Welcome to Week 38 of Your Pregnancy!
Your Baby in Week 38 of Pregnancy
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Your baby has probably hit six pounds by week 38 of pregnancy. They will continue to grow and gain weight by fat storage and added bone density. Their length may increase slightly, but not as much as their weight will increase.
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The baby is still growing during week 38 of pregnancy, as much as an ounce a day. While that doesn’t really sound like much, an ounce a day for a week is almost half of a pound! Half of a pound is a lot of weight for something that only weighs between six and nine pounds on average anyway.
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Right now, in week 38 of pregnancy, your baby’s chest sticks out. They may look puffed up and egotistical, but they aren’t. It’s just how they were made to look in the beginning.
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The lung maturity is good right now in week 38 of pregnancy. Your baby can probably breathe outside of your uterus now without any – or very little help. Pat yourself on the back and know that you did good – all of the organs and systems are in fine working order now. You just need a little longer in the finishing department before you can view your creation. If you are lucky, that day is only a few days away.
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Your baby’s abdomen will be as big around as their head! It’s not a freak of nature or anything – just how babies are built. They are “top heavy” with their heads weighing the most and needing the most support. Their body will fill out and gain more weight, and once they can support themselves, they will seem proportionate.
Your Body in Week 38 of Pregnancy
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Continue to eat healthy, nutritious snacks from week 38 of pregnancy onward so that the weight that you put on will not be in vain. Putting on excess weight now will only be harder for you to shed in the future. If you can keep up with your exercise routine, or as much of it, as possible, try. It may be hard to go for a mile long walk, but you can walk in short bursts. Exercise will keep your muscles working, as well as keeping your mind healthy! Keeping active, even if it is only a little bit, will help you from thinking you are “fat”.
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Are you getting sudden jolts of pain down the inside of your leg at week 38 of pregnancy? Does your whole leg go numb or feel prickly? Don’t worry, it’s just the baby settling down and pressing harder on your nerves. The sciatic nerve is one of the biggest ones and runs down the inside of the right leg. Babies have a knack for finding it and resting on it at the most inconvenient of times – like when you are at work doing a presentation, while you are pushing a cart full of groceries or standing in line at the checkout.
Sit down and relax if you can and baby’s head will move away from the nerve. If the pressure does not lessen, try laying down somewhere. When the pain is severe and doesn’t go away, don’t try driving yourself home. Call a friend to get you. It happens very rarely, but don’t risk it and try to drive.
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Dads won’t have the physical challenge of delivery, but they can still take an active part in the preparations. Go fetch mom a snack so she doesn’t have to get up. Unload the dishwasher so she doesn’t have to. Fold the baby clothes (again) and imagine how your newborn will look in them. And dad needs to get rest too, since he can share in the night diaper changes and the feedings if they are by bottle.
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There will undoubtedly be phone calls, emails and questions everyday around week 38 of pregnancy from people asking, “Did you have the baby yet?” Well, duh, if they talk to you at home or see you in person, they will know you are not in the hospital. People seem to get goofy near the end of the pregnancy and ask those dumb questions. Chalk it up to their excitement too. Answer as politely as possible, or ignore the phone calls. You can always say you were taking a nap!
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To combat boredom in week 38 of pregnancy, if you do not have other kids, you can read all about delivery and what to expect the first weeks after. When you have other youngsters at home, you probably won’t be bored. But you can still read books since one never has enough information!
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When there are other children old enough to understand that there will be a new baby in the house, include them in the planning. Many hospitals or even recreation centers offer classes for big brothers and big sisters to learn what will happen in the house. They can learn how to hold a baby properly, what the baby will eat, when they will sleep and how much they will cry.
By making them feel included in this special time will help them not to have feelings of jealousy or animosity towards a baby that manipulates all of mom’s attention. It’s not to say there won’t be any, but it could help ease the transition.
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