39 Weeks Pregnant: Week-by-Week Guide

• What trimester is 39 weeks? Third trimester
• How many weeks of pregnancy are left? One
• How many months is 39 weeks pregnant? You are in your ninth month.

With week 38 of your pregnancy complete, you’re on week 39. Enjoy it, as week 40 is on the horizon! 

One of the most exciting things about pregnancy is how many changes you’ll experience with your little one over the span of just 7 days! Here’s some tips and tricks to keep on top of all that’s happening.

What Happens During the 39th Week of Pregnancy?

• Staying attentive: The umbilical cord, which has been nourishing your little one by carrying nutrients from the placenta, is now nearly two feet long. In rare cases, the cord can become wrapped around your baby’s neck. Your doctor might suggest a C-section if the cord’s position affects your baby’s vitals.
• Safety first: Your baby's immune system is hard at work, making use of the antibodies you’ve been sharing through the placenta. These antibodies will help baby fight infection for up to 12 months after birth. Still, you can’t entirely rely on antibodies to keep them well—everyone should wash their hands thoroughly before handling your baby.

What Should I Be Feeling at 39 Weeks Pregnant?

• You might have trouble sleeping and moving around.
• You may feel pain in your pelvic area from increased pressure due to your baby dropping into the birth position.

How Big Is Your Baby at 39 Weeks Pregnant?

Week 39 Pregnancy Symptoms

During week 39 of pregnancy, your body is changing quickly. As your baby grows, you will too, and there are certain pregnancy symptoms you may experience at this time.

1. Keep an eye out for signs of labor, including diarrhea and your water breaking. Your doctor may also look for cervical effacement, which is when the cervix stretches and thins as the baby’s head drops on the pelvis. Of course, contractions are the main symptom that the baby is ready to roll.
2. Losing the mucus plug is a sign that labor is near. The plug formed early in pregnancy, creating a barrier to the cervical opening that has helped keep the uterus bacteria-free. While the plug can be easily missed, if you notice a discharge that’s slightly bloody or pink, that could be it.
3. The bloody show, a release of a small amount of blood and mucus, is also a signal of impending labor. It’s proof that the cervix has begun to efface and dilate and that labor is near—nearer than when the mucus plug is lost.
4. You may still be having Braxton Hicks contractions. How can you distinguish them from actual labor contractions? Braxton Hicks contractions are more uncomfortable than painful and go away within two minutes. Labor contractions are strong, regular, and increase in intensity.
5. You may also experience pelvic pressure or “lightning crotch,” a sharp, sudden shooting pain in the vagina, rectum, or pelvis caused by the baby’s position or movement putting pressure on nerves.

Baby Position at 39 Weeks

Throughout the past nine months, your baby has been moving around. By now, though, your little one should be resting low on your pelvis, with their head facing down and their body facing your back. If your baby's head isn't down, they're considered breech, and your doctor might talk to you about different options for labor and delivery.

What If I Have No Signs of Labor at 39 Weeks?

There’s no reason to worry. If you’re not experiencing any labor signs at 39 weeks, then your baby just isn’t ready yet and you may have more time. Your due date may also have been slightly miscalculated by a few days or a week—it was always just an estimate. Unless there’s a risk for complications, most doctors will wait until 42 weeks to consider intervening. Of course, some babies arrive fast, causing minimal labor symptoms until—surprise!

Mom's Tip of the Week

Did You Know...?

Your water might not break. At 39 weeks pregnant, with your baby's birth just around the corner, you need to know what to expect. Not every woman’s amniotic sac ruptures. (If you have other signs of labor, or if you are past your due date and it has not occurred, the doctor may break it for you to get things going.) If the sac does break, the amniotic fluid is more likely to come out as a trickle or small gush than the flood that you may be imagining. If you haven’t already, talk to your doctor about pre-labor symptoms—and what to do if you think your water has broken.

Baby Brain Waves

Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing

Baby’s brain continues to develop at an astounding rate. In the last nine weeks of pregnancy, your baby’s brain weight doubles. And after birth, brain development continues at a rapid pace. In fact, your little one’s brain grows to about 85% of adult size by age 3. That’s why nutrition with brain-nourishing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important—either through your breast milk or infant formula.

Pregnancy Health

Real Issues, Real Solutions

The issue: You're 39 weeks pregnant, and birth is coming soon. As you await the day you'll meet your baby face-to-face, a bit of anxiety can mix in with the excitement.

The solution: Get tips on how to prepare for delivery, based on what moms who’ve been there say they wish they had known beforehand.

More Info You Might Find Helpful:

• Your Guide to Being 40 Weeks Pregnant
• Pregnancy Nutrition: Third Trimester Pointers

Learn more about your pregnancy, including pregnancy planning and pregnancy nutrition to feel prepared to continue this magical adventure. You’re armed with the facts, what to do, and now you can take time to connect with the little one growing inside you.

With week 38 in the rearview mirror and week 39 going strong, look to the future and what's coming up in week 40!