Pregnant week by week

Pregnancy week by week 

Dear you who is going to be a parent. Welcome to an overview of the different weeks of pregnancy. A pregnancy is said to last 40 weeks. It is counted from the first day of the last menstruation and forward. When a pregnancy is confirmed, the due date is calculated -first based on the first day of the last menstruation, then by scanning, if you say yes to the anomaly scan which takes place in pregnancy week 11+3 – 13+6. Neither of the methods is 100% certain. Therefore, it is so important to remember that the due period is from pregnancy week 37+0 – 42+0. More about that when we get there in the overview of the weeks. 

A pregnancy is divided into 3 trimesters, therefore I have done the same in my overview of pregnancy week by week.

Happy reading -and a good pregnancy to both you who is pregnant, and you who is the partner.

First trimester 

The first trimester spans from conception to pregnancy week 12+0. It is a vulnerable period for both the fetus and for many expectant parents. Maybe you have tried to achieve pregnancy for a longer time, maybe you have previously experienced spontaneous abortion(s). Maybe you are in doubt about whether the pregnancy is wanted, or nausea is overwhelming. In other words, it is normal to have both emotions and changes in you as the future mother and father in this trimester. 

For baby it is also a vulnerable trimester. It is in these weeks and months that baby's body and organs are formed. Therefore, it is important as far as possible to avoid chemicals, cigarette smoke and alcohol. It is already from the start of the 1st trimester important to take certain supplements. Read more about it here. In this trimester baby goes from being a two-celled life to, at the end of the trimester, being a little child who moves around and is the size of a plum with a beating heart. 

Week 0 – 2

Here you are not yet pregnant. It is for professional and practical reasons that these weeks are counted. At the end of week 2 you have ovulation and the egg begins its journey through the fallopian tube towards the uterus.  

3rd week

Here fertilization takes place. A whole new life begins! As soon as a sperm cell has penetrated the egg, the fertilized egg divides every 12 hours. It is the sperm cell that determines whether the child will be a boy or a girl. The egg is now fertilized and attaches to the mucous membrane on the inside of the uterus. It can cause a little spotting around there where you would have expected your menstruation. 

4th week

It is at the end of the 4th week that you should have had your menstruation. It is here, with the missing menstruation, that most discover that they are pregnant. Some have had it in their mind already, others have hoped and counted days. 

When you discover that you are pregnant, then it is time to book an appointment with your own doctor with a view to getting pregnancy papers set up. Often you will get an appointment around pregnancy week 8. 

Some women experience nausea, tiredness and breast tension already now. Read more about the early signs of pregnancy here.

At this point baby is called an embryo. It is 1.5-2.5 mm long and in rapid development! It is gradually possible to see what is head and butt and there are formed foundations for skin, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, nervous system, muscles and blood vessels. 

5th week

In this week the primitive heart begins to beat and the umbilical cord develops. The umbilical cord consists of 3 blood vessels which have the task of transporting oxygen and nutrients from mother to embryo, and carbon dioxide and waste products back the opposite way. Your uterus is the size of a tennis ball, but you still cannot see with the naked eye that you are pregnant.    

6th week

The embryo is now 4 weeks old. Already here a month after fertilization the formation of all the organs is in full swing. A continuous intestinal tube is now formed from its mouth to butt. It will later become the actual intestinal system. 

The embryo is now 7-9 mm long and has a large head at one end and a tail at the other end. A bit like a tadpole. It now has foundations for eyes, ears, face and teeth. The head and brain are now in rapid growth. 

If you get a so-called early scan in this week, you will be able to see a heartbeat. As a pregnant woman it is normal to be tired, feel bloated, have nausea and mood swings. This is due in part to the hormonal changes a pregnancy brings. 

7th week

The embryo is now being surrounded by the fetal sac which is filled with amniotic fluid and later means that there is plenty of freedom of movement for baby, which at the same time will be well protected against external impacts. The fetus now has an opening where the mouth is formed as well as 2 small nostrils. The foundation for the face is formed, and it is possible to see where the eyes are forming. The brain and spinal cord are now formed from the neural tube. 

From the end of this week the abortion risk falls down to a 3% risk if you are over 30 and 2% if you are under. If you are over 40 years, then the risk is somewhat higher. 

8th week

The embryo is now approximately 13-17 millimeters long from head to tail. Small fingers and toes become visible in this week, and the digestive system continues its development. 

Some have told family and friends about the pregnancy at this point. Others wait until later. Nothing is really right or wrong, so feel out what feels good for you. One piece of advice should be given here: If you go around and are worried, then I recommend reaching out to friends, family or professionals. 

9th week

The embryo is now approx 18-22 mm long. The heart is soon fully developed with all heart valves and septum between the heart chambers. Now it consists of four fully developed chambers. At the end of this week baby reaches its max pulse. Here the heart beats 180 beats per minute. 

10th week

All organs are now formed. Try once to think about how big that is! The embryo now has both head and eyes, nose and mouth, hands and feet and a skeleton. It measures just 31-42 mm from head to butt and weighs approx 5 grams. And despite the small size, it is a little human, which can also be seen on an early scan. 

It is normal to feel increased bladder urge. Partly due to hormone changes and now also because the uterus begins to fill. Some women have started to gain weight. It is very individual when and how you gain weight as pregnant. Some gain weight steadily through the weeks and months. Others gain weight in periods. For a woman of normal weight, it is normal to gain 10-15 kilos during a pregnancy. The kilos cover partly baby's weight, amniotic fluid, placenta, growing breasts, your increased blood volume and increased fat deposits. 

11th week

Baby now weighs 8 grams and grows by approx 1.5 mm per day. Gradually the organs mature and become functional. 

The brain now has approximately the same structure as it will have at birth. This does not mean that it is fully developed. It is only around the child's 7th age. 

If you have previously been through several spontaneous abortions, then it is often both great and vulnerable to reach here in the pregnancy. It is normal to feel a mixture of relief, fear, insecurity, loneliness, responsibility and hope. Dear woman, know that there is nothing you can do from or to in relation to spontaneous abortions -no matter how much you wish you could hold on to the pregnancy. You are almost in week 12, where the abortion risk drops significantly. For some the anomaly scan there is the big milestone. Take heart, I send loving thoughts! 

12th week

Now baby is called a fetus. It is from now on and the next 2 weeks forward, that it is time for the so-called anomaly scan. Here the due date is set and it is assessed whether there is a risk of chromosomal errors including down syndrome. 

The fetus is 6-7 cm long and the head makes up half of its length. The tooth buds for all 20 baby teeth are now formed. However, they only break through the gums several months after birth.

The fetus has developed reflexes and it practices diligently at swallowing, peeing and at moving. It is still too early to be able to feel baby's movements both as pregnant and as partner. 

Second trimester

You have now come through the first trimester. Probably your nausea is subsiding or completely gone. Maybe the clothes have started to tighten and you and I are getting used to that there is a baby on the way. If you have not already told friends and family about the pregnancy, then now is a good time. The abortion risk is now minimal and soon the pregnancy can be seen -especially if you have been pregnant before. In this trimester it is normal that you as pregnant feel like yourself again in relation to your energy. Most can easily take care of their work and gradually begin to prepare baby's arrival. For most partners it is starting to become real that there is a baby on the way. Many begin to think about practicalities such as finances, size of home and car and the like. 

If you have children or bonus children, then definitely invite them along in the pregnancy process. Completely on their terms. Go with their interest, invite them e.g. along to the midwife, draw together on the belly, read books, watch birth videos on youtube etc. Of course based on the child's age. 

Start now to consider whether you want a home birth or a hospital birth. And whether your child/children should be with the birth.

13th week

The fetus is now approx 8 cm long and weighs approx 35 g. It both swallows and digests the amniotic fluid, which has no nutrients. The fetus gets all nutrients from mother via the placenta and umbilical cord. The urine is sterile and disappears together with the amniotic fluid by replacement through the mother's circulation. At the same time the amniotic fluid renews itself approx every third hour. 

The whole skeleton is formed. Much is still cartilage. The process that will make the cartilage into bone lasts all the way up to the first weeks after birth. The fetus has now started to produce its own hormones. So there is still a lot  happening from week to week. 

As pregnant you have probably started to get your energy back. It is important to seize as an opportunity to get movement in as a fixed part of everyday life. Whether it is regular exercise or cycling to and from work is not so important. But movement is important to support an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. 

14th week

Baby is now approx 9 cm and weighs approx 50 g. 

Now baby practices at "drawing" amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs to prepare for a life outside the uterus. This is an important training for normal development of the lungs. Swallowing and sucking movements are also useful training for the fetus, when it will suckle at its mother's breast after birth.

A thin, transparent skin is under development. and already now the esophagus, trachea and larynx are fully developed.

15th week

Baby is now approx 12 cm long and weighs approx 100 g -that is a doubling from last week! 

There is plenty of movement in the uterus. Baby's muscle movements are now more harmonious and coordinated like a newborn child. From now on baby trains its muscles daily. 

16th week

Baby is in rapid development! Now with a length of approx 16 cm, and a weight of approx 140 g. The organs are now more or less fully developed. 

Your pregnant body now begins to transfer antibodies to baby to protect against infections. Totally brilliant feature from nature's side! 

There is a difference in when you as pregnant feel life. This is because there is a difference in how much contact you as pregnant have with your body and thus how much you can feel small changes, partly the placenta's location has an impact on when life can be felt. A placenta that lies in front in the uterus -out towards your belly skin- causes that baby must be somewhat larger and thus be able to kick somewhat harder, so that it can be felt against the belly skin. It also has something to do with whether you have been pregnant before. In that case you will probably be able to recognize the feeling -first by the bubble in the belly- then by small "pricks" against the belly skin. Regardless of when you feel life for the first time, it is always a quite special experience!

17th week

Baby is now approx 17 cm and weighs approx 190 g. 

Now fingerprints are formed, as small fine patterns on fingers and toes. And the eyes are under rapid development. At the current time the fetus can see light e.g. if you are on the beach on a sunny day. 

Baby continues to swallow plenty of amniotic fluid and is now so big and experienced that he or she feels thirst. When the due date approaches, baby has reached drinking approx 1 liter of amniotic fluid per day.

The hair grows on the head, and eyebrows and eyelashes are formed in this week.

The time for the anomaly scan -or the 2nd trimester scan- approaches. It is in 18-20 weeks. The scan is offered to discover any anomalies in the fetus. Therefore the fetus's organs are carefully reviewed at this scan. The fetus's movements are observed and the placenta's location is checked and described in the medical record. 

18th week

Baby is approx 18 cm and weighs now approx 230 g. 

Baby is now both bigger and stronger. More pregnant women will at the current time feel small kicks and movements in the uterus. 

The intestinal system is well underway. Baby forms meconium (fetal stool), which consists of waste products, dead skin cells and secretions from the intestines. After birth this stool is seen as the first. It is liquid, black and sticky like tar.  

The brain is in rapid development. Millions of nerve cells are developed. Among others nerves, which connect the muscles with the brain. They make baby able to perform several controlled movements. Baby twists and turns, kicks, punches and kicks -partly because baby physically can, but also because there is still room in the uterus. Later in the pregnancy the space is so tight that the movements feel more like a little roll around. 

Below the baby teeth, which are already formed in the gums, the permanent teeth are now developed and the foundations for the lungs are now developed. The lungs are however far from mature and functional at the current time. 

19th week 

Baby is now approx 21.5 cm long and weighs approx 250g.

Female fetuses have now formed millions of primitive egg cells in the ovaries. In other words you carry the foundations to your potential grandchildren! In male fetuses the testicles are now formed. They will soon sink downwards and will, in most boys, reach down in the scrotum before birth. It is something of what we midwives check at the child examination a couple of hours after birth. 

20th week

Baby is now 25 cm long and weighs approx 325 g. 

Baby can now hear sounds and voices. Among others therefore it is important that you as partner talk to baby. You can e.g. also already now begin to sing a lullaby for baby. Sing the same lullaby daily, so baby will be able to recognize it after birth and presto, you have already created a part of a bedtime ritual with your child. A propos sleep, baby has now developed sleep phases and sleeps just as much as a newborn. Baby typically sleeps most when you as pregnant are active and wakes up when you lay down. 

21st week

Baby is now approx 26 cm long and weighs approx 400 g. 

There is plenty of room for movement. The amniotic fluid makes that baby can roll around. Baby can feel Braxton Hicks (the uterus practicing at tightening up before birth), but it is not uncomfortable for baby. Now the taste buds are formed, and the brain is so developed that baby can feel touch. So if not you and your partner are in full swing with cuddling the belly, then it is time now. Baby's legs have now reached their proportions. Fat deposits under the skin, which later helps the child with keeping warm. 

All pregnant women have Braxton Hicks. Most feel them, others feel nothing. Braxton Hicks are the uterine muscle that tightens up. Also already at the current time. It is partly natural and a part of the pregnancy. The uterus practices before birth. At the same time Braxton Hicks can also be the body's way of asking you to take it more easy.

22nd week

Baby is approx 27 cm long and weighs approx 450g.

The body is covered by small, fine lanugo hair which helps baby with keeping warm. The skin is wrinkled like an old person. Eyebrows and hair are now visible and the hands are now so big and strong that they can grab. 

Many pregnant women experience at the current time a range of different discomforts. I will invite you to look at them as communication from your body. If you have e.g. pain in the lower back, it can be your body telling you that your daily working positions are not advantageous -maybe it is smart to sit on a pilates ball instead of an office chair? Maybe you need a pair of sneakers with good soles? Maybe your body needs more movement, or more rest -maybe with a big pillow between the knees?

Be lovingly exploratory about what your body tells you. It is not meant that we should be hit by various pregnancy discomforts. There is always one or more reasons, which sometimes must be thoroughly investigated. If there is something you tumble with emotionally or mentally, then it can also come to expression physically e.g. as Braxton Hicks. The same can be a bladder infection. Therefore rather be checked 3 times too many at your own doctor than one time too little. 

23rd week

Baby is now approx 28 cm long and weighs 600 g. 

The body has become more well-proportioned. Baby's skin is still thin and transparent. Hearing develops, and baby can now distinguish between different sounds -and react to them. E.g. baby jumps at loud sounds. The lungs have now started to produce surfactant. A substance that prevents the lungs from sticking together when baby is born and has to breathe. If baby is born now, he or she is still not able to breathe by themselves. At birth before pregnancy week 34, one will give lung-maturing medicine, which helps baby's lungs with breathing. 

24th week

Baby is now approx 29 cm long and weighs approx 700g.

The baby's weight gain is primarily due to the development of muscle and bone mass. There is less and less room in the uterus as the baby grows. The baby is now so big that it is, for example, possible to feel a foot against the abdominal wall. 

You are now so far along in the pregnancy that you should feel the baby every day. This means you should not go to bed in the evening and think that you will probably feel the baby tomorrow. If you are in doubt about whether you have felt the baby today, lie down and tune in to the baby.

Place your hands on your belly, take a few deep breaths so you can relax well, and gently pat your belly if you like. Talk to the baby and ask him or her to move.

If you still feel nothing after some time, call the maternity ward. You are not being a nuisance—as many women unfortunately believe. You are a responsible parent for your child. At the same time, know that it is very normal not to feel your child very much during the day, as many are preoccupied during the workday and with the rest of the day's tasks. So feel free to take moments during the day to talk to and tune in to the baby. Remember that he or she can hear you and recognizes your voice—the same applies, of course, to you as a partner and to your eventual children. 

Week 25

The baby is now approximately 32 cm long and weighs approximately 800 g.

The skin is still wrinkled and is gradually becoming less transparent. If the baby were born now, the chances of doing well would be increased, even though it would still be a premature birth. The nostrils are now opening, and the fingernails and toenails are gradually getting longer. Many newborns have somewhat long and sharp nails when they are born. The nails are so thin that they can be pulled out instead of being clipped during the first few weeks. 

As a partner, you can really feel the baby's movements through the abdominal wall now. Many get the impression that they can almost communicate with the baby by, for example, patting his or her foot and getting a kick back. Often, as a partner, you also feel that the baby settles down when you place your hand on the belly. The baby feels your presence and your love—both through the abdominal wall and via the pregnant person's emotional and hormonal response to your touch. 

Week 26

The baby is now approximately 34 cm long and weighs approximately 900 g.

He or she now looks like he or she will look at birth, just a little smaller and thinner. During these weeks, the brain is growing rapidly; it is simply developing at a rapid pace. The baby's movements are more powerful and can feel like ninja kicks. 

If you are not already preparing for birth, it is about time. Unfortunately, there is no longer any public funding available to provide good and rewarding birth preparation. I am often asked whether birth preparation is important. My answer to that is a resounding YES. And… it should be birth preparation that is aimed at both you as the pregnant person and you as a partner. Birth preparation that not only covers the physical stages of birth but also the psychological stages—for both of you. And the hours and weeks after birth. Breastfeeding, the relationship, etc. This cannot be done in a couple of hours of classroom teaching. So if you want to invest some money in your growing family, I would encourage you to find birth preparation together that resonates with you. You can read on my website which preparations I offer, right here. 

Week 27

The baby is now approximately 35 cm long and weighs approximately 1,100 g. 

From now on, he or she will be increasingly able to cope on their own after a possible premature birth.

The baby's eyes are now open and are beginning to be able to blink. The baby's eye color varies depending on ethnic origin. It is a myth that all children are born with completely blue eyes. However, it is true that a newborn's eye color can change during the first 6 months after birth.

The baby is now so big that we midwives can feel how the baby is positioned in your uterus. If you have children with you at the midwife appointment, it can be fun and rewarding to draw the baby's position on the outside of the belly together with the midwife—and, of course, listen to the baby's heartbeat.

If siblings or a partner are unable to come to the midwife appointment, you can ask the midwife to listen with a stethoscope so you can record the baby's heartbeat on your mobile phone. Hearing your child's heartbeat helps boost bonding between parent and child—and the same applies to grandparents and siblings. 

Week 28

The baby is now approximately 36 cm long and weighs approximately 1,200 g.

Now the baby is so big that he or she is beginning to be able to regulate his or her own temperature. The baby continues to drink a lot of amniotic fluid and now produces up to half a liter of urine a day. At the same time, the baby is practicing breathing movements. The baby continues to receive all oxygen and nutrients from the placenta via the umbilical cord. 

During pregnancy, you as a woman experience a series of hormonal changes. Among others, the hormone relaxin  is intended to make your pelvic bones give way, so there is room for the baby to pass through the pelvis during birth. It can feel both strange and "wrong" when the pelvis becomes more mobile and seems to give way. Some feel that it is falling apart. It is not. It is good to continue moving and exercising if it is possible for you at all. A little is so much better than nothing. If you have pain from the symphysis, the front joint in the pelvis, be mindful of keeping your knees together, as if you were wearing a slightly tight skirt. The symphysis pubis joint, for example, does not particularly like a wide stance, crossed legs when you sit, or breaststroke. 

Third Trimester

You have now entered the third trimester. A period that culminates in the growth of your family.

Until then, it is time to prepare yourself and each other, both practically and emotionally, for the time ahead. Now is when your relationship really needs to be nurtured and enjoyed—and strengthened if necessary.

The freezer should be filled with nutritious food. Baby clothes should be obtained, washed, and laid out. And no, you do not need to get a sea of things for the baby. During this trimester, the tiredness can return. You are carrying and nourishing an almost full-term baby around the clock, your body is preparing for birth and for breastfeeding.

In other words, your body, hormones, and psyche are really at work. You will feel an increased need to withdraw, stay home, and be close to your partner, which is completely normal. I wish you a nice and calm time leading up to the growth of your family. 

Week 29

The baby is now approximately 37 cm and weighs approximately 1,400 g.

The skeleton is now more solid, and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue their rapid development toward being able to cope on their own after birth. The baby's breathing exercises can now cause the baby to hiccup, which you as the pregnant person can feel. Some babies hiccup for hours and many days, others more rarely. 

Some pregnant women feel bothered at this point. Others love being pregnant and feel no discomfort, and others are simply waiting to get it over with. There is no right or wrong way to be pregnant. We are all different as women—and therefore also as pregnant women. P

Social media and various pregnancy and baby advertisements often make everything look pink and happy. Neither social media nor advertisements depict the full reality. I will therefore lovingly and clearly encourage you to practice not comparing yourself and your pregnancy with others. Neither in term groups, mother groups, with friends, mothers-in-law, in the Netto queue, or elsewhere. You get nothing out of speculating about why X gained weight differently than you. Or why Y glows with pregnancy, and you find it difficult to sleep and therefore are tired.

Use your energy to be loving toward yourself and your body. Perhaps there are some parameters you can or should adjust to nurture yourself. Can you optimize your sleep, say no a little more often, leave the dishes, kiss your partner a little more, or...? 

Week 30

The baby is now approximately 39 cm and weighs approximately 1,600 g. 

Many babies have now found their favorite position in the uterus. For most, it is head down. In popular parlance (and unfortunately also occasionally in professional circles), there is talk about whether the baby is lying correctly or incorrectly. The baby lies as the baby lies. Period. I would like to remove the words 'correctly' and 'incorrectly'. The baby lies where there is the best room. Our organs and intestines fill the space around the uterus, and ligaments and tendons wrap around and hold the uterus in place. For various reasons, they can be more or less tight and make it so that the baby, for example, has better room by placing the bottom down and the head up. This can be done differently if desired. Alternatively, you can most often easily give birth to a baby bottom first. 

Some pregnant women can feel how the baby is lying. Others cannot—and both are completely okay! If your child is lying head down, you may feel that the head fills the lower pelvis. It is one of many new body experiences in a pregnancy 🙂

Week 31 

The baby is now approximately 40 cm long and weighs approximately 1,800 g. 

The thin lanugo hair has disappeared, and the skin is gradually becoming thicker and less transparent as the fat deposits fill up. The fat both insulates and acts as an energy store—in other words, a food package the baby is born with. 

The number of pregnancy check-ups now increases with a view to keeping a loving and knowledgeable eye on whether the baby is growing and thriving as the baby should. If you or you have any questions, make sure to ask them. You simply must not go around with uncertainties. And absolutely no questions are stupid! 

Week 32 

The baby measures approximately 42 cm and weighs approximately 2,000 g.

He or she lies and senses and learns a lot in there in the uterus. A lot is listened to, felt, tasted, seen, sensed, and moved. The baby practices the grasping reflex, may suck on a thumb, swallow, urinate, and tumble. In other words, it is a child with experience that lands in your arms after birth. 

Speaking of sensing, I often get asked whether you are allowed to have sex during pregnancy. The answer is a huge YES. Explore which positions are pleasant and doable during pregnancy. Some pregnant women get increased sex drive during pregnancy, others less.

Some partners are afraid of whether they can hurt the baby—you cannot. The baby lies well protected by the uterine muscle, amniotic fluid, and mother around. If one of you does not feel like having sex, remember that sex is much more than penetrative sex. It is also lovely, deep, and connecting to cuddle, kiss, lick, suck, lie in a spooning position, go for a bath together, and much more. Connecting as a couple is important—no matter how you do it. Deep, present conversations are also intimacy. Holding hands, cuddling a neck, giving a foot massage—you name it—is also intimacy. And intimacy is important, actually central to your relationship. If you are struggling here, reach out for help. You will not have more time or energy after birth. 

Week 33

The baby is now approximately 43 cm long and weighs approximately 2,200 g. 

The space in the uterus is becoming tight. It is very few babies that kick their legs now. Most have taken the fetal position with the head down toward your pelvis. The amount of amniotic fluid peaks this week and will most often amount to approximately 1 liter. 

The baby now takes up so much space that some pregnant women find it difficult to eat the same amount of food. In that case, eat a little more and smaller meals spread throughout the day instead of regular main meals. Perhaps you also feel more of the baby's kicks at this point. The body is wise. It is preparing for birth. 

Week 34

The baby is now approximately 45 cm long and weighs approximately 2,400 g. If the baby does not follow the average weight, it is important that the baby follows its own weight curve. If there is doubt about whether the baby is growing as the baby should, your midwife or own doctor will send you for a weight scan. Here, it will be thoroughly assessed whether you should be followed more closely in the final time for…

…One of the baby's main tasks now is to gain weight. From now on, the weight increases by approximately 200 g per week. The immune system has begun to prepare for a life outside the uterus. Antibodies have passed through the placenta and umbilical cord from you to the baby until now. Now the baby has begun to produce its own antibodies. 

Many pregnant women experience getting a bout of flu or two during pregnancy. In this way, the baby is boosted with antibodies against that exact flu. The same happens when you breastfeed the baby and are sick. Then your antibodies are transferred to the baby via the breast milk. Nature is wise! 

Week 35

The baby is now approximately 46 cm long and weighs approximately 2,600 g. 

The proportions between arms, legs, head, and body are becoming as they should be at birth. The fat deposits increase and now make up approximately 15% of the baby's weight. It is now time for the baby's cheeks to be padded with fat. Together with strong sucking muscles, the baby's facial features are now as they are at birth—and the baby is becoming ready to feed at the breast. The baby's lungs are now so well developed that if you were to go into premature birth, there is no longer a need to give lung-maturing treatment. From a birth-professional eye, it is a big milestone. 

During these weeks, many pregnant women are preoccupied with whether they should stimulate milk production by hand expressing during pregnancy. The answer is no. You should not. You can choose to do it. For example, if there is a professional reason to believe that the baby will need a little extra milk after birth—it can be if you have diabetes. In that case, it is smart to hand express and collect your yellowish colostrum drops in a small syringe (without a needle) and freeze them. Then they can be brought frozen to the birth ward.

If there is no professional suspicion that the baby will need extra milk, you do not need to spend time and energy on hand expressing during pregnancy. Your body is wise. And it is already hormonally and physically in the process of preparing to produce milk. Some pregnant women have yellowish colostrum that runs when standing under the warm shower, or during orgasm. Others can squeeze out a couple of individual drops, and others do not see the shadow of milk until after birth. All variations are completely normal! 

Week 36

The baby is now approximately 47 cm long and weighs approximately 2,800 g. 

The space in the uterus is becoming tight, and is becoming more and more tight over the next and final weeks. This means that the baby's movements will feel different. More rolling, less ninja. On the outside of the belly, a foot, a knee, or for example a bottom can be seen now and then. A little like when a cat stretches, so the baby pushes from the inside of the belly. Some describe it as looking like an alien in the belly. Many think it is fun to see and feel, others experience it as a little strange or justifiably intense to feel such a large human moving inside a—it is completely okay to feel that way. 

Week 37

The baby is now approximately 48 cm long and weighs around 3,000 g.

You have now hit the term period which runs from pregnancy week 37+0–42+0. Within that period, it is completely normal to give birth—no matter when in the period you give birth, it is called that the baby is born 'at term'. As bonus information, I can tell you that the average of first-time mothers gives birth in pregnancy week 40+4.

 The baby is now full-term. This means that all organs are matured and that the baby is able to breathe on its own, feed at the breast, urinate, poop with much more after birth.

For you as a pregnant woman, it is normal to gradually feel a greater or perhaps a direct large need to withdraw from the world. To go into hibernation. Not deal with the news, friends' everyday lives, family's well-meaning questions, and experiences outside the home.

You are in a process.

On the way to birth. Your body knows it. Your psyche knows it. Go with what you feel. It is completely okay to cancel an appointment 5 minutes before you were supposed to be there. Completely okay to not answer phone calls and to ask your partner for extra presence time.

Safety is the keyword for your nervous system the next few weeks—and, well, the next few months.

Create safety in pregnancy

Safety at home, safety in the relationship, safety in relationships. Therefore, it is also good that you as a partner help to shield your woman from the, often many, questions from family and friends. And also shield your woman from talking about the big world news. If you experience something intense on the way home from work, then share it with a friend instead of your woman the coming weeks. Think that you are an important safety and calm creator for your woman and thus for your child.

If you are a solo mom, it is completely okay to ask for help, hugs, and calm movie nights from, for example, a best friend or sibling. 1 or 2 close relations' support to create safety and calm around and inside you. And who knows, maybe you still want to meet people and go to various events. At the same time, do not be surprised when the hibernation stage hits—maybe almost overnight. 

Week 38

The baby is now approximately 49 cm long and weighs around 3,200 g. 

The movements are limited due to lack of space, but they are there. And it is still important that you feel the baby every day. If you are in doubt one day, then lie down, take a few deep breaths, so that calm comes over you, place your hands on your belly, and talk to the baby. Ask him or her to "make a sound". Gently pat the baby if you like. If there is no reaction within some time, and you have not felt the baby for days, then you should call the maternity ward. And no, you are not disturbing and are not being fussy—as many pregnant women mistakenly believe. You are a responsible parent. 

The baby's grip is now firmer, for example, the baby can get hold of the umbilical cord, and the baby automatically tries to turn toward light sources outside the belly. 

Did you know that the baby has more bones than an adult person? At birth, the baby has 300 bones in the body. Several of them grow together over time, so there are finally 206 bones in adult life. 

The baby's skull consists of bone plates, which during birth press together and move a little over each other. A totally smart mechanism that makes it easier for the baby to pass down through your pelvis and vagina during birth. Nature is simply brilliant! 

If you are due to have a planned caesarean section, it will most often take place this week to prevent you from going into spontaneous labour. Should that nevertheless happen, your contractions will be stopped medically, and the caesarean section will be performed shortly afterwards. And let me be clear: a caesarean section is also a birth! 

Week 39

Baby is now on average 50 cm long and around 3500 g. To this is added the placenta, which now weighs around 700 g, and the uterine muscle itself, which has grown from a pre-pregnancy weight of around 50 g to now weigh 1100 g! 

In professional terms, baby is called a fetus as long as it is inside your belly. I deliberately choose to use baby, he or she, as I find it important to personalise the child in the belly in my communication with you.

When I have clients, I often also know what they call the baby in the belly and ask if I may also call their baby that. Most are touched by it. Because it is your child lying right in there and so ready to come out. Are you and your partner ready? I don't mean practically ready, because that is secondary. I mean mentally and emotionally ready. Becoming parents is a big deal -whether it is the first time or not. A huge responsibility, a sea of emotions, learning by doing, and no right of withdrawal come with it. This affects some women and men during this period. Know that it is completely normal! And that you will manage. 

Week 40

You are now reaching your due date. A date that may have filled you with anticipation. Some think it is fantastic to hit the due date. Others feel: What now? And this is where it really is completely crazy that there is talk of a due date for those of you expecting a child. It is more accurate to talk about the due period (from pregnancy week 37+0 – 42+0). When people talk about a due date, the next sentence is often: What if I go past time -that is, give birth after the due date? My dear, you have only gone 'past time' when you pass pregnancy week 42+0, which is only about 1%. I have been a midwife for 12 years and have met 1 woman who only gave birth at 42+1.

Most babies are born this week, pregnancy week 40. The average weight for newborns is around 3600 g, and the length is around 51 cm. Boys weigh on average slightly more than girls. In addition to gender, weight and length are also affected by genes and ethnicity. 

Baby's reflexes are now coordinated, and baby reacts greatly to touch and sounds. So talk to baby, kiss the belly. Let baby know that you are ready for the birth, ready to meet baby -if that is the case. If you or your partner would like baby to liiiightly wait a few days before announcing their arrival, then tell baby that. 

Week 41

If the birth has not started by the time you reach 41+5, it is recommended from a midwifery perspective that the birth be induced. There is professional disagreement about when induction should be recommended.

Everyone, of course, has the goal of taking good care of you and baby. For me, it is important to make you aware of the super central word recommends. Because no one can decide whether the birth of your child should be induced. It is always you who have the final say. Now, of course, we are talking about a healthy and well baby. If something is wrong, that is another story.

When everything is fine, as it is in the vast, vast majority of cases, I will encourage you to accept the public offer of a check-up consisting of a thorough scan and a conversation when you are 41+4. Here you can ask all your questions and everything will be checked through. And then I will recommend that you say thank you and leave.

Induction – yes please or no thank you

Without saying yes or no thank you to induction. Say that you will return later the same day or tomorrow, depending on how much time you need. Go for a walk, sit on a bench, sleep on it. Maybe you already feel a clear yes or no to induction as a pregnant woman?

Maybe you need time to feel it out -because in my view, it is a decision that also needs to be felt out. And in my view, it is you, as the pregnant woman, who has the final say in the decision, as it is you who is pregnant and will give birth -and you who carries your child and can thus feel baby more deeply and clearly.

Many partners are ready to say yes to the doctor's recommendation because it may seem sensible. There is nothing wrong with that, I will simply encourage you as a partner to listen at least as much to your woman's intuition about her body and baby. If you choose to say no to induction, it is not as if the doors to the hospital slam shut. You can always call and say that now you are ready for induction, if that is the case. 

You should also know that there is a long list of things you can do yourselves to support the body in going into natural labour -it comes in an article of its own. 

Week 42 

If you have not given birth yet, you are one of very few women. And I imagine that your patience is being put to the test. A loving hug to you! I can promise you one thing: within a few days, you and your partner will have baby in your arms. 

In Denmark, the due date is most often determined from the anomaly scan, but no scan or professional is 100% sure. Neither is it 100% certain when the due date is calculated from the first day of the last menstruation. In other words, there can be uncertainty about your due date -and thus about whether you are now, for example, 42+1 or perhaps "only" 41+5. Especially if your menstrual cycle was irregular or longer than the average 28 days. And then there are women who have become pregnant with the help of fertility clinics. You know, almost to the minute, when the egg was fertilised. Here there is nothing to argue about in terms of your due date. 

If you are still pregnant, allow yourself really to nurture yourself. A long bath, your favourite movies, a bouquet of flowers, soft cosy clothes, your favourite ice cream in long strips, or something else that is self-care for you. If you or your partner have questions, are insecure, or anything else, reach out. To professionals, friends, family, me -whatever. You must not feel left behind, abandoned to yourselves, or go around being worried. Baby will land in your arms soon. No one has ever been pregnant forever. 

Congratulations on your child

Dear pregnant woman, dear partner! 

Thoughts to you and congratulations on your child.

I hope the pregnancy and birth have been safe and good. The reality is that unfortunately it is not always the case. If there is something rumbling in one of you -or both of you-, then a big encouragement sounds from here to ask the birth centre for a postnatal conversation. Everyone has the right to it -whether the birth was at the hospital or at home, vaginal or by caesarean section.

I have had several hundred postnatal conversations and see again and again how both small and large things can flow and leave their mark on both months, years, and into a possible next pregnancy and birth. I usually say that the art of life's ups and downs is to land solidly on your feet again.

That also applies if there have been small or large ups and downs in your pregnancy or birth, and regardless of whether you are mother or father. Reach out -that is taking loving responsibility for your family. With those words I wish you all the best!

Know that I am rooting for you!

Warmly

Siff, HjerteJordemoderen