Week 39: Full Term! 🎉
Congratulations — your baby is officially FULL TERM! Baby is ready for the world. The brain and lungs continue to develop, but all systems are go.
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🍉 Watermelon!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Baby is full term!
- ✓Brain still developing at a rapid pace
- ✓Lungs are mature and ready to breathe air
- ✓Chest is more prominent
- ✓Baby has 300 bones (adults have 206 — some fuse later)
- ✓Baby is ready to be born
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Nesting instinct may be overwhelming
- •Contractions increasing in frequency
- •Bloody show or mucus plug loss
- •Water may break (or may not — it doesn't always happen before labor)
- •Extreme fatigue or sudden energy bursts
- •Loose stools
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
Thirty-nine weeks is full term. The ARRIVE trial (Grobman et al., NEJM 2018) showed that elective induction at 39 weeks in low-risk first-time mothers reduced C-section rates and slightly improved some outcomes compared to expectant management. ACOG (2019) accepts elective induction at 39 weeks in low-risk pregnancies. That's a real choice for you and your provider, not pressure. If induction is on the table, ask about the Bishop score (a numeric assessment of cervical readiness) — a favorable Bishop score (≥8) predicts higher induction success; an unfavorable score may need cervical ripening (Cervidil, Cytotec, or a Foley balloon) first. Pain management options span the spectrum: nothing, hydrotherapy, nitrous oxide, IV opioids, or epidural. There's no medal for refusing pain medication; there's also no shame in laboring without one. Pick what feels right for you and stay flexible.
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Water breaking — go in
- !Regular contractions, 5-1-1 — go in
- !Bleeding heavier than bloody show — call
- !Decreased fetal movement — call
- !Severe headache, vision changes, RUQ pain — call
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓Bloody show, mucus plug loss
- ✓Loose stools
- ✓Sharp pelvic shooting pains
- ✓Bursts of energy followed by exhaustion
✅ To-Do This Week
- Stay close to home — labor could start any moment
- Time any contractions (5-1-1 rule: 5 min apart, 1 min long, for 1 hour)
- Make sure your ride to the hospital is ready
- Continue kick counts
- Rest, rest, rest
- Enjoy these final moments — your life is about to change beautifully
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?When should I come to the hospital?
- ?What's the 5-1-1 rule for contractions?
- ?Do I need to come in if my water breaks?
- ?What is the induction plan if labor doesn't start naturally?
- ?How do I know if something is wrong?
- ?Is the baby's position optimal for delivery?
📚 References
- [1]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of Labor. Obstet Gynecol. 2009;114(2 Pt 1):386-397.
- [2]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 146: Management of Late-Term and Postterm Pregnancies. Obstet Gynecol. 2014;124(2 Pt 1):390-396.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...