Congratulations on entering your 40th week of pregnancy! Enjoy this milestone as a sign that you’ve nurtured yourself and your baby to a healthy, full-term pregnancy. Meanwhile, don’t give too much power to the 40-week “due” date. Does a baby know to come out in one particular 24-hour period? Of course not. Being “due” is not a date on the calendar.

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Being due is being ripe and ready to enter the mystery of your birth.

When we expect a baby due on a certain day and that day passes, some parents feel stressed; others feel a little grief. Texts begin asking, “Is the baby here yet?” Yep, baby’s here, we just can’t see baby. One answer might be, “We’ll let you know when you can come to see baby. We’d be so grateful for a meal or if you’d start a load of laundry when you come!”

Seriously, watching the clock makes everyone crazy. Do something creative and watch a funny movie. Baby will be born.

Know, too, that while any time between 37 and 42 weeks is considered full-term, giving birth during the 41st week of pregnancy is very common, especially in first-time birthing people. For now, nourish yourself and your baby with good food, water, and walking. Relax deeply. Treat yourself to a prenatal massage. Enjoy waiting for that first sign of labor. It’s magic.