Week 40: Due Date and Beyond

Week 40: Due Date and Beyond

The Quick Brief

You made it to 40 weeks. Congratulations—and also, deep breaths. The due date is here, but the baby might not be. Only about 5% of babies actually arrive on their due date. Most first-time moms deliver somewhere between 39 and 41 weeks. This week is about staying calm, knowing when to go, and supporting your partner through what might be an agonizing wait.

What's Happening with Baby

Size: About the size of a watermelon—roughly 18 to 20 inches long and weighing between 6 to 9 pounds (average is around 7.5 pounds).

Your baby is fully developed and ready for the outside world. According to the March of Dimes, your baby has had time to fully develop and is ready to meet you face to face. The brain has been adding neural connections at an incredible rate—it will continue developing after birth and throughout childhood, but the foundation is complete.

At 40 weeks, the baby's lungs hold tens of millions of alveoli, ready for that first breath. The vernix (that protective coating) is mostly gone. The lanugo (fine body hair) has disappeared. The baby has likely settled into a head-down position with the head engaged in the pelvis.

Space is extremely limited. You'll feel movements, but they're more like pushes and stretches than kicks and rolls. If you notice a significant decrease in movement, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

What's Happening with Mom

She's done. Physically, emotionally, mentally done with being pregnant. Everything hurts. Sleep is nearly impossible. She may be experiencing prodromal labor—contractions that feel like the real thing but don't progress. This "false labor" can go on for hours or even days, which is exhausting and frustrating.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, prodromal labor contractions feel a lot like real labor but don't get stronger or closer together over time and don't lead to cervical dilation. Unlike Braxton Hicks (which are usually painless), prodromal labor can be uncomfortable. It's the body's dress rehearsal that can last much longer than anyone wants.

She may experience loose stools or diarrhea as the body prepares for labor—prostaglandins that soften the cervix can also affect the bowels. The mucus plug may have already come out, or it might come out now. She may notice increased vaginal discharge that's pink or blood-tinged (bloody show).

Go to the hospital if: Contractions are regular and painful, coming every 5 minutes and each lasting about a minute, for at least an hour, and she can't walk or talk through them (the 5-1-1 rule). Water breaks (go regardless of contractions—infection risk increases after the membranes rupture). She notices bright red bleeding (more than spotting). Baby's movements decrease significantly.

What Dad Should Do This Week

Don't panic if nothing happens today—the due date is an estimate, not a deadline. Keep phone charged, car fueled, bag in trunk. When labor starts, your job is simple: reduce stress, be her calm, advocate for her preferences, and follow her lead.

1. Stay calm—seriously

Your partner is probably climbing the walls. Every twinge makes her hope this is finally it. When those hopes are dashed by false labor, the disappointment is real. Your job is to be the steady presence. Don't panic at every contraction. Don't get frustrated when it's another false alarm. Stay calm, stay supportive, stay ready.

2. Know exactly when to go to the hospital

For a first baby, the common 5-1-1 rule applies: contractions coming every 5 minutes, each lasting about 1 minute, for at least an hour, and she can't walk or talk through them. Water breaking means go, regardless of contractions. If you're ever unsure, call labor and delivery—they'd rather answer questions than have you arrive too late.

3. Support her through the wait

This might be the hardest part of pregnancy for her. Distract her with movies, walks (if she's up for it), anything that passes the time. Handle all household tasks. Field the "is the baby here yet?" texts from family so she doesn't have to. Let her rest as much as possible—she's going to need the energy.

4. Be ready 24/7

Phone charged. Car gassed up. Hospital bag by the door. Work notified you could leave at any moment. You've done all the preparation; now it's about maintaining readiness. Don't make plans you can't break instantly. Don't drink alcohol. Stay within reasonable distance of the hospital.

5. Understand what happens if baby's late

If the baby hasn't arrived by 40-41 weeks, your provider will likely discuss induction. This is normal and common. The decision will factor in her health, baby's health, and various monitoring results. Trust your healthcare team. If they recommend induction, it's because the benefits outweigh the risks of continuing to wait.

The Relationship Check-In

The wait can strain even the strongest relationship. She may be irritable, anxious, or emotionally all over the place. You might be anxious too but feel like you can't show it. Give each other grace this week.

Don't try to hurry her labor along with unsolicited advice about "natural" induction methods. Don't tell her to "relax" or that "the baby will come when they're ready"—even if it's true, she doesn't want to hear it for the hundredth time. Just be present, be patient, and remind her that you're in this together.

What's Coming Up

The baby. The baby is what's coming. Whether it's today, tomorrow, or next week, you're about to meet the person you've been preparing for all these months. When labor finally starts for real, trust your preparation. You know what to do. You know when to go. You've got this.

And when you finally hold your baby for the first time? All this waiting will feel like nothing. Good luck, Dad.

Quick Reference Box

Sources Referenced

Pregnancy Development:

• CDC Pregnancy: https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/during/index.html
• March of Dimes Week by Week: https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy-week-week
• NIH/PMC Research on Fetal Lung Development

Labor & Delivery:

• Cleveland Clinic: Labor Signs, Lightning Crotch, Prodromal Labor
• Kaiser Permanente: When to Go to the Hospital
• NHS: Signs that Labour Has Begun
• WebMD: Signs of Labor

Safety & Preparation:

• Safe Kids Worldwide / National CPS Certification
• American Pregnancy Association