38th week of pregnancy

Treasure each moment of your pregnancy period, as it could be your last. Week 38 is an important phase of pregnancy. Here are some related facts:

Development of the baby:

At week 38, the baby is still gaining weight at the rate of about one ounce each week.
The baby is around 19.5 inches long and weighs about six and a half pounds.
All the baby’s organs are fully functional by now except the lungs and the brain.
The lungs and the brain continue maturing and start functioning fully well only when the baby is born and continue to mature over the early years of childhood as well.
As we know, the baby opens and closes its eyes and by now, you can ascertain its distinct eye colour aswell. But the eye colour may change even after the baby is born.
The baby continues breathing, sucking, urinating. He/she may also have started the first bowels in the intestine.
The baby should have adjusted itself in the correct position for birth by now. Many babies haven’t done so and the doctor tries to change the position by applying external pressure over the belly so that the baby moves.

Changes in the mother:

At this stage, one may experience slight swelling in various parts of the body, like hands and feet. It is considered completely normal unless the swelling is excessive. In such rare cases, the woman might be suffering from preeclampsia or Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH).
The expectant mother might start feeling electric hums in legs and pelvic region. This is due to the baby hitting the mother’s nerves while settling in the pelvic area. Also, Braxton Hicks contractions are constant companion at this stage. They are basically periodic tightening of the muscles in abdominal region which can be painful. They are helpful in preparing for labour pains.
Cervix might start dilating or continue to dilate if it has started already, to prepare for the labour process.
Some common pregnancy symptoms at this stage include frequent urination, heartburn, back pain, changes in eating pattern and difficulty in sleeping.
You will notice increase in discharge from vagina. Colostrum will surely start leaking from breasts by now.

Attachment with the baby:

The mother thinks about with whom the baby is going to resemble, her or her husband. The mother might also think of the baby’s name, depending on whether the baby is going to be a girl or boy. She can think about her birth stone, birth flower, etc depending on the expected date of birth of the baby.

Apart from this, she might start recollecting sweet memories of the past few months, like her baby shower.

Complications & tips:

If the mother has excessive swelling in feet, hands or face it might indicate preeclampsia. If the swelling is accompanied with vision changes, or bad headache, contact your doctor immediately.
At this point, start visiting your doctor at least once a week to ensure you and your baby are fine. One can even tour the hospital to be sure about the conditions and be familiar with the surroundings.
A stress test can be taken in this week. This is used to monitor the baby’s movements and gives the mother an additional chance to bond with her baby.

Tip for father:

As the father might have completed the preparations for the delivery day by now, it is now the time to just sit with your partner and talk with her regarding her concerns. With such a lot of changes taking place inside her body, it is important that you soothe her and make her calm. Also, you can plan to buy a special present for your partner as well as your soon-to-be born child, to appreciate both of them and express your unconditional love.

Diet:

The mother might feel more constipated now. To prevent this problem from aggravating, try eating a number of light and frequent meals.
Limit the amount of calcium in your diet as it might cause hardening of stools.
Include more fibre in your diet by eating a number of fresh fibrous fruits and green vegetables, apart from a variety of grains. Light exercise keeps the body fit.