Pregnancy week 42 - baby's development and your body

From week 42+0, a baby is considered overdue. It’s common to be offered an induction at this stage, as certain complications and risks for the baby increase with post-term pregnancies.

Size:

Your baby is about 52 cm or 20.47 inches long, from head to foot.

Weight:

Approximately 3.7 kg or 8.16 lbs.

Baby's development:

Your baby is fully developed and ready to be born!

At this stage, your baby likely no longer has any vernix (the waxy coating on the skin). Babies born post-term may sometimes have slightly wrinkled skin, but this will smooth out after birth.

With space getting tighter, kicks may feel more like sweeping movements, stretches, or pushes. However, the frequency and strength of movements should stay consistent.

Your body:

You may start noticing that your body is preparing for labor. Contractions might be more frequent, especially after exertion, and are often followed by mild cramping.

The cervix is now positioned forward and has likely started to soften and dilate slightly in preparation for labor.

With the baby pressing down, it may feel challenging to find comfortable positions to sit, stand, or sleep. Pelvic pain after activity is also common, as the hormone relaxin softens the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth. Some people also experience back pain as muscles tense up to support the effects of relaxin.