Week 40 of pregnancy — what is happening and what to do

Week 40 comes and goes and your baby is still on board — a situation that happens often and calls above all for organized contact with your care team. It helps to have a plan for the coming days: scheduled check-ups, questions for your visit, and a calm everyday routine. Below are practical steps that help you get through this time.

Contact with your doctor and the plan for check-ups

After your due date, care focuses on regularly monitoring you and your baby. Arrange with your doctor or midwife when you will come in for a check-up and where the CTG (fetal heart monitoring) will be done — without waiting for the clinic to call you.

• Ask at what intervals you should come in for check-ups and CTG.
• Write the numbers for the labor and delivery ward and for your doctor somewhere visible.
• Find out who answers the phones on weekends and holidays.
• Agree on which symptoms mean you should call without waiting for a visit.

Questions for your overdue appointment

At the visit it is worth asking what happens next, so you are not left with uncertainty. Specific questions help staff give an equally specific answer.

• How your baby is doing and whether the examination raises no concerns.
• When the next check-up falls.
• What should prompt you to make contact immediately.
• What the next steps are if labor does not start on its own.
• What to bring to your next visit.

Calm waiting at home

The days after your due date can feel long, so it helps to fill them with something light and keep up a daily rhythm. Rest, movement as far as your strength allows, and contact with loved ones carry you through the waiting better than staring at the calendar.

• Take care of sleep and rest during the day.
• Go out for short walks in company.
• Limit reading other people's birth stories.
• Wrap up things at home: supplies, laundry, orders, and pet care.

A final check of the bag and documents

The days after your due date are a good moment to count through the contents of your bag and envelope one more time. Check that your pregnancy record is up to date and that the test results are complete. Make sure the power bank works and your phone has all the needed numbers saved. Do not repack everything from scratch — it is enough to confirm that the most important things are in place.

• Check that your pregnancy record and results are in the envelope.
• Make sure the power bank and charger work.
• Confirm the labor and delivery ward's number is saved in your phone.
• Put the bag where your birth partner knows to find it.

Your baby's movements after the due date

After your due date your baby's movements can feel different, because there is less and less room in the belly. Watch your own, familiar rhythm of activity rather than comparing yourself with descriptions online. If the movements change clearly or weaken, call the labor and delivery ward and report it the same day. Do not wait for a scheduled visit if something worries you.

• Observe the activity at similar times of day.
• Note when you last felt your baby move.
• Do not compare your baby with descriptions from forums.
• With a clear change, call without delay.

What to bring to your overdue visit and CTG

Visits after your due date tend to be more frequent, so it helps to keep everything you need for going out at hand. Bring your pregnancy record, the latest results, and your question list. Water, something light to eat, and a phone with a charged battery will come in handy. If someone close is driving you, agree on the timing so you are not waiting in the corridor.

• Pregnancy record, results, and question list in one folder.
• Water and a light snack for the time of the test.
• Phone with a charged battery and the clinic's number saved.
• Agree with someone close on the time of leaving and returning.