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How to recognize the birth commencing at the 38th week of pregnancy? Can stomach ache be one of the harbingers of childbirth in the 38th week of pregnancy? What is the baby's weight at 38 weeks of pregnancy and can it be an indication for a cesarean section? Change in the color of vaginal discharge towards the end of pregnancy - when should it be alarming? If you are interested in what happens to the pregnant woman and the baby in the 38th week of pregnancy, see our post.
We begin the 38th week of pregnancy: labor is fast approaching
These are the last moments before childbirth, which can now happen at any moment!
Being 38 weeks pregnant (37.1-38 tc), the woman is 9 months old, which is the final stage of the third trimester.
From this week on, pregnancy is considered full-term (from 37 tc). Many pregnant women feel torn apart. On the one hand, they are accompanied by a great relief - the certainty that the child is fully developed and ready to meet the world. On the other hand, the troublesome ailments of the 38th week of pregnancy mean that many women are longing to count the days to childbirth, also looking forward to meeting their baby.
How to relieve stress before giving birth in the 38th week of pregnancy?
At this time, it is worth remembering the exercises from the birth school again. Especially breathing techniques and positions to relieve pain during uterine contractions. You can find the exact one on the website of the hospital selected for the delivery a list of devices available to the mother in labor, used for non-pharmacological relief of labor pain, e.g. a large ball, a saco bag or a delivery chair. Many pregnant women also look for information on a given medical facility on the Internet. In the 38th week of pregnancy, the Internet forum and the comments contained therein may arouse a lot of concern in the future mother.
It is worth remembering that each delivery is slightly different, and each woman in labor has her own individual requirements and preferences. They can significantly differ from each other and influence extremely different opinions about a given hospital. Just before the delivery, it is good to read your birth plan again, review the contents of the ready-made hospital bag and visit the "news" tab on the website of the selected medical facility. .
38 weeks pregnant: baby's weight, appearance and readiness to be born
During this stage of pregnancy, the baby is fully formed and ready to function independently outside the mother's belly.
The child's weight at 38 weeks of pregnancy ranges from 3000 to 3500 grams, and its body length is approx. 50 cm. These parameters are strongly correlated with the genetics of the fetus and environmental factors, including with the lifestyle, diseases or anatomical conditions of the pregnant woman. If the child weighs more than 4,5 kg, it is considered a fetal macrosomia, which may indicate a cesarean section.
A baby born at 38 weeks gestation looks like a newborn baby that was born on term. Therefore, only a trained eye of medical staff is able to state that a given baby was born two weeks before 40 weeks (or actually at the breast) of her mother.
Can my baby's movements be less frequent in the 38th week of pregnancy?
The fetus has very little space in the uterus, so its activity so far becomes very limited to less frequent, single "kicks". There are often visible bulges on the belly of a pregnant woman. Some parents even manage to recognize whether the baby moved its leg or handle.
At 38 weeks gestation, your baby's poor movements may be worrying if they happen less than 10 times in an hour. It is best to conduct observation 3 times a day, after main meals, lying on the left side.
It is also worth visiting a doctor as soon as possible if you notice strong movements of the baby in the 38th week of pregnancy. And it is not about an extremely unpleasant kick, but an unnaturally increased activity of the fetus, which may be due to, inter alia, about his hypoxia.
Any disturbing changes in the baby's activity in the mother's abdomen should be consulted with a doctor who, by performing a CTG (cardiotocography) examination, will professionally determine the well-being of the fetus. Low amniotic fluid at 38 weeks gestation is also a physiological symptom due to the large size of the baby in the uterus. If your doctor finds, however low water (amount of amniotic fluid less than 200 ml) will individually decide on further medical treatment.
Symptoms at 38 weeks of pregnancy: stomach ache "as per period", difficulty sleeping and frequent visits to the toilet
At the end of pregnancy, many women's stomachs begin to lower (this may happen several weeks, and in some pregnant women several days before birth). The feeling of breathlessness is reduced, and it is finally possible to take a deeper breath.
The gradual lowering of the uterus and the insertion of the baby's head into the birth canal cause many pregnant women to complain about the 38th week of pregnancy lower abdominal pain, resembling menstrual discomfort. It is completely normal during this stage of pregnancy. At the same time, the lowered uterus presses hard against the bladder, urging the future mother to do so frequent visits to the toilet.
Despite these inconveniences, you must not forget about the proper hydration of the body (at least 2 liters of fluids a day). This is important for the health of both the pregnant woman and the baby. At 38 weeks of pregnancy stomach ache at night which may be due to the gradual shortening of the cervix, making it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. When lying on your side, it is worth placing an additional pillow or a rolled blanket between your legs. You can also purchase a special pillow for pregnant women, which facilitates a comfortable night rest.
Childbirth in the 38th week of pregnancy: when to go to the hospital?
Most first-time women are concerned that they will not be able to recognize when the labor will start and go to the hospital. In panic, they are looking for information about how labor begins at 38 weeks of pregnancy. The internet forum, on most parenting websites, is often full of contradictory information on this topic. Usually this is due to the fact that each pregnant woman is unique incl. has a slightly different pain threshold, anatomical conditions or the course of pregnancy itself.
Remember that every woman gives birth to many things in common, as well as individual differences.
When does the 38th week of pregnancy actually begin and should you go to the hospital?
We should go to the birth ward when the following occurs:
- bleeding from the genital tract;
- the green amniotic fluid drains away;
- departure of amniotic fluid. They are transparent in color and have a slightly sweet smell. After the amniotic fluid has broken, we go to the hospital within 6-8 hours maximum. If the pregnant woman has a positive GBS result, go to the hospital as soon as possible;
- regular uterine contractions. The contractions are very painful and often radiate to the loins. At the beginning, they occur on average every 30 minutes, and their frequency increases with time. When the first contractions occur, take a warm shower, massage the loins and rest a lot. We go to the maternity ward if the contractions occur in the sequence: 3 contractions per 10 min. In the case of a multiparous woman (a woman giving birth again), we go to the hospital faster, because the delivery may proceed faster than in the case of a primiparous woman;
- detachment of the mucous plug (usually it has a slightly brown or slightly bloody color), but only when it is accompanied by regular contractions of the uterus. The mucus plug may detach even a few days before the birth, and therefore it should be remembered that if it is not accompanied by any other symptoms, there is no need to go to the hospital immediately;
- in some women, the above symptoms of labor accompanied by diarrhea and nausea.
We also go to the hospital urgently when we notice a change in the activity of the fetus (lack of movements or abnormally high mobility).
It's best to watch your baby's movements 3 times a day, after the main meals, lying on its side. Within an hour, the pregnant woman should feel min. 10 "kicks" of the child.
Examination at 38 weeks of pregnancy
During this time, it is worth going to your attending physician for the last time before giving birth, who will assess the ordered tests: blood count and general urine test. If you have yellow mucus in your 38th week of pregnancy, please inform your gynecologist as it may be a sign of a vaginal infection.
During the visit it will be carried out as well gynecological examination to assess the cervix. It should be hard and long throughout the pregnancy (although this is individual for each woman and requires regular prior control). A soft cervix at 38 weeks of pregnancy, its significant shortening and a slight dilation are heralds of imminent labor.
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Anna Milewska
Senior specialist in the Department of Assessment and Cooperation Development, Institute of Mother and Child
Konsultation:
Ph.D. n. med. prof. IMID Tadeusz Issat - Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at the Institute of Mother and Child;
Maria Krowicka-Wasyl - resident physician in the course of specialization in gynecology and obstetrics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Institute of Mother and Child.
