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Third Trimester

40 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is the size of a Watermelon ๐Ÿ‰

๐Ÿ‰
Ashok Kumar Poudel
Written by
Ashok Kumar Poudel
Health & Wellness Writer
Dr. Bina Basnet
Medically reviewed by
MBBS, MD โ€” Gynecologist & Obstetrician
Last reviewed:
Feb 2026
๐Ÿ“
Size
Watermelon
๐Ÿ“
Length
51.2 cm
โš–๏ธ
Weight
3.5 kg
๐Ÿ—“๏ธ
Trimester
Third
โฑ๏ธ
Week
40 of 40

๐ŸŒฑ Baby Development at Week 40

DUE DATE WEEK! Baby is fully developed. Average birth weight is 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg). Brain will continue developing for years. Baby's skin is smooth โ€” vernix mostly absorbed. Lungs fully mature and ready for first breath.

DUE DATE WEEK! ๐ŸŽ‚Fully developedAverage 7.5 lbs birth weight

๐Ÿคฑ Common Symptoms

โ—Strong contractions may begin
โ—Water may break
โ—Cervix fully effaced and dilating
โ—Pelvic pressure
โ—Back labor possible

๐Ÿฅ— Nutrition Tips

  • Light snacks for labor energy
  • Honey and banana for energy
  • Hydrate during early labor

๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ Exercise Tips

  • Walking during early labor
  • Warm bath for pain relief
  • Hip circles on birth ball

๐Ÿฅ Medical Tests & Appointments

Due date! Contact your provider when contractions are regularNon-stress test if overdueDiscuss induction if approaching 42 weeks

๐Ÿ”ฌ Hormone Changes

Full oxytocin surge triggers uterine contractions. Cortisol from fetal lungs signals respiratory readiness. Endorphins rise in labor.

๐Ÿ“– Week 40 Pregnancy โ€” In-Depth Guide

Congratulationsโ€”youโ€™ve reached the final week of your pregnancy! By this time, youโ€™ve probably taken care of most of the important things such as installing the car seat, make the bassinet and packed your hospital bag.

Now, you probably want to make sure you wrap things up other last minute, easy things including filling the car up with gas and making sure your cell phone is fully charged.

Some moms-to-be in what is generally their last week of pregnancy put a waterproof mattress on the bed in case their water breaks in the middle of the night. You donโ€™t have to, but itโ€™s always a good idea, given that your water can break anytime and this will help you contain the messes.

Getting back to baby, he/she is when youโ€™re 40 weeks pregnant is as big as a watermelon and is ready to step foot into the real world. In terms of numbers, your baby measures 20.16 inches and weighs roughly 7.63 lbs.

๐Ÿฉบ40th Week Pregnancy Symptoms

Most of the symptoms you experience in week 40 of your pregnancy are similar to the ones youโ€™ve been experiencing in the previous weeks. These include:

โ–ธ Sleep troubles

โ€“ If youโ€™re having trouble sleeping, your best bet is to get up and distract yourself with something else such as reading or watching a movie. This however may not be an ideal time for exercise so you can put your Zumba plans on hold for a bit.

โ–ธ Leg cramps

Stretches are the best way to get some relief from cramping in the legs, which as mostly caused owing to pelvic pressure.

โ–ธ Contractions

Moms-to-be in their 40th week of pregnancy often confuse Braxton Hicks contractions for the real deal. But remember if youโ€™re having contractions generally in the last week of pregnancy, they are probably the real ones, so if they are closer together, youโ€™re mostly probably going into labor.

โ–ธ Fatigue

This may be triggered by the fact that you arenโ€™t getting the right amount of sleep, so again you best bet is to do something that keeps you busy.

โ–ธ Anxiety

Well, you know this was bound to happen, and you also know why, so donโ€™t stress about it as your baby will be in your arms anytime now.

๐Ÿ“ŒWeek 40 Signs of Labor

There are often times where you may be 40 weeks pregnant yet show no signs of labor whatsoever. But not to worry, because they will be here very soon! You should call your doctor if:

โœ“You experience a leak or flow of amniotic fluid
โœ“You have contractions that keep occurring at regular intervals
โœ“Or any other symptoms out of the ordinary

At 40 weeks, great chances are that you may not be able to contain your excitement. For this, you or your health care provider can induce or trigger labor using natural methods or with medication.

Induced labor is extremely safe, and you can read more about the statistics from the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention here . The popular natural methods to induce pregnancy include having sex, trying out natural supplements or taking long walks.

Your doctor may use one or more techniques to induce labor, and the best one for you depends on the condition of your cervix at the time. Some of the common methods of inducing labor include:

โœ“With an oral dose of misoprostol
โœ“Using a cervical ripening balloon
โœ“Using a Foley catheter
โœ“Rupturing your membranes
โœ“Striping or sweeping your membranes
โœ“Using oxytocin (Pitocin)

๐Ÿ“ท40th Week Pregnant Ultrasound - What to Expect ?

At 40 weeks, your fetus continues to grow hands and nails, and their lungs are developing pretty fast too. Your doctor may want to do a biophysical profile when youโ€™re 40 weeks pregnant. This twofold test includes a non-stress test and ultrasound to check what the amniotic fluid levels look like.

โœ…Pregnancy Week 40 Checklist

โœ“Speak to your doctor about induction options.
โœ“Get your non-stress done if your doctor orders it.
โœ“Schedule your prenatal visit.
๐Ÿ“… Track Your Pregnancy:Due Date CalculatorSymptoms by WeekTrimester Guideโ† Week 39

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions answered by our medical team

At 40 weeks, your baby is approximately the size of a Watermelon (๐Ÿ‰). DUE DATE WEEK! Baby is fully developed. Average birth weight is 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg). Brain will continue developing for years. Baby's skin is smooth โ€” vernix mostly absorbed. Lungs fully mature and ready for first breath.

โ† Week 39Calculate Your Due DateWeek 41 โ†’

๐Ÿ”— Related Third Trimester Resources

Second Trimester
Weeks 14โ€“27 guide
Trimesters Explained
Guide to all three trimesters
Symptoms Week by Week
What to expect each week
How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I?
Calculate your pregnancy weeks

All Pregnancy Weeks

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