What Does It Mean When Baby Is Born Without Vernix

Whew, calendar week 42 is here — and information technology's the official end of your pregnancy.

Your infant will probably get some extra monitoring in advance of your late-comer's debut.

Meanwhile, your doctor may recommend inducing labor to become the process moving along — and your petty one (finally!) in your artillery.

Your Babe at Calendar week 42

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So week 40's come and gone. That's frustrating (to put it mildly) but information technology's certainly not unusual. Lots of pregnancies concluding into week 41 or even 42. Truth is, fewer than 5 per centum of babies are born on their due date and about half of all babies don't brand their debut until well into the tenth month.

But babies tin can overstay their womb welcome — after 42 weeks they are considered postmature. What does that hateful? It means a baby's skin may be temporarily dry, cracked, peeling, loose, or wrinkled considering the protective cheesy vernix was shed weeks agone. He may accept longer finger and toe nails and longer hair. He'll accept none of the fuzzy lanugo coating and he may exist born more alarm (he is older and wiser afterwards all!).

Considering being postmature could also mean that the placenta is functioning less well and levels of amniotic fluid are dropping, you'll exist closely monitored to brand sure Hotel Uterus is however a welcoming identify for your guest. Any indication that it'southward not hospitable anymore, and your practitioner volition likely recommend labor induction. I thing's for sure — that sweet little bundle of baby is coming any 24-hour interval at present.

At a Glance

Helping labor along

To induce labor, your doctor may use a drug called Pitocin, which is prophylactic for yous and baby and helps starting time contractions.

Time to be induced?

Since there'south a run a risk your placenta may not provide equally much oxygen and nutrients to your infant, your doctor might recommend inducing labor to be safe.

Checking upwards on baby

Though nigh babies continue to thrive well by week twoscore, your physician will continue to monitor baby with a biophysical profile: an ultrasound to assess the baby, plus a nonstress test.

42 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If y'all're 42 weeks pregnant, you lot're in month 9 of your pregnancy. It'south almost fourth dimension! Still have questions? Here's some more data on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken downwards in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 42 weeks?

At the 42-week mark, your watermelon-sized infant is measuring around 19 to 22 inches and 7 and 9 pounds.

Baby will be monitored

Although it's perfectly normal for a baby to arrive past the due date, you and your baby will become some extra attention this calendar week. To be certain all is well, your practitioner will probable monitor your overdue babe with tests like nonstress tests or ultrasounds.

When this belatedly-comer finally makes a debut, chances are baby's skin will exist dry, cracked, peeling or wrinkled — all completely temporary. That's considering the protective vernix was shed weeks ago in anticipation of a commitment engagement that came and went.

A tardy infant will likewise take longer nails, possibly longer hair and little or none of that baby fuzz (lanugo). She'll also be more alarm: "Howdy, Mommy!"

Late delivery

Well, the due date's come and gone … two weeks ago. Yous're nonetheless as pregnant equally ever — make that, more pregnant than e'er — and your baby is notwithstanding happily ensconced in that uterine dwelling.

At 42 weeks pregnant, you're not alone in your frustration and neither is your babe when it comes to tardiness.

Most babies have their ain timetables for delivery; fewer than five percent are actually born on their due appointment. Many babies continue to thrive well past week xl, though yous may have lost that "thriving" feeling long agone — merely merely to exist certain, your practitioner is likely to monitor your infant through nonstress tests and biophysical profiles.

At that place's 1 matter for sure: Whenever your infant chooses to get in, you'll be coming together that little bundle of joy with open arms. Happy cuddling!

Your Body at Week 42

42 Weeks Pregnant

Accept centre

While yous may feel every bit if this pregnancy has been going on forever, studies show that an estimated lxx percent of mail service-term pregnancies aren't post-term at all.

The frustrating mix-up is typically due to a miscalculation of the date of conception, usually cheers to irregular ovulation or a mom's uncertainty about the exact date of the last menstrual period.

Even if you practise end upwardly amid the approximately 2 percent of women who are truly overdue, know that before this week is over, labor will begin naturally — or when your practitioner induces it.

Of grade, you lot're probably sick of everyone calling to see if y'all've had the baby withal. But hither's something to focus on equally you look: Past this time adjacent calendar week, you'll be snuggling with your newborn.

Past your due date?

Okay, after all those weeks of preparation, do you sort of accept that bustle-upwards-and-look feeling? At 42 weeks pregnant, you lot know why they call you an expectant mother — and why now, in your 42nd long, long calendar week, you may exist calling yourself an overexpectant mother.

Don't exist discouraged — and don't telephone call the folks at Guinness to put yourself down equally the longest pregnancy on tape. Information technology may be helpful to keep in mind that your estimated due engagement was but that — estimated.

Then fifty-fifty though your infant seems to be overdue, at that place's a chance your dates, and non your infant, are just a piffling off the mark, especially if you didn't have an early on ultrasound (before calendar week 14) to date your pregnancy.

So hang in in that location and go on to sentry for signs of impending labor — or get ready for an impending induction if your practitioner goes that route.

One prelabor sign to look for may be loose bowel movements. Some women experience mild diarrhea simply prior to the onset of labor. Think of it every bit nature's enema — a way to empty your intestines to make room for the baby's passage through the birth culvert.

Here's a happier thought: Past this time adjacent calendar week, you'll have a brand new beautiful baby to caress in your arms and proceed you lot up at night. Practiced luck!

Postpartum doula

Once the babe comes home, a new mom tin expect to exist exhausted and overwhelmed. (So tin can a new dad, by the style.) Who do you lot call? A certified postpartum doula!

A doula volition provide care for you and your baby, including breastfeeding advice, cooking, child care, errands and lite cleaning. This miracle worker will teach and support you lot and your partner without judgment — and a doula won't laugh at your pathetic attempts at swaddling.

Such a pregnancy and postpartum helper knows all well-nigh emotional and concrete recovery, baby soothing and coping skills, feeding, diapering — anything and everything that eases the tricky transition into parenthood.

The best manner to observe a postpartum doula is through word of rima oris, so inquire your pediatrician and your friends or check with DONA International.

Go on in listen that nearly doulas charge an hourly rate, so you tin can be flexible nigh when and how oftentimes your pregnancy companion comes to help. A few hours a day for the get-go couple of weeks might mean the difference between a mommy and a zombie.

Learn more about what to ask a doula earlier you hire one.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 42

More frequent Braxton Hicks contractions

Bloody show

H2o breaking

Cervical dilation or effacement

Diarrhea

Edema (swelling in feet and ankles)

Insomnia

Leaky breasts

Tips for Yous This Week

Inquire about inducing labor

Infant is now officially late. Since your uterus is likely condign less hospitable, if y'all don't go into labor on your ain, your practitioner will likely schedule yous to be induced old this week. Whether yous have an induction, or infant makes an arrival without assistance, you'll take to exist tested for COVID-19 before delivering.

During an induction, your medico tin utilise a topical hormone to ripen your neck, which allows babe to enter the birth culvert, or bound-start your contractions by breaking your h2o or administering Pitocin.

Monitor any contractions

If your contractions are stiff, last at to the lowest degree 45 seconds and are coming more ofttimes than every v minutes, call the dr.! Babe could well exist on the way within a few hours.

Talk about the placenta

Planning on saving your placenta? Talk to your health care provider before you lot become into labor so that there's no confusion when the time comes.

Notation any bowel changes

Believe information technology or not, diarrhea might be a good sign that your baby is on the way — it's your body's way of immigration out the area.

Massage your perineum

Minimize the "sting" of birth with perineal massage (but go your practitioner'south okay first).

Hither's how: Insert clean, lubricated thumbs into your vagina. Press down and slide across your perineum (the surface area betwixt your vagina and rectum) and back continuously for 5 minutes. Repeat daily.

2nd fourth dimension in labor? Expert news

This isn't your first labor? Second and subsequent labors and deliveries are usually — though not e'er — easier and shorter. Hooray!

Don't panic — infant will be here presently

At this point, y'all're about as overdue equally you lot tin go, but try to stay calm and don't get too stressed. All is well equally long every bit you lot're in regular affect with your practitioner and accept plans to exist induced shortly if baby doesn't make an appearance. Get ready: Your little parcel is almost here!

From the What to Expect editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Await follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected wellness organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and upwardly-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

What to Await When You're Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.

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