The more you know about your pregnancy and your options, the more you are likely to feel in control. The information given here is based on The Pregnancy Book, which your midwife should give you at your first appointment.
You and your baby at 41 weeks pregnant
- Your baby at 41 weeks: Because of the hormones in your body, the baby’s genitals may look swollen when they’re born, but they’ll soon settle down to their normal size.
- You at 41 weeks: If you’ve had a baby before, you’ll be offered a membrane sweep at your 41-week appointment. A membrane sweep involves having a vaginal (internal) examination that stimulates the cervix (neck of your womb) to produce hormones that may trigger natural labour. You do not have to have this – you can discuss it with your midwife.
You and your baby at 42 weeks pregnant
In most pregnancies, labour naturally starts by 42 weeks. If your pregnancy lasts longer than 42 weeks and you decide not to have your labour induced, you should be offered increased monitoring to check your baby’s wellbeing.
There’s a higher risk of stillbirth if you go over 42 weeks pregnant, although most babies remain healthy. At the moment, there’s no way to reliably predict which babies are at increased risk of stillbirth, so induction is offered if you do not go into labour by 42 weeks.
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.
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