurrence of pain in the abdomen can be enough. A large and heavy uterus creates the prerequisites for the appearance of quite unpleasant symptoms.

Not all abdominal pain at this time indicates that labor has begun. Therefore, let's look at what abdominal pain can be, and what it "beeps" about.

Training bouts

Until the end, medicine and science do not know the purpose of false contractions, which are also called training. It is believed that they "prepare" the muscles of the uterus for the real test that will soon be experienced.

In primiparas, such contractions appear earlier than in women who are going to become mothers for the second or third time. If the pregnancy is the first, false contractions may disturb the expectant mother a month before the birth, and if the birth is not the first, then training contractions usually occur shortly before the onset of real labor.

There are such contractions as pulling pains in the lower abdomen - on the right and left, in the ovarian region. At the same time, the lower back slightly ache, and the stomach becomes hard, “hardens”. If you lie down a little and rest, the training contractions recede, everything calms down. Many compare the nature of pain during false contractions with moderate pain, like during menstruation.

Some women claim that they did not experience pain at all, only a slight discomfort associated with the arrival of the uterine muscles in a state of increased tone.

True contractions

Real fights only begin as training, their further development is of a completely different nature. They grow, become more painful, frequent, prolonged. At the very beginning, it pulls the lower abdomen, and then the pain "encircles", capturing the lower back.

During the fight, the uterus hardens, the stomach becomes like a stone. At the end of the contraction, the muscles of the uterus relax, the pain recedes. After a certain time-fixed break, the contraction returns.

At the initial stage, contractions last no more than 30 seconds, repeat every 5-7 minutes, the pain increases gradually. This stage in a primiparous woman can last up to 7-8 hours.

The cervix during this time can open up to 3 centimeters.

At the next stage, the contractions last for about a minute and are repeated every 3-4 minutes, and sometimes less. The pain is noticeably stronger. At this stage, and preferably even earlier, you need to be in the hospital under the supervision of doctors, since this period lasts less than the previous one.

At the last stage before the attempts, the contractions last for a minute and a half and are repeated approximately every 30 seconds.. A woman should go to the maternity hospital when the contractions are repeated every 7-10 minutes. Don't wait until they get stronger. With rapid childbirth, you may not have time to go to the hospital, and with prolonged waters, they can leave right at home, and then the risk of infection of the fetus will increase.

At this point, it is best to be in a maternity facility under the supervision of doctors.

Digestive problems

The organs involved in the process of digestion are now working at the limit of their capabilities due to compression by the uterus. Therefore, the last days of pregnancy are often marked by severe heartburn, indigestion, loose stools or constipation.

Pain in the abdomen due to gastroenterological problems is also often manifested.. Women complain that the stomach "twists", there is heaviness. A variety of tingling and even cutting pains can occur due to the accumulation of intestinal gases in the compressed intestinal loops.

In this case, the abdomen can also be hard, with upheavals and movements it often boils, there is a feeling of bloating, fullness.

If the pain is localized in the navel and in the iliac region, we can talk about colitis. Colitis develops on the background of food allergies, and in pregnant women in the later period it occurs quite often. When moving or emptying the intestines, such pain intensifies and is often mistakenly perceived by women as a harbinger of childbirth.

Allocations - the norm and options

At week 40, it is imperative to use daily pads so as not to miss the beginning of changes in the nature of the discharge. In general, at this time, clear, white or yellow discharge without odor and such unpleasant accompanying symptoms as itching are considered normal. It is also normal for a slight increase in the amount of vaginal secretion this week.

The following "surprises" can expect a pregnant woman.

Mucus plug exit

The mucous plug is located in the cervical canal of the cervix. From the very beginning of the period of bearing a baby, mucus forms and accumulates in it, the task of which is to tightly close the communication with the uterine cavity and prevent foreign microorganisms - viruses and bacteria - from entering its sterile environment.

If the birth is already very close, the cervix begins to smooth out, shortens, the internal os begins to open slightly. All this leads to the fact that the cervical canal expands, the cork ceases to be held in it and goes out. If the cork has come off completely, then it looks like a clot of mucus with blood streaks.

Often, women pay attention that the discharge becomes mucous or with clots of mucus, sometimes blood blotches are also noticeable in the clots. This is a sign of a gradual discharge of the mucous plug.

From this moment on, you should not take a hot bath, have sex, in order to exclude the possibility of infection entering the uterine cavity through the cervical canal.

Leakage and discharge of amniotic fluid

The discharge of the waters is difficult to confuse with anything else. The warm fluid stream simply flows out. This is an indisputable sign of the onset of labor, a woman should go to the hospital.

Sometimes pregnant women notice that at week 40 they have liquid, rather abundant discharge of a watery nature. This is the leakage of amniotic fluid. The perforation of the fetal bladder is insignificant, therefore, a complete outflow does not occur, the amniotic fluid leaves the fetal bladder gradually, in small portions.

Leakage may increase with movement. The discharge is odorless and colorless. Pharmacy tests for the determination of amniotic fluid, according to expectant mothers, are often mistaken.

It is better to immediately go to the gynecologist to establish the fact of leakage reliably, using ultrasound to determine the level of loss and the amount of fluid remaining. All this will definitely be done in the maternity hospital, where you also need to go if there is a leak.

If the watery discharge is colored greenish, this indicates that the original cal-meconium from the baby's intestines has entered the water. This can happen when the umbilical cord is entwined, with fetal hypoxia and other intrauterine suffering of the crumbs.

Pathological discharge

Discharges that speak of a particular pathology at this time are considered to be all discharges that have a sharp and unpleasant odor, as well as a different color.

Greens and dark grays

Spotting discharge of this color usually has a pronounced fishy smell. They do not fit into the normal discharge, because they do not appear as a harbinger of childbirth, but as a symptom of a genital tract infection.

It is urgent to do smear tests, establish the pathogen and try to have time to treat the infection, to sanitize the birth canal.

Bloody and bloody

Such secretions include pink discharge, and rich bloody, bright color. Normally there should be no blood. The appearance of such secretions may be a sign of problems with the placenta, cervix.

The finish line is the 40th week of pregnancy. If the expectant mother even reached this period pregnant, then her well-being is not much different from the previous two weeks. Still hurts back, and exhausting training bouts, big belly interferes with leading a full-fledged lifestyle, but at the same time the soul sings in anticipation of meeting with the baby.

If this is the first pregnancy, then most of all the woman now worries about how the birth goes. It is quite natural if the upcoming test causes a feeling of anxiety and even fear in her, because ahead of her lies something that she has never experienced before.

Usually, if a woman is 40 weeks pregnant, and childbirth does not begin, then the gynecologist gives her a referral to the maternity hospital. But in some cases, with good health and no risk of complications, a woman can walk pregnant for some more time.

How many months in 40 weeks

Almost no woman has any questions about which month of pregnancy she is at 40 weeks.

What to look out for

A woman during this period pays all her attention to the harbingers of an approaching birth, which include:

Lowering of the abdomen. If the stomach has not dropped, then the pregnant woman is still tormented by nausea and heartburn;
Departure of the mucous plug;
Increase in the number of secretions;
Increased training bouts;
Decreased physical activity of the baby;
Diarrhea;
Decrease in body weight by about 1 kg.

It should be noted that the harbingers of childbirth in primiparas occur more smoothly than in multiparous ones.

Do not worry if there are no harbingers of childbirth at the 40th week of pregnancy. Indeed, in some women, they appear immediately before childbirth.

How does childbirth begin?

Many primiparous women at the end of pregnancy ask themselves the question - how to understand that childbirth has begun? In fact, experienced mothers of two or more children note that even in the same woman in labor, childbirth can begin on different terms and run differently.

If the stomach stiffens at 40 weeks of gestation, then most likely these are training contractions. the real ones are slightly different. Perceptible pulling pains in the lower abdomen that do not go away an hour after they start. The intervals between contractions should be the same: at first they can be delayed up to 10-15 minutes, but after a while the pause will become shorter, and the contraction itself will be more painful and longer.

After making sure that the long-awaited moment has finally arrived, it is necessary to time it. You should go to the hospital when the duration of contractions reaches 40-60 seconds, and they begin to repeat at least every 10 minutes. If a woman is already in antenatal preparation at this time, she should notify the ward nurse on duty of the start of labor.

Pain in the abdomen is accompanied by pain in the lower back that is not inferior to them in strength and intensity. They begin in its upper part and with the course of the fight, as it were, fall down into the pelvis. As the cervix opens and labor activity intensifies, the woman ceases to feel that it hurts more - the entire lower part of her body will be involved in childbirth.

Diarrhea at 40 weeks means that the body begins to cleanse itself before the birth process.

Other signs of the onset of labor at the fortieth week of pregnancy include the discharge of water. Contrary to the common stereotype, this does not always happen before the onset of labor. Very often, the fetal bladder can burst after several hours of intense contractions, when the cervix is already 5-6 cm open. After that, the contractions intensify, and the opening process goes faster.

Therefore, in many maternity hospitals, a forced puncture of the fetal bladder is practiced at the stage when the opening is 3-4 cm - this not only speeds up the whole process and shortens the exhausting first stage of labor, but also makes contractions more painful. If the expectant mother is a categorical opponent of any stimulation, she should discuss this issue with her doctor in advance.

If, along with contractions, a woman begins to vomit, she can be sure that this is definitely childbirth. Vomiting and nausea often accompany the first stage of labor.

And, finally, the psychological factor works - at the beginning of real contractions, the expectant mother simply knows that she has begun to give birth. It is difficult to say where this confidence comes from, but very often it helps a pregnant woman to quickly orient herself and arrive at the hospital on time.

Brown discharge at the 40th week of pregnancy may indicate a cork discharge, and also often occur when the cervix is injured during sex or a gynecological examination in the emergency department of the maternity hospital. Brown discharge indicates that it contains blood, which may indicate placental abruption.

What awaits a woman in the hospital

So, the expectant mother finally arrived at the emergency department at the 40th week of pregnancy and was somewhat surprised that doctors and midwives were in no hurry to accompany her to the delivery room. The fact is that experienced staff knows that at the first birth, between the onset of contractions and the birth of a baby, it can take from 6 to 24 hours, and sometimes more. Therefore, they are not in a hurry and do their job measuredly - fill out the card, weigh the pregnant woman and measure the girth of her abdomen, listen to the fetal heartbeat.

If the exchange card indicates that the gestation was aggravated by any pathologies, ultrasound can be added to the list of examinations and manipulations. Also, in the emergency room, a vaginal examination will be carried out, showing the degree of disclosure. All data are recorded in the history of childbirth.

Uzi

A sonologist using ultrasound at the 40th obstetric week of pregnancy determines:

How is the baby. If a breech or transverse presentation is detected, then the birth process will be difficult, because the baby should be head down;
Does the fetus have an entanglement with the umbilical cord;
Readiness of the cervix for childbirth;
Location of the placenta. After all, if it has not risen, then there is a risk of bleeding during childbirth. Therefore, placenta previa later dates is an indication for caesarean section;
Quantity and quality of amniotic fluid. The amniotic fluid must not contain meconium. With a small volume, a pregnant woman is diagnosed with oligohydramnios. This pathology is dangerous because a woman develops weak labor activity.

How is childbirth

If during the examination of a woman it was revealed that 40 obstetric week pregnancy will soon end in childbirth, then she will be invited to the prenatal ward. There she will be given disposable clothes - a bathrobe, a hat, shoe covers. Here she will spend the entire first stage of childbirth. In partnered births, the baby's father will be by the side of the mother, helping her cope with the pain.

In the future, the course of events depends on many factors:

presentation of the child;
the rate of uterine opening;
intensity of labor activity;
health status of the mother;
doctor's experience.

In the event that childbirth does not occur, or a woman has a weak labor activity, then the medical staff will call them artificially.

The whole process of childbirth is divided into three stages: disclosure (contractions), attempts (expulsion of the fetus) and the birth of the placenta. The first stage is accompanied by constant monitoring: the expectant mother will be connected to a device that listens to the fetal heartbeat. Also, all women in labor are given a butterfly needle for a dropper, which can come in handy at any time. It is used to administer saline, light painkillers, and after childbirth - for intravenous anesthesia, if you need to sew up tears or incisions.

When the uterus opens approximately 7-8 cm, the second stage of labor will begin. Its sign is the appearance of attempts, felt by a woman as a strong feeling of fullness and pressure on the perineum from the inside, which appears at the end of each contraction. From now on, only 40-90 minutes will remain until the end of the birth. True, for the expectant mother they will be very difficult - one contraction almost immediately flows into the next, the pain becomes almost continuous, comfortable posture impossible to find.

Childbirth will begin when the cervix opens 10 cm. After that, the contractions stop and the woman will feel a little better. Ahead is the most crucial period - the birth of a baby. To do this, the expectant mother will be invited to the obstetric chair and asked to push as hard as possible or, conversely, try to delay the attempt as directed by the obstetrician. It is very important to listen to the words of the medical staff taking delivery at this moment - they already see the baby's head and understand how to facilitate his birth. In order for the baby to successfully complete his difficult journey into the world, his mother will have to push from 2 to 5-6 times.

Birth of the placenta

Once the umbilical cord has been cut (ideally after it has stopped pulsing), the newborn will be taken away from the mother for a while to allow the birth to complete. After several attempts, the woman will give birth to the placenta, and the doctor will be able to examine her birth canal for cracks and tears in them. If they are, then the mother will be stitched for their speedy healing.

The birth of the placenta occurs approximately 20-30 minutes after the baby is born. This is a process that few women in labor pay attention to because of its painlessness and the state of euphoria, which is quite natural after the end of childbirth. But doctors, on the contrary, treat him very responsibly, because the successful completion of not only the birth process, but the entire postpartum period largely depends on him.

The main criterion is the integrity of the born placenta. If it came out smooth and whole, it means that everything ended as it should, and the doctor can proceed to the final procedures - the treatment of the perineum and birth canal with a disinfectant solution. If torn fragments are found, the puerperal will need to be cleaned, since the pieces of the placenta remaining in the uterine cavity can cause bleeding, as well as a severe postpartum complication -. This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the uterus, which is evidenced by such signs:

febrile (up to 40 degrees) body temperature;
severe pain in the lower abdomen;
profuse bloody mucous or bloody discharge.

If at least one of the listed signs of the inflammatory process of a young mother appears, urgent hospitalization, cleaning and a course of antibiotics are necessary. It goes without saying that breast-feeding for this period will have to be interrupted.

After childbirth

Immediately after the end of childbirth, the doctor will clear the baby's airways of mucus, he will take his first breath and notify the world of his appearance with a loud cry. At this time, the lungs will open, and he will begin to breathe completely on his own, like an adult. Then it will be placed on the mother's stomach and attached to the breast. The first bodily contact is very important - it stimulates the imminent arrival of milk and gives the baby the opportunity to get to know the microflora of the outside world for the first time, which can be equated to a vaccination.

From the first minutes of a child’s life, a neonatologist will take care of him, who will perform several manipulations:

weigh;
measure the circumference of the head and chest;
listen to the lungs;
counts the frequency of heart beats per minute;
determine skin color.

Based on all of the above, an Apgar score will be given, which the pediatrician will subsequently be guided by, assigning examinations to the baby and planning a vaccination schedule. In the delivery room happy family you will have to spend about two more hours - that is how much time the doctors need to make sure that the young mother is in a satisfactory condition.

Epidural anesthesia: for or against

When the 40th obstetric week of pregnancy comes, many women have a fear of the upcoming birth.

The fear of pain is absolutely natural for every living being. The fear of unknown pain is even stronger. "Can I handle the pain?" - this question is asked, probably, by every pregnant woman. There is a lot of conflicting information about labor pain: some mothers say that it is unbearable, others claim that the first stage of childbirth went quickly and almost painlessly.

It is believed that during contractions a woman can experience pain up to 57 del with an average rate of 40 del. Each body reacts to such a shock differently, so even during pregnancy, the expectant mother should discuss with the doctor the possibility of pain relief during childbirth.

To date, the optimal method is epidural (spinal) anesthesia. It helps a woman to calmly survive the period of contractions and save strength for attempts. It is done when the cervix is opened by about 3 fingers. To do this, after local anesthesia, the anesthesiologist inserts a catheter between the dorsal vertebrae of the woman in labor, through which a pain-blocking drug enters the spinal cord. For some time, the expectant mother will no longer feel her body below the waist. However, the epidural anesthesia will have to be removed when the pushing period begins so that the doctor and the woman in labor together can control the process of giving birth to the baby.

With the obvious advantage - relieving a woman of severe pain and the nervous shock caused by it - spinal anesthesia has a number of significant disadvantages:

increases the duration of the fetal expulsion period;
lowers pressure;
the anesthetic enters the body of the child;
can cause back pain for several years after childbirth;
if the anesthesia is not removed in time, the woman is not able to control her attempts, which is fraught with complications for the child of varying severity.

In some cases, the use of epidural anesthesia at 40 weeks is necessary due to high blood pressure, vision problems and other problems in the body of the expectant mother. The decision to use it should be made before the onset of labor, having considered all the pros and cons, after prior consultation with the gynecologist and anesthetist.

Possible complications during childbirth

Despite the fact that childbirth is a physiological and natural process, both the mother and the baby may experience problems during it.

Weakness of labor activity. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common pathology that occurs at the birth of a baby. The reason for its appearance may be taking relaxing uterus medicines during pregnancy. This violation is fraught with fetal hypoxia. Therefore, in this case, doctors are forced to induce labor at 40 weeks of gestation. To do this, both stimulation of labor by the introduction of oxytocin and caesarean section are used.

Fetal hypoxia can be caused by entanglement with the umbilical cord, too long labor, violent contractions. Nervous system the child suffers from a lack of oxygen, so a quick solution to the problem is needed.
Narrow pelvis/large fetus. In the presence of modern diagnostic methods, the identification of this discrepancy should be carried out even during the period of bearing a child. But if it was discovered only during childbirth, doctors resort to caesarean section as the safest and most non-traumatic method of delivery for mother and baby.

Premature abruption of the placenta occurs with very strong contractions, as well as in women with bleeding disorders. The situation is almost always complicated by heavy bleeding, due to which the baby can choke. Requires immediate surgical intervention.

Injury to the newborn during childbirth. It can be a fracture of the arm, collarbone, various. It occurs both through the fault of obstetricians, and due to circumstances beyond their control: due to rapid labor, violent contractions, during premature birth due to the fragility of the skeletal system of the fetus.

Fortunately, the level of modern medicine allows, in most cases, to identify and eliminate the listed problems in a timely manner, allowing the baby to be born healthy and strong.

Some women who are at risk premature birth are looking for tips on how to get to 40 weeks pregnant.

To reach this deadline:

Follow all doctor's recommendations;
Avoid taking hot baths;
Don't have rough sex. You should also use a condom when having sex. After all, as you know, sperm prepares the cervix for the upcoming birth;
More rest.

In fact, childbirth occurs when the baby is ready to be born. For some it happens sooner, for others later.

Some women think how to reach 40 weeks, others are so tired of pregnancy that they wonder how to give birth faster.

If there are no various contraindications, then you can:

Take a bath at a temperature of 38 degrees;
Cleaning the house, for example, mopping the floors;
Many advise just to have sex. After all, sex at the 40th week of pregnancy, in the absence of contraindications, can significantly bring the birth closer. Orgasm will give impetus to the contraction of the uterus, and the sperm will prepare the cervix for disclosure;
Take walks, the main thing is not to overexert yourself.

How can I speed up the onset of labor? With the permission of the gynecologist, you can try special exercises on the fitball. With it, you can relax the muscles of the pelvic floor and prepare for contractions. By the way, this ball will help during childbirth, it will speed up the process of opening the cervix.

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Fetus at 40 weeks pregnant: movements

The baby can no longer actively move, but you should still feel it. Moreover, his movements are very obvious: there is practically no space left in the uterus, therefore, you feel any push of the crumbs very well.

Future mom

But don't worry if there are still no signs of labor. As we have already said, most likely there was an error in calculating the gestational age.

Do not sit on suitcases - lead a normal life. But be sure to be ready to give birth at any moment.

Childbirth at 40 weeks of gestation: precursors

One of the non-ambiguous harbinger of childbirth is the lowering of the abdomen: the baby in the uterus sinks down, pressing its head against its bottom and preparing for an entertaining journey into a new world. You observe it as some lowering of the abdomen, due to which you noticeably relieve, heartburn disappears. But, at the same time, descending in the uterus, the baby begins to put pressure on the bladder - hence the increased need to urinate.

Shortly before the start of labor, you may find a slight decrease in appetite, sometimes you don’t feel like eating at all. Against the background of a lack of appetite, weight changes are also possible: it either remains fixed on one designation, or even decreases by 1-2 kg.

And yet, the most obvious, the clearest harbingers of childbirth are the prolapse of the mucous plug, the discharge of amniotic fluid and the appearance of regular painful contractions. You will recognize the mucus plug by the presence of a dense lump of thick mucus on the panties, possibly with streaks, splashes of blood. The entire period of pregnancy, the mucous plug closed the cervix, preventing infections and viruses from entering the baby. Now the cork comes out, freeing the baby's birth canal.

And, of course, contractions will report on the onset of labor - regular, more and more frequent, accompanied by painful sensations. Many women, especially primiparas, are afraid to confuse false contractions with true ones, especially since false contractions by the end of pregnancy are already painful in nature and are repeated much more often than before. To determine what kind of contractions you are dealing with, simply change the position of the body during contractions. Get up, walk around the room, sit on a stool. If the contractions have stopped at the same time, then the birth will still have to wait.

Abdomen: pulling, sore

Do not be afraid of pain in the abdomen - pulling pains in the lower abdomen, turning to, indicate the imminent onset of labor. The baby is now “at a low start” before going out, his head presses on the pelvic bones, the load on the stomach and lower back due to the enormously increased weight of the woman is enormous. Hence the feeling of a pulling, painful stomach.

Pain at 40 weeks pregnant

In addition to pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, you most likely feel pain in your back, spine, and your legs probably hurt. Such pains are now normal: the ligaments and muscles are stretched, the body is preparing for childbirth, and so the soreness characteristic of this stage of pregnancy appears.

Focus on the child: listen to him and constantly keep in touch with him. Talk, caress, keep unity - in childbirth you will be a real team! We need to act in concert.

Discharge at 40 weeks pregnant

... And now, while the meeting with the baby is just expected, do not stop monitoring the vaginal discharge: normal for this period are light, slimy discharge. The viscosity and ductility of the secretions is the result of the gradual separation of the mucous plug, which up to this point covers the cervix. Keep in mind that the mucus can be colored pinkish, red, brown: when the cervix softens and contracts, small vessels burst, respectively, the blood stains the discharge.

And, of course, taking bags, go to the hospital, noticing the discharge of amniotic fluid. You will learn about the outflow of amniotic fluid by the appearance of liquid, watery, abundant discharge - the water literally pours out on the eve of the onset of childbirth. But keep in mind that amniotic fluid is not always and not necessarily poured out only right before childbirth and one-time: amniotic fluid may well simply leak, seeping in small amounts. This is possible when the membranes are depleted or their integrity is violated, which is dangerous for the child - an infection in the event of a violation of the integrity of the membranes can penetrate the fetus in the first 24 hours. Therefore, even if you feel constantly wet panties, do not fail to inform the doctor leading the pregnancy about this.

ultrasound

Now you can clearly see the baby in the form that you will meet in the very near future. Undoubtedly, the baby will be the most beautiful for you. But to be honest, many parents are somewhat embarrassed by his appearance. The head can be clearly deformed, the body is covered with mucus, the skin is somehow spotty and of a strange color, and even covered with hair in the most unexpected places, and due to the increased level of hormones, the genitals can even swell, sometimes liquid comes out of the papillae. Let no aesthetic "defects" bother you - they will all disappear shortly after childbirth.

The new Human will be assessed on the Apgar scale and given a tag with your name, medical record number, date and time of delivery, and baby's gender.

The newborn period begins, where worries, troubles, difficulties and a lot of happiness await you!

Let everythnig will be alright!

Specially for- Elena Kichak