Your pregnancy: 41 weeks pregnant
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If you're still waiting to meet your baby, don't worry. Going past your due date is really common – in fact, about 40% of women still haven't given birth by the time their due date rolls around, so you're not alone. Here's what to expect once you reach 41 weeks pregnant. Plus, we look into the options to help kick-start labour and get you ready to give birth.
What’s happening at 41 weeks?
Here are the key things you can expect from your pregnancy at this stage:
- Keep an eye on your baby's movements.
- You might be booked in for a sweep this week.
- Don't worry, your baby doesn't count as 'overdue' yet.
- What will you try to get things moving?
How big is your baby?
Still around the size of a small wedding cake, not much else has changed since last week, to be honest.
Your baby will have put on a little weight and will be shedding what’s left of the vernix (the white greasy substance that protects their skin).
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Now that your due date has come and gone, you could be forgiven for thinking you're officially 'overdue'. But a pregnancy isn't usually considered properly 'overdue' until the end of 41 weeks.
From 37 weeks to the end of this week, your baby is considered 'full term', and there's no need to worry if they haven't made an appearance yet. it's perfectly normal for them to arrive any day now.
Studies show that most babies arrive within two weeks either side of the due date, so it's probably not long to go now!
As always, if you feel that your baby's moving less – or not at all – see your midwife straight away.
What's going on with your body?
When you get to 41 weeks, you'll have what could be your final routine antenatal appointment.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- measure your blood pressure
- test your urine for protein
- discuss the options and choices for being induced
Your midwife should also either offer you a membrane sweep (cervical sweep) during this appointment or book it in for later this week.
If you have any sickness or diarrhoea at this stage, don't worry – you're probably in labour as these can be early signs that things are getting going. Make sure you know the early signs of labour so you can contact your midwife for further advice.
What to expect this week: wanting to kickstart labour
Although there's not much evidence that any of these work, there are plenty of women who swear it helped kickstart their labour. If you're at the stage where you'll try *anything* to get this baby out, here are a few safe suggestions to consider doing:
- Eat a hot, spicy curry. Although there’s no scientific evidence to support this theory, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence out there, so if you enjoy a curry now’s the time to order a takeaway!
- Try reflexology. Find someone who specialises in pregnancy reflexology and book a session. Even if it doesn't do anything in terms of labour, it'll relax you – who doesn't love a foot massage?
- Eat fresh pineapple. It contains the enzyme bromelain which is thought to help to soften the cervix and so bring on labour. Realistically, you'd need to eat at least seven whole pineapples to get enough bromelain to have any effect (which wouldn't be good for your health). But if you enjoy pineapple, why not have a little?
- Go for a long walk. It’s thought that the weight of the baby’s head bearing down on your cervix (if the head is engaged) can trigger labour. Probably best to walk around your local park rather than wandering off for a hike in the middle of nowhere, though – just in case it works really well and labour starts when you’re miles from civilisation! On the same theme, some claim that climbing up and down the stairs has a similar effect
- Get frisky. Both your orgasm and your partner’s are thought to help kick-start different things. Your orgasm could bring on contractions. If you have a male partner, semen contains a high concentration of prostaglandins, which may help encourage your cervix to start dilating.
- Tweak your nipples. Not in the mood for sex? Then indulge in some nipple tweaking instead. Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, which in turn may prompt the uterus to contract.
- Cuddle a newborn. This can also trigger the release of oxytocin, encouraging contractions, so fight your way through to the front of the queue if a pregnant friend delivers before you do!
There are also some things you definitely shouldn't try:
- Castor oil: This used to be an old folk remedy for kickstarting labour, but we now know that it's more likely to give you diarrhoea and make you feel ill instead.
- Herbal remedies: There are lots of dodgy herbs and supplements available that may claim to help with labour, but they're not well-regulated, and there's no way to know if what you're getting is safe for you and your baby.
- Raspberry leaf: If taken in moderation throughout pregnancy, raspberry leaf tea or supplements may help to tone the uterus. But don't take loads of raspberry leaf at once to try to kickstart labour, as it could cause distress for your baby.
What to do this week: have a cervical sweep
OK, so in an ideal world things will get going naturally. But although you’ve probably been told endless horror stories about being induced, the reality is rarely as bad – and there are good reasons for an induction to be offered.
If your baby isn’t born by 42 weeks, then there’s a higher risk of complications. Once your waters break there’s an increased risk of infection if you haven’t given birth within 24 hours, or you may have a health condition that makes it risky for your pregnancy to go beyond a certain point.
To try and get things moving, before you need to be fully induced, your midwife will usually recommend doing a membrane sweep, also called a cervical sweep (or just a 'sweep' to those in the know).
If this is your first baby, you may have been offered a sweep last week. If you've had a baby before, you should be offered it this week.
A sweep is a simple procedure that can help to kick-start labour and reduce the need for medication to induce your labour. It's a bit like a smear test, though it can be more uncomfortable.
During a sweep, you'll be asked to lie on your back, propped up with pillows. Your midwife or doctor will insert a single finger into your cervix, using a circular, 'sweeping' motion.
This can help to separate the amniotic sac that holds your baby from the cervix, which can often help to get labour going. It's thought to work best if your body's already starting to get ready for labour.
If contractions don't start within 48 hours of a membrane sweep, chances are it hasn't worked. You can have more than one sweep though, so if your first one doesn’t work, don’t despair – the next one might.
Remember, you have the right to refuse a sweep – it’s your choice. But also remember that it could trigger labour to start without needing an induction.
Your 41 week to-do list:
1 Read up about being induced, which may happen later this week or next week.
2 Have a look through our baby names again – there may be some new ones since you drew up your shortlist.
3 Read a book or watch TV – once you're a mum, it can be hard to find the time (or the energy) to do either!
4 Get a contractions app ready on your phone and try it out before you need it.
5 You'll be a new parent any day now so read up on what you'll need to know.
What to watch this week...
Get expert tips on what to expect at 41 weeks pregnant from our midwife.
What happens next week...
Want to know what happens when you're 42 weeks pregnant? Or maybe you've already forgotten what you read last week? Just click on the numbers above to find out more about what to expect when you're that number of weeks pregnant.
