| Pregnancy week 42
A week by week guide to what’s happening to you and your baby WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU You may be getting nervous about how well your baby is doing. It is important for you to know that even though you are past your due date, most likely all is just fine with your baby. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY If you have had a healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy, an extra week or two added on to the estimated due date usually doesn't make much of a difference. In fact, ten per cent of first-time pregnancies continue on until two weeks past the due date. Keep in mind that it won't be much longer now. If you haven't yet given birth, your obstetrician may advise some tests to check on your baby's well-being. He or she may also discuss inducing labour. Before deciding on an induction you might want to try bring on labour yourself. If your water hasn't broken, you may find that making love does the trick. Stimulation to orgasm can be one of the more pleasant means of ‘induction’. HEALTHY EATING Since cooking is probably the LAST thing on your mind at the moment, try to get someone else to do it. FACT OF THE WEEK Speak to your midwife before trying this natural technique for bringing on labour: Apply a heating pad to your breasts for five minutes.
In some studies, nipple stimulation, which releases your body's natural oxytocin, has brought on contractions in 20 minutes or less. For a list of all the pregnancy week by week articles click here |