Pregnancy week by week · trimester 3
🎃 38 weeks pregnant: your baby is about the size of a small pumpkin
At 38 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a small pumpkin, fully formed and just adding the last layers of fat.
Your baby this week
Your baby is around 49.8cm long and about 3.05kg, roughly the size of a small pumpkin. They are fully formed, and the work left is adding the last layers of fat and letting the lungs make their final preparations. The lining of their gut is gathering meconium, the dark sticky substance that will be their first poo. Your baby's grasp is firm, and they will be able to curl their fingers around yours. Movements carry on, though they may feel like big rolls and pushes.
You this week
Nesting urges, more pressure low down, and practice contractions are all common now. You may feel impatient, emotional, or calm, sometimes all in one afternoon. Backache, pelvic aches, swollen ankles and tiredness can make each day feel long. You might have a show or notice your waters breaking, which can be a gush or a slow trickle. Keep resting, eating and drinking well, and trust yourself. You know your body.
Kind things to do this week
- Know your route to hospital, where to park, and a backup plan.
- Keep eating and drinking well to build your energy for labour.
- Make a short list of the people you want to tell first once your baby arrives.
Appointments around now
If this is your first pregnancy, your 38 week appointment is usually a chance to talk about your options if your pregnancy goes past 41 weeks, alongside your usual checks of blood pressure, urine and bump size.
Questions to ask your midwife
- What are my options if I go past my due date?
- When might a membrane sweep be offered?
When to call your midwife or maternity unit
If your baby's movements slow down, stop or feel different to their usual pattern, contact your maternity unit straight away, day or night. Do not wait until the next day. Please also call your midwife or maternity unit if you have bleeding, fluid leaking, a severe headache, changes to your vision, sudden swelling, or itching (especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet). If your waters break, or you think labour has started, call your maternity unit for advice.
OBubba from bump to baby
Follow your pregnancy week by week, free.
OBubba is free through pregnancy, with a weekly update, kick counting and contraction timing. On the day your baby arrives, the same app becomes your baby tracker.
Questions
What are the signs of labour?
Regular contractions that get stronger, longer and closer together, a show, your waters breaking, backache or a period-like ache. If you think labour has started, call your maternity unit.
Is there anything I can do to start labour naturally?
There is no proven home method. Staying active and rested can help you feel ready. Your midwife can talk you through a membrane sweep and induction if they become options.
Not sure how far along you are? Use the due date calculator.
Sources
OBubba gives general information. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Your midwife and maternity unit are always the right people to ask, any time of day or night.