Howdy, mommies and daddies-to-be! Have friends and family been pestering you non-stop with questions about why you’re past due? You may be asking yourself: “Why am I not going into labor?” While I have never made it past week 38 of pregnancy, I’d imagine that these questions would drive me up the wall. As I’ve described in recent weeks, I gave birth to my sixth baby Bracey at 30 weeks of pregnancy. But I would never leave those of you who are overdue all alone. You’re almost there, my dears. Let’s dive into Week 41 of your pregnancy.

41 Weeks Pregnant: Recurring Symptoms

41 Weeks Pregnant: Common Symptoms

Frustration

UGH!!! Get out of me! The timer has gone off, but your bun still hasn’t emerged from the oven. While none of my babies have gone late term, I can imagine the frustration of being pregnant past your due date. But, before you begin to worry, note that only 4% of all babies are born on their due date, some in the two weeks leading up to it and some in the two weeks following. Talk with your doctor about potentially getting induced if you’re in this situation and your baby seems to be taking their own sweet time.

Stages of Fetal Development: Baby Growth & Size at 41 Weeks

At week 41, your baby weighs 7 to 9 pounds and is 19 to 21 inches long, about the size of a watermelon. If you give birth to a late term baby, the chances are higher that your baby may have fetal macrosomia, or a larger than average weight. Not to worry since having a macrosomic baby usually doesn’t cause much of a problem. However, a large baby can make delivery more difficult since your baby will have a trickier time fitting through the birth canal. 

Since your baby will be born past their due date, they likely will be more responsive and alert at birth, perhaps with their eyes open! Cool, right?! Your baby’s endocrine system may also be working overtime, trying to signal to your body that it’s time for your overdue bun to leave the oven! Let me out!!

How to Deal with Postpartum Depression

Several days after delivery, your hormone levels (mainly progesterone and estrogen) drop dramatically. That, combined with anxiety over parenthood, feeling overwhelmed, changes in your social environment, and physical changes including exhaustion can lead to the baby blues. If the baby blues stick around for a long period of time — up to a year or more — and become more severe, you could be suffering from postpartum depression.

If you are feeling stuck or in a dark place, talk with a trusted friend and get professional help. While taking care of your baby you also have to remember to take good care of yourself. Here’s a quick guide to some (not all) of the symptoms and risks associated with postpartum depression:

Your Pregnancy at 41 Weeks: Prenatal Appointments

Here are the prenatal tests available at week 41 of pregnancy:

Biophysical Profile

Contraction Stress Test

Fetal Acoustic Stimulation

Nonstress Test

Week by Week Pregnancy Food Guide

Eating healthy during pregnancy requires a lot more than just taking a prenatal vitamin every day. Making healthy choices with the foods you ingest can help you and your baby have a healthy, safe pregnancy.

Head over to Week 4 and Week 5 for a complete pregnancy food guide that includes what to eat and not eat while pregnant, take a look below, and check back in each week for a healthy pregnancy recipe.

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How Many Months Is 41 Weeks?

Doctors typically don’t measure your pregnancy based on months for a very good reason: months have a different number of days and weeks, meaning that the month during which your pregnancy began would influence the month of pregnancy you’re in. However, 41 weeks in months means you are around 10 months pregnant.

Week 41 Pregnancy Checklist

Resources

• What to Expect & What to Expect When You’re Expecting – 5th Edition (2016)
• The Bump
• Baby List
• Parents.com
• Healthline.com
• WebMD
• The Mama Natural Week to Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth (2017)
• Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy – Second Edition (2018)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists