Week 40: Due Date
Game time — you're as ready as you'll ever be
This is it — the due date. Or rather, the estimated due date. Only about 5% of babies arrive on their exact due date. If she hasn't gone into labor yet, that's completely normal. Your OB will discuss monitoring and potential induction timelines. Your job right now: be calm, be present, and be ready.
What's happening this week
The baby is fully developed and ready for the outside world, weighing approximately 7.5 pounds and measuring about 20 inches. The skull bones remain unfused, allowing them to overlap slightly during delivery (this is why babies sometimes have cone-shaped heads — it resolves quickly). The baby has less room to move but should still be active. She is likely more than ready to not be pregnant anymore.
Your checklist
0 of 5 completeYour doctor will check fetal position, cervical dilation, and may order a non-stress test (NST) or biophysical profile (BPP) to confirm the baby is doing well. They'll discuss induction timing — most practices recommend induction between 41 and 42 weeks if labor hasn't started naturally.
If offered induction, understand the options: cervical ripening, Pitocin, membrane sweeping (which can be done in the office as a gentler first step). Ask your OB what they recommend based on cervical readiness and overall health.
Walking, light activity, and staying upright can help encourage labor. But no amount of spicy food, pineapple, or bouncing on a yoga ball has been medically proven to induce labor. The baby comes when the baby comes.
Going past the due date is emotionally tough. Everyone is texting 'Any baby yet?' She's uncomfortable, anxious, and tired of waiting. Shield her from the constant check-ins. Post a status update so people stop asking individually. Be her advocate.
Time the contractions. Call the OB when you hit 5-1-1 (or earlier if water breaks). Grab the bag. Drive to the hospital. Check in. You've prepared for this. Trust the preparation, trust the medical team, and be present for the most incredible moment of your life.
Recommended products
Postpartum Recovery Kit — Frida Mom
Complete labor and delivery recovery kit: peri bottle, instant ice maxi pads, disposable underwear, cooling pad liners, and witch hazel pads. Everything she needs for the first two weeks of postpartum recovery in one box.
The due date — estimated date of delivery (EDD) — is calculated as 40 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period, adjusted by early ultrasound measurements. Despite its importance in pregnancy planning, the due date is more of a statistical midpoint than a precise prediction. About 80% of babies are born within 2 weeks of the EDD (between 38 and 42 weeks).
For dads, the due date can feel like a deadline that's been missed if labor hasn't started. This is the moment to be your most supportive. The pregnant person is physically maxed out and emotionally drained by the waiting. Manage incoming texts and calls so she doesn't have to field 'Any news?' messages from 30 different people. If induction is recommended, attend the appointment together and ask questions. And when labor does start — whenever that is — be calm, be focused, and be present.
You've spent 40 weeks preparing. The nursery is ready. The car seat is installed. The hospital bag is packed. The pediatrician is chosen. The birth plan is written. Now it's time to do the one thing all the preparation was for: be there. Hold her hand. Breathe with her. Advocate for her. And meet your baby.
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