Week 40

Baby care starts at home. Have questions about postpartum care? Learn what to expect after birth, how to support healing at home, and simple tips for bathing, diapering, and cord care.

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40

Your baby is the size of a jackfruit!

It’s your due date week—how exciting! Your baby is ready to be born and can’t wait to meet you!

Have questions about postpartum care? Learn simple ways to support your body after birth—what changes are normal as you heal, comfort tips like ice packs and sitz baths for the perineum, and what to expect (and when to call) if you had a C-section.

Learning to Care For Your Baby

This might be your first time holding and caring for a newborn. It can feel overwhelming, but you’ve got this.

Bathing, diaper changes, and cord care are new skills to learn. Explore our content or ask your providers for simple tips for how to care for your new baby when you go home and what’s normal for your baby’s skin and body in the first days.

If you choose circumcision, you'll need to learn how to care for it as it heals.

Pregnancy Topics Related to Week 40

Exhausted mother holding her crying newborn baby. Postpartum depression.

Physical Health

Postpartum Perineal Care

Your perineum (the area between your vagina and anus) may be swollen and sore after birth.

Cropped shot of a healthy female carrying her baby. Close-up of a woman in underwear with feet of child on postpartum belly.

Physical Health

Changes to Your Body After Birth

Your body goes through so many changes after birth. Here are a few things you may feel, and some things you can do to help if you are uncomfortable.

Getting To Know Your Baby

Bathing, Diaper, and Umbilical Cord Care

Newborn care can feel like a lot at first, but simple routines can keep your baby clean, comfortable, and healthy.

Getting To Know Your Baby

The Look of Your New Baby

Every baby is unique. In the first few days, you may notice things about your baby’s appearance that surprise you—but most are completely normal and temporary.

Medical Care

How to Take Care of Your Baby’s Circumcision

If your baby is circumcised as a newborn, the area will heal over 7–10 days. It’s normal for the tip of the penis to look red and slightly swollen at first. With gentle care and regular cleaning, healing usually happens quickly and without problems.