7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138 • (901) 682-9222 • Open Weekdays 8:00 - 5:00
PREGNANCY TIMELINE: WEEK 38
Only two weeks to go! If you are not ready now, you better hurry! Actually, this could be the week. After 37 weeks, your baby can be born at anytime. Pack your bags and put them by the door. Also, to be safe, review our emergency delivery instructions - they're great to have handy.
The main game here is waiting. Your baby is fully developed now and you can see the movements of the fetus. Finding a comfortable sleeping position is not easy. Your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent and intense. You may feel large and ungainly but, unless your water has broken, it's fine to have sex. As a matter of fact, intercourse and nipple stimulation are some methods people use to induce labor naturally.
By the end of this trimester, your heart's working hard to pump 45 percent more blood than usual around your system. If you're still exercising, take it easy.
Your doctor will want to perform a pelvic exam to check the progress of the pregnancy. Mom's cervix will become softer and thinner during labor. This is called effacement. Also, the opening of the cervix will enlarge -- called dilatation. A fully open cervix measures 10cm. Position of the baby's head, and "station" as we talked about in Week 36, will alert the doctor as to when labor should begin.
Baby's Physical Development
- Crown-to-rump, baby hasn't changed much - still about 14 inches.
- Baby weighs about 6.8 pounds
- Total length is approximately 21 inches
- Baby may have a full head of hair by now. Some babies are born bald.
- The downy coat of fine lanugo hair and the coat of vernix caseosa are mostly gone. There will still be some traces at birth. Most of these substances are ingested by baby and stored in baby's bowels. This will form baby's first bowel movement.
- Baby's head is now cradled in Mom's pelvic cavity, surrounded and protected by pelvic bone.
- Baby is completely developed and may come at any time!
Your uterus is about 6.4 to 7.2 inches above your bellybutton. Baby will continue to descend into the pelvic cavity. This process is called engagement. Engagement, also called lightening or dropping. In first-time mothers, this usually happens two to four weeks before delivery; babies of women who've already had children usually don't engage until labor begins.
Time to Start Thinking About
What happens during labor? Labor occurs in three stages.
During the first stage, the baby's head is down (normally), pressing against the cervix. The bag of waters breaks, and regularly spaced contractions come closer together as the cervix dilates to its full width - about 4 inches or 10cm in diameter.
The muscles of the uterus contract to squeeze the baby out. It doesn't help to bear down or tense your body to fight the contractions; they will only seem more severe. Relaxation is recommended. The length of this "first stage" varies. Labor for a first baby may take 14 hours or longer. This may change for successive babies. "Experienced" moms many times deliver faster - probably due to the relaxation and patience brought on by wisdom. Also, the internal parts of the body is more "broken in" and conditioned from moms first delivery.
The baby is born during the second stage, which last anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour. The cervix has dilated completely and the contractions, now very close together, push the baby through the cervix, down the vagina and out. The mother uses her muscles to aid the birth. In a normal vaginal birth, the baby emerges head first, then shoulders, trunk and finally feet. Ta-da!
When delivery is completed, mucus and other residue are suctioned from the baby's nose and mouth. The baby has begun to breathe and utter its first sounds. Crying is a natural way for the baby to oxygenate its little body and is completely normal.
The navel cord is clamped and cut The sex of your baby is then visually identified. The baby is given an APGAR rating, devised by Dr. Virginia Apgar to rate color, heart and breathing rates, and general vigor. Medicine is put in baby's eyes to help prevent infection.
During the third stage, the placenta is delivered. Extraction of the placenta and other membranes usually takes only a few minutes.
Tips for Mom
Continue your daily prenatal massage of the perineum (the area around your vagina). Perineum massage may increase the stretching ability of the area, leading to less need for episiotomy and fewer natural tears. For perineal massage instructions click here.
You'll need lots of help after the baby is born. Arrange for a doula or an experienced babysitter to stop by for a few hours each week.
Tips for Dad
Backaches are common and are the result of having to bend backward to support the baby and the enlarged uterus. Mom would probably appreciate a warm bath or massage during this time.
Taking care of any religious or ceremonial preparations, if any, would be a good idea now.
Complications to Watch For
Most pregnancies occur without any complications or problems. But there are times when your physician should be contacted immediately. The following list contains symptoms to be aware of during pregnancy.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe swelling of the fingers and face
- Severe abdominal pain
- Loss of fluid from the vagina, usually a gush of fluid, but sometimes a trickle or continual wetness
- A big change in the baby's movements or a lack of movement
- High fever (more than 101.6F;38.7C) or chills
- Severe vomiting or an inability to keep food or liquid down
- Blurring of vision
- Painful urination
- A headache that won't go away or a severe headache
- An injury or accident, such as a fall or automobile accident, that causes you concern about the well-being of your pregnancy
7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 682-9222; Fax: (901) 682-9505