Overview

When a pregnant woman enters the 38th week various changes are found in the baby also the woman’s body. The baby is now all set with its head in a ready position to come out. The pregnant woman may experience labor pain any time. 38th week of pregnancy could be the last week of pregnancy. The baby is still in the process of growing and is settling down in your pelvis. The baby could buzz the pregnant woman in the lower part of the body. The woman would shed maximum of lanugo cover and this would also continue after the birth of the baby. The baby is ready to come out and experience the world. One needs to pack bags for hospital. You might have to go to hospital as the baby may arrive at any time. Many a times fathers would want to give some special gifts to his wife and the new baby. It’s the time for you to pack the bag now, ready to take it to hospital including the gifts. This could be the best time that the father would show his wife that he loves her so much and appreciate her and make it a memorable day.

Baby’s development

At the 38th week of pregnancy, the baby grows length wise also weights more. Mostly the baby would be between 17 to 20 inches long and would weight of about 6 ½ to 7 ½ pounds. Your baby would further continue to grow. All the organs of the baby are mature and are functioning completely by this time. Only lungs and brain of the baby would not be completely functioning. Only these two organs are the organs that would only start functioning once the baby is out of the womb. The brain and lungs would continue to mature during the childhood of the baby. One can get a complete idea at how the baby would look like at the 38th week of pregnancy. The pregnant woman would fantasize about her baby having eyes like her or his father, nose like aunt, face cut like her and many more. If the baby has brown eyes then they would stay that way. However of the baby have any other colored eyes then chances are the color may change with time.

If pregnancy induced hypertension occurs then the amount of oxygen and food supply to the baby would decrease. If your baby does not get enough amounts of oxygen and food then there is a chance for the baby to loose some weight. The tear ducts develops over the start of the week. All the organs including the sex organs of the baby develop completely by this time and their sex could be identified easily now. The boy baby is a bitter bigger than the girl baby. The baby girls rest at the lower level in the belly than the baby boys. Baby reflexes to all the coordination at the 38th week of pregnancy. Baby blinks his or her eyes, clenches the fists, and reacts to the sound also. The baby also reacts to light and darkness at this stage itself. The deposits under the skin would allow the regulation of temperature in baby.

Changes in your body

There are several internal as well as external changes occurring in the pregnant woman. The external changes could be noticed by others however, the internal changes are only felt by the pregnant woman. As you enter the 38th week you would begin to experience some swelling in your feet. Swelling is a sign of normal pregnancy at the end of the pregnancy period. However, if you feel a swelling in your hands, face or going through a severe pain, then you should contact your doctor. This could be a sign of you developing a condition called as pregnancy induced hypertension. Pregnancy induced hypertension is often known as toxemia or preeclampsia. Pregnancy induced hypertension can put off the placenta from getting enough amount of blood that is required. If this placenta does not enter the blood then your baby would get a lesser amount of oxygen and food. This could be dangerous. As the baby grows inside your womb, your innards get pushed. You may suffer from heartburn and very little space for urine storage could be left. Thus, you would have to visit toilet very often. However, you should not reduce the consumption of water.

What to expect

Now your doctor would discuss certain things with you related to your baby if you have not yet discovered. Who would you think of when the labor pain occurs also when the call should be made should be planned. Sometimes early labor can be completed at home also. You can discuss any medical problems with the doctor to keep away any future troubles. One needs to take care if pregnancy induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, and anemia, intra uterine growth restriction is occurring and take proper measures. One the woman enters 38th week of pregnancy she would feel decreased moments of the baby. This is so because the baby grows and there is less space for it to move around inside the womb. There could be also breech positioning of the baby. If this occurs, then the baby would make its journey outside early. Another sonogram for confirmation may be ordered by your doctor if he finds your baby in a breech position. This would be a last lok of your baby before he or she enters this world. Many pregnant women go through several non-stress tests at the last pregnancy stage. This non-stress test could be performed at the doctor’s clinic or at any hospital easily. Every time you feel the movement of the fetus, you would have to press a button that would be provided to you while going under the non-stress test. The monitor would record the heart beats of the baby. While going through these non-stress tests it could be overwhelming for the pregnant woman also it would create a mother-baby bond. Most of the women enjoy this time of pregnancy as they can hear the heart beats of the baby inside their womb. The pregnant woman waits impatiently for her baby to come out.