38 Weeks Pregnant – Pregnancy Week by Week

38 WEEKS PREGNANT

It is really all about the waiting now.

We know you’re anxious, but remember these two weeks of development are crucial for the baby’s lungs and brain to develop, though most other parts of the baby are now ready to meet the outside world.

Your baby is now sitting really low in your pelvis, which means it may press on the nerves in your lower pelvic region. This will cause you to have weird sensations up and down your legs and crotch area, so should you experience that, don’t freak out!

Now that birthing is around the corner, one of many worries that many mothers-to-be feel is the horror of pooping during delivery. Fortunately, this is very common and your doctor wouldn’t even bat an eyelid about this. But if you are really concerned about this, try to empty your bowels before going into labour.

38 weeks pregnant is how many months? 38 weeks pregnant is nine months and two weeks pregnant. You got about two weeks till your due date.

38 WEEKS BABY SIZE

How big is baby at 38 weeks? Your baby measures about 49.5cm.

The current weight of your baby is about 3.08kilograms.

38 WEEKS PREGNANT WEIGHT GAIN

This is the weight gain that you must achieve this week.

Underweight	(BMI <18.5)	0.44kg to 0.58kg
Normal weight	(BMI 18.5 to 24.9)	0.39kg to 0.50kg
Overweight	(BMI 25 to 29.9)	0.23kg to 0.33kg
Obese	(BMI ≥ 30)	0.16kg to 0.25kg

38 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

You’re ready to pop anytime now, and your body is also prepping you to pop.

Being 38 weeks pregnant, here are some signs and symptoms that your body might be experiencing:

• Swelling in leg and ankles. It is normal to experience swelling in the feet and ankles due to your increased blood and bodily fluids. However, if you experience sudden and intense swelling, inform your doctor because it could be a sign of preeclampsia.

• Braxton Hicks Contractions. You might have noticed more frequent and intense contractions as you get closer to delivery. If the contractions are not painful and do go away when you switch positions, they are still Braxton Hicks contractions.

• Nesting. You feel an overwhelming urge to clean everything! Just make sure you don’t put yourself in any danger while cleaning.

• Increase in Vaginal Discharge. Keep a look out for the mucus plug (because you may not notice it at all), which is a thick mucus-like discharge that is usually white/yellowish/cloudy/brown with a mixture of blood. This would mean labour is near.

• Nervousness and Restlessness. You may feel anxiety either for baby to come out or to get the pregnancy over and done with. Try to keep busy with fun things, go on dates with your partner or meet up with friends to keep your mind off the stress.

At week 38, it may be medically necessary to induce labour if you have complications such as a uterine infection, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. If not, inducing labour at week 38 is usually not recommended as your baby needs this final one to two weeks to grow in the womb.

38 WEEKS THE PREGNANT BELLY

By the end of this week, you are considered full term. Technically you still have two weeks to go before you give birth, but do look out for early signs of labour.

Here are some 38 weeks pregnant signs of going into labour:

• Contractions. It can sometimes be tricky to tell the difference between Braxton Hicks contractions and labour contractions. An easy way to tell them apart would be the time interval between each contraction. With labour contractions, the time between each contraction gets shorter and shorter. Another way to tell is that you get relief from the contractions upon changing your resting position and should that occur, it is identified as Braxton Hicks contractions.

• Water breaking. If you feel water coming out from your vagina, it will mean that the amniotic sac has broken and the fluid is being discharged. This will mean labour will start pretty soon, and you should inform your doctor immediately.

• Mucus Plug Vaginal Discharge. When you are near labour, your mucus plug will discharge from your cervix. If you have a discharge that is thick and mucus-like with a tinge of blood, it means that your cervix is starting to dilate in preparation for birth.

• Diarrhoea. When it is closer to labour, the body increases the production of prostaglandin, causing diarrhoea as the body empties the bowels to make way for the baby.

HOW IS MY BABY AT 38 WEEKS PREGNANT?

Most of your baby’s organs have matured (except the brain and lungs, which are still developing this week) and your baby is now a little fully functional human ready for the outside world.

The lungs are now producing surfactant, which is the substance that prevents the lungs’ air sac from sticking together once the little one starts taking it’s first breath.

The brain is also maturing in these final two weeks, and is also accumulating fats below the skin.

If your baby is a boy, the testicles would have descended into the scrotum. If your baby is a girl, due to the hormones, they will now have slightly enlarged breasts which will go down after birth.

At your Doctor’s appointment this week, your doctor will check if your baby is in a head down position, and also to check if the head has moved into the pelvic chamber.

Your doctor may also check your cervix for signs of dilation, which will mean labour is near if that happens.

WHAT TO DO AT 38 WEEKS PREGNANT

Reminders for the week:

• Make a list of important phone numbers

• Prepare for breastfeeding

• Plan a date night because very soon you will be too busy attending to the newborn

• Schedule next week’s prenatal visit