Your pregnancy term has reached 39 weeks, and you have a full-term baby! Now, you baby may weigh about 7-8 pounds and measure around 20 inches. You expect so see your little baby soon, but no contractions have started. Is it normal?
Should You Be Worried If You Have No Contractions at 39 Weeks?
If you are 39 weeks, no contractions is perfectly normal. In fact, a pregnancy can go up to 42-44 weeks without any complications.
It is also possible that you are having contractions without realizing them. Some women do not feel contractions until they are in full labor. If you are not sure whether you are having contractions or not, make an appointment with your doctor and let him/her figure it out.
Other Mothers’ Experiences
"I am 39 weeks and have no contractions; however, I feel great and my doctor said that it should cause no worry. I have not started to dilate right now and the cervix is also soft. The doctor said that she will induce labor if I go a week past my due date."
"There is a good chance that you are having contractions without even knowing it! I had some amount of pain throughout my pregnancy and then did not even realize the pain of contractions. My doctor said the back pain that I had been feeling through the pregnancy made me ignore the contractions."
“I went to the hospital around 40 weeks because I thought that my water might have broken but I had no contractions. It turned out that I was wrong! The doctors hooked me up to a machine that monitors contractions and it showed I was already on my way!”
Watch for Other Signs of Labor
Contraction is not the only sign of labor. Here are some others that you should be watching out for.
1. Your Baby Drops
39 weeks no contractions does not mean you are not into labor. Around a week or so before labor begins, the baby will start descending into the pelvis and get into the proper position for childbirth.
2. Your Cervix Dilates
Your cervix will start to dilate and open out in preparation for childbirth. Your healthcare provider will probably make these measurements during your routine checkup especially if you have reached 39 weeks.
3. You Feel More Cramps and Increased Back Pain
Your may feel cramps in abdomen and groin muscles more frequently as labor nears. Some amount of back pain may also appear or worsen as the baby shifts down into the pelvis.
4. Your Joints Feel Looser
Your body releases a hormone called relaxin during labor, which can cause an increase in the looseness in your joints. This is the body's preparation for childbirth.
6. You Lose Pounds
A lot of mothers will notice that their weight has stopped increasing a few weeks before they enter labor. In fact, some mothers may even end up losing a few pounds, something that is completely normal and will not affect the birth weight of your child.
7. Your Vaginal Discharge Changes
An increased amount of vaginal discharge may be visible during the days before labor. This discharge is like mucus in appearance and can be pinkish in color. If you are 39 weeks, no contractions does not mean your are not into labor when your vaginal discharge changes like this.
8. You Have Spurt of Energy
You may suddenly notice that you are feeling more energetic than you normally did during your pregnancy. This is called as the nesting instinct and is a method of the body trying to prepare you for the arrival of your child. Remember that your energy is very precious and you should conserve as much as possible before childbirth.
9. Your Water Breaks
Your baby is cushioned by the amniotic fluid inside your uterus. This sac will break before labor begins and is commonly referred to as the water breaking. If you are at 39 weeks, no contractions have occurred, but your water has broken, then go to the hospital as soon as possible.