Pregnancy Week 38 – Only Two Weeks Of Pregnancy To Go

The pregnancy full term has already begun and for some women this can be the last week of pregnancy.

Just in few days, you will be able to see your little one in real. From this week onwards, there are only few changes that take place in you and your baby.

What are the physical changes that occur in your body during pregnancy week 38?

By this time, your back, pelvic region and lower belly will be replaced by real contractions, which are especially more painful and obnoxious.

You will identify when the actual ones kick in as they are more painful and they gradually extend over the whole uterus through the lower back and into your pelvis.

If you still experience trouble sleeping, try to take small naps during the day time. If you feel unusual electrical stings in your legs and also inside of your vagina, then don’t worry about it, this is the time your little baby is hitting the nerves in order to settle into the pelvic region.

If you experience sharp pains rather than tingles, then it is the sign that your little one is pressing on your sensitive sciatic nerve. To overcome from this type of discomfort, it is suggested you to do some wincing, sit down and put your feet up.

By this time, you may lose your mucus plug. It appears like thick, slippery brown discharge or an actual plug. But, some pregnant women won’t experience this condition, while for some others it occurs just before the labor or at any instant during the last month of the pregnancy.

Remember that you need to keep track of your baby’s kicks and if you observe any change in the pattern, immediately call your practitioner.

If you want to take any pain relief medications, then try for epidural injection. If you decide to take an epidural, then an anesthesiologist will be called in.

Epidural will be injected into the space between the spinal column and the spinal cord. This causes numbness in the nerves that supply the uterus. This can also numb the leg nerves by making it very hard to walk around.

You will experience pressure on your thighs and bladder, so you need to face the problem of frequent urination.

What are the changes that occur in the fetus during pregnancy week 38?

• By this week, your baby is about the size of 21.25 inches long and weighs up to 6.8 pounds. The weight mainly depends on whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
• All the internal organs of your baby are well developed and the baby is ready for the outside world.
• By this week, the baby’s intestines are building the meconium. This is a dark-green mass of cells and waste product from the liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Meconium will be eliminated after the birth; sometimes there is a chance to eliminate before the birth is delayed for long time.
• By this week, your baby still has vernix, but this is very much confined to skin creases and folds and also neck and back.
• By this week, your baby will get a firm grasp reflex. When the light is shown on your belly, the baby turns towards it. This is called as orienting response.
• There is no need of any special care by this week.

Fact for pregnancy week 38:

Do you know about the birth positions? Here are some alternative positions:

Side lying: This removes the pressure and weight of the uterus from the major blood vessels and the perineum. The upper leg can be lifted or grasped by the mother when she pushes.

Semi sitting: This labor position assists gravity in getting the baby along and through your pelvis.

Squatting: This labor position helps in opening your pelvis and assists gravity. Most of the women spontaneously choose this upright squatting position to give birth to the baby.

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