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38 Weeks Pregnant
Your 38th week begins
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Your 38th week begins
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38 Weeks Pregnant
Your 38th week begins
Your baby is about the size of a jackfruit.Your baby this week
This Week
Due to the baby’s size and the lack of space inside the uterus, it’s normal for the baby’s movements to decrease. But do you know how much is actually normal? Continue Reading
Your summary
- Development with the baby weighing on average 3 kg, their movements are becoming smaller and smaller in the belly.
- Appointment the cardiotocography exam will be requested to check the baby’s heart rate and confirm uterine contractions.
- 38 weeks is how many months? 38 weeks pregnant is 9 months. With week 38 of pregnancy, you are in the third week of the 9th month of your pregnancy.
DAY 1 • OF WEEK 38
With the estimated due date approaching, how do you recognize the signs that it’s time? Loss of the mucus plug, regular contractions in short intervals, and water breaking are some of the signs that can happen and leave a woman unsure about what to do… Continue Reading
DAY 2 • OF WEEK 38
Even though there is no scientific basis on the subject, the truth is that maternity wards fill up during the moon change. But what actually happens to cause this stimulation of labor with changes in the moon and what does it have to do with anything? Continue Reading
DAY 3 • OF WEEK 38
IMPORTANT: how is your diet in this final stretch? Paying attention to the types of food you eat right now is essential to control the weight gain, which tends to happen quicker even if your appetite is not the same. Eat seasonal fruits and juices.
DAY 4 • OF WEEK 38
Also known as the swab test, the streptococcus test is done by collecting samples from the vagina and anus. If positive, the pregnant woman will need to take a specific medication some hours before delivery… Continue Reading
DAY 5 • OF WEEK 38
It’s not a medical recommendation, but rather a matter of hygiene for the time of delivery. How and when to do it and why shave for the day of delivery? If you don’t shave, what do they do at the maternity hospital? Let’s clear up your doubts on the topic.
DAY 6 • OF WEEK 38
How does dilation happen for normal birth? Find out how fast labor can happen and which factors can help speed up the process. Continue Reading
DAY 7 • OF WEEK 38
IMPORTANT: Have you thought about whether you’ll need help after childbirth? Even if you don’t like it, after birth any help is welcome. Check if a family member, mother-in-law, mom, or friend can give you a hand, at least in the first few days.
key information box:
- At 38 weeks pregnant, your baby has vernix. This is a layer of fat that covers their entire body but is now starting to decrease and disappear. However, they will probably still be born with traces of it.
- Your baby’s movements are less and more limited due to their size inside the uterus, but it is still normal for you to feel them move around 10 times throughout the day.
- Your baby measures this 38th week about 49.8 cm and weighs on average 3 kg
- Practice contractions are common at this time and the tightening of the belly may be uncomfortable or frightening for first-time moms
- To help with anxiety and make time go by faster and more productively, make the most of these last moments with your bump to finish preparing the baby’s room
Your baby this week
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More information about 38 Weeks Pregnant
At 38 weeks pregnant, your baby has vernix, that layer of fat that covers their whole little body and is now starting to decrease. However, they will probably still be born with traces of it, but far less compared to earlier. If your baby hasn’t been born yet, it’s just a matter of time before you meet them!
Your baby’s movements are less and less frequent and more limited because of their size inside the uterus1, but it is still normal for you to feel them move about 10 times throughout the day. If you go a long time without feeling them, contact your doctor for a checkup and a cardiotocography to analyze the baby’s heartbeat.
This week, your baby measures about 49.8 cm and weighs on average 3 kg. The longer they stay in the uterus, the more weight they will gain— as long as the placenta is still healthy and nourishing them as it should2. This process starts to slow down as labor approaches, when the placenta matures toward the end of pregnancy.
How Mom is Feeling…
Anxiety is running high waiting for the big day!!! Back pain is intense, physical fatigue is great and many women suffer from swelling at this final stage of 38 weeks pregnant. Practice contractions are common at this phase and the tightening of the belly can be uncomfortable and frightening for first-time moms!
To help with anxiety and make time pass quicker and more productively, make the most of these last moments with your bump to put the finishing touches on your baby’s room and check if everything is ready, as well as take care of yourself. Going to a beauty salon can help boost your self-esteem and help you get ready to look your best on your baby’s birth day.
If you still haven’t done the group B strep test during pregnancy3, the 38th week of pregnancy is a good time to do it, since in some cases, treatment for a positive test involves an antibiotic dose the day before labor to avoid contamination of the baby.
Difficulty sleeping, frequent urination, acne, swelling—all of this will pass, and it will all be worth it after the baby is born. Contractions are visible and may become increasingly frequent now, just pay attention to pain that is not normal, abnormal colored discharge and, speaking of which, do you know what the mucus plug looks like? It’s also normal to feel pain in your lower belly, but pay attention to these pains, since a urinary infection can be harmful and can occur at any stage of pregnancy.
Kicks and pokes are frequent, but as labor approaches, your baby seems to get quieter. Don’t worry, it’s due to the lack of space in the uterus. The famous belly waves are much more evident these two weeks. Take the opportunity to film them as a keepsake to show your child when they’re grown! It’s a unique and unforgettable moment.
External Factors…
My God, so much anxiety!!! We even start to imagine symptoms, which drives us crazy thinking that it’s finally time, right? We get so worried thinking we won’t know when we’re really in labor that we want to go to the hospital at any sign just to make sure all is well. But believe me—when you are in active labor you will know, it’s unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced!!
Photo: @mattiaventurelli
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