40 Weeks Pregnant

The average pregnancy lasts about 266 days, which is 38 weeks, or nine and a half months from the day you conceive. According to the doctors, however, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks because they calculate the length of your pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period. Only five percent of women actually deliver on their due date. Ninety-five percent of babies are born either in or after the two week period in which their due date falls. By now, your care provider should have given you specific instructions about when to call and when to come in to the birthing center, as well as what to eat or drink in early labor. They usually want to see you when your contractions are regular and less than four to five minutes apart.

Positions to Consider for Childbirth

While many women want to make lithotomy (mother on her back with legs elevated in stirrups) a thing of the past, some providers still insist on this position. The moment of birth is not the time to discuss doctor’s preferences, so it is important to talk this over before you go into labor. Alternative positions include side lying, semi-sitting and squatting. Side lying position relieves the pressure on the uterus. Semi-sitting and squatting assist gravity in bring the baby down the birth canal.

Is Episiotomy Necessary?

An episiotomy is an incision made between the vagina and the anus. Some practitioners claim this may help women avoid severe tearing as the baby comes into the world. The ongoing debate is whether it is better for a woman to tear naturally or to be cut. The reality is a woman may tear a very tiny bit or not at all, if she uses her body's urge to push and have midwife or partner support her perineum as she gives birth. There are also indications that perineal massage can help stretch this sensitive area and ease delivery, thus leaving little or no natural tearing. It is wise to express your own desires, either for or against an incision.

Should You Have Induction?

Women frequently want induction when they are overdue by several days to a week. This is a decision to be carefully considered and discussed with your partner and your care provider. Induction requires a lengthier stay in the hospital. The use of monitors and, often, an IV are required. You may not get the opportunity to move around freely in some environments. Researchers point out that induction could lead to a higher incidence of cesarean section and fetal distress.