40 Weeks Pregnant: Signs, Symptoms, and What to Expect

Welcome to 40 weeks pregnant—historically labeled your due date week. At this point, your baby is full term and could make their entrance any day.  It’s a profound period of transition—hormonally, physically, and emotionally—as your body, baby, and nervous system enter the final phase of this pregnancy experience.

In this space between waiting and arrival, here’s what you might notice in your body, what’s happening with your baby, and the gentle, grounded priorities to focus on this week.

How You’re Feeling in Your Body

By 40 weeks, your body has done the hard work of pregnancy—and it may feel both incredibly tired and incredibly alive at the same time. This week is not “normal” in the usual sense; it’s preparatory, and your sensations are cues that your nervous system and muscles are responding to a shift toward birth.

Full and heavy
Your uterus—shaped like a watermelon by this point—may feel expansive and firm. You might notice that your belly feels especially heavy or that you have a constant sense of fullness in your pelvis and lower abdomen as your baby settles into position. 

Tightenings and Braxton-Hicks
Irregular tightenings—often called Braxton-Hicks—can feel more frequent or intense. These practice contractions don’t usually follow a rhythm, but they do contribute to your cervix softening and your body preparing. 

Pelvic pressure and lower back sensations
Many people feel a deep “heavy” pressure in the pelvis or intense sensations in the lower back. This is in part due to your baby’s position and in part due to relaxin—a hormone that loosens connective tissues in preparation for labor. This loosening helps the pelvis adapt during birth itself.

Digestive shifts and physical discomfort
Heartburn, bloating, nausea, or loose stools can continue or intensify as your gastrointestinal tract responds to rising prostaglandins and physical pressure. Changes in digestion can also be a signal of hormonal preparation for labor.

Sleep challenges and rest cycles
Deep sleep is rare at this stage. Many expectant parents describe sleeping in short pulses or feeling restless at night. Intentional rest — even if disconnected from sleep — is still restorative and supportive of your nervous system.

Swelling and circulation changes
Fluid retention around the ankles, hands, and fingers is common, particularly as your circulatory system adapts for labor. Gentle movement, hydration, and supportive positioning can help ease discomfort. Tommy's

Emotional depth and anticipation
Emotionally, many people feel tender, reflective, and on edge simultaneously. Anticipation and impatience are normal — hormones like oxytocin and estrogen are signaling neural pathways associated with bonding, caregiving, and responsiveness. This emotional sensitivity is part of your body’s preparation for labor and postpartum connection.

What’s New With Your Baby

At 40 weeks, your baby is not still “growing” in a dramatic way; they are finely tuned and ready for life outside the womb.

Full term with mature systems
Your baby’s organs—including heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys—are fully developed and functional. The lungs continue refining surfactant production, which helps air sacs stay open after the first breath. 

Size and physical readiness
On average, babies at 40 weeks are about 20 inches long and weigh around 8 pounds, though there is a wide, healthy range of normal sizes. Their growth slows as space runs out, which is why you may feel less robust kicking compared with earlier in the third trimester. 

Bones and flexibility
Most bones are strong now—except the skull. The skull’s bones remain soft and pliable so they can overlap during passage through the birth canal. This is why a newborn’s head can appear slightly molded after birth—and why those soft spots (fontanelles) are important in the early months. 

Fine-tuning internal systems
Your baby’s nervous system is continually refining coordination: blinking, grasping, responding to sound, and initiating reflexive movements. Their brain and sensory systems are practicing life outside your body, even while they remain entirely dependent on you for oxygen, energy, and comfort. 

Movement cues
Big, sweeping movements may feel less frequent because space is limited—but consistent motion is expected. If movements slow noticeably or stop entirely, contacting your care provider is important.

Your 40-Week To-Do List

At 40 weeks, the to-do list isn’t about productivity — it’s about support, preparedness, and presence.

1. Check in with your body’s language
Your sensations — pelvic pressure, tightenings, digestive changes, emotional shifts — are not random. They’re part of a physiological and hormonal story. Pausing to listen rather than fight these sensations helps you stay grounded.

2. Clarify signs of labor with your provider
Make sure your understanding of true labor — regular, intensifying contractions that don’t ease with movement — is clear. Knowing what to seek and when to call your provider can calm anxiety in the midst of uncertainty.

3. Keep your birth kit accessible
Your hospital or birth-center bag should be packed, easy to reach, and ready to go. Include not only essentials for birth and recovery but items that bring comfort and emotional safety: music, a favorite blanket, affirmations, snacks, and personal care items.

4. Confirm your postpartum support plan
Who will help when you return home? Clarifying roles — meals, chores, emotional support — can ease the transition into early postpartum, which is a time of vulnerability and healing.

5. Nourish and hydrate intentionally
Even if eating feels heavy or uncomfortable, regular hydration and nourishing snacks support your system. Think of this as fueling readiness, not just waiting.

6. Rest without guilt
Rest now is not “laziness” — it’s preparation. Your body is conserving hormonal and metabolic energy for the work ahead.

7. Journal or reflect on your transition
This is not just a physical milestone — it’s an emotional and psychological transition. Allow space to reflect, breathe, or share your feelings with someone who listens without pressure.

8. Monitor fetal movements
Continue to notice patterns of movement. Any marked decrease should be shared with your healthcare provider promptly — movement is the most telling cue of well-being at this stage.

9. Plan gentle activities if you feel up to it
Short walks, light stretching, breathing practices, or calm time outside can ease tension and support circulation. There’s no rule that says rest must be stillness — gentle movement can feel restorative too.

The Takeaway

Being 40 weeks pregnant is both monumental and subtle. Your baby is ready — physiologically, structurally, and hormonally — and your body is communicating that readiness through sensations, shifts, and patterns that feel profound. Your nervous system, hormones, and muscle memory are engaged in a sophisticated choreography toward birth.

This week isn’t about doing as much as it’s about being: present with your body’s signals, confident in your preparation, and supported in the transitions unfolding. Whether labor begins today or a little later, you are moving toward one of life’s most profound moments with capacity and strength that extends far beyond what you may feel in your bones right now.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.