Week 40 is your due date. Only a small number of babies arrive on the day itself; most come within two weeks either side.
Your baby this week
- Ready
- Your baby is fully ready for life outside.
- Still active
- Your baby should keep moving the way they usually do right up to labour.
- Size
- Babies vary a lot in size at birth, and that's normal.
What you might notice
- Impatience, and lots of 'any news?' messages.
- Practice tightenings and pressure low down.
- Movement should continue as normal. Any change means calling straight away.
- Signs of labour. Is this a contraction? covers the timing.
Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit now if
- Your waters break, or you think they might have
- Your contractions are regular and getting stronger, or you're not sure
- You have bleeding, or your baby's movements have slowed down or changed
- You have a bad headache, blurred vision or sudden swelling
Day or night. If something just feels wrong, that's reason enough to call.
Coming up
Your provider will talk about the options, which may include a membrane sweep or a plan for induction, usually before 42 weeks.
A word about the weeks after birth: postpartum depression screening, explained.
Questions to bring to your next appointment
- What's the plan if labour doesn't start on its own?
- Will you monitor my baby more closely now?
- What should I do while I'm waiting?
For your partner
Waiting is hard. Keep days gentle and plans loose, and keep the bag by the door.
NUGA follows you week by week
Enter your due date once and NUGA knows you're at week 40. The day before each appointment, it gathers what you've noted and the questions to bring.
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This page draws on public guidance from:
General information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different, and your midwife or doctor knows yours. Last updated October 2026.