At 38 Weeks Pregnant be Ready for Sudden Labour
They say a pregnancy usually lasts for around 9 months. Presuming a month has 4 weeks (which it generally does have) it would be appropriate to say that by the time the 36th week of the pregnancy ends the lady or mother-to-be would most probably enter labour. But there are cases when the pregnancy goes into the 37th week, the 38th week, the 39th week and even till the 40th week.
At 37 weeks pregnant if the mother goes into labour the baby’s lungs will almost be mature enough to fully adjust to the life outside the womb. If the lady in question decides to opt for a C-Section the doctor will plainly refuse to operate till the 39th week. This is done to further ensure maximum lung development.
Most babies at 37 weeks pregnant have a full head hair which almost measures up to an inch and a half. Antibodies continue to be transferred into your little one through the placenta to further improve its immune system. The mother at this stage may not be able to sleep at all at nights. She should try to take it a little easy during the day as these are the final stages. They may be a potential increase in vaginal discharges. She may even have intense dreams while sleeping.
At 38 weeks pregnant your baby’s hands have fully formed nails that with ease reach out to the end of the fingers. The baby’s grasp becomes stronger by now. The baby’s intestines begin accumulating plenty of meconium and the circumference of its head and abdomen are almost about the same size. Its grey or dark blue eyes stay like that at least for the next 9 months. Once the child comes out, with time its eyes begin to gain more pigment. The mum at 38 weeks pregnant has nothing to do but play the waiting game. She waits to go into labour at any moment. This time should be used for preparing a nursery for the baby. The mother should take plenty of naps, read and spend lots of time with her partner.
Being 40 weeks pregnant are rare cases of prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reasons. The baby’s vernix has gone by now, 15 per cent of the body is fat and the baby is beautiful and healthy. At 40 weeks pregnant the mother-to-be may have already entered labour and made the delivery. The due date may have arrived but the pregnancy may still be there. The mother at this stage may have a biophysical profile consisting of an ultrasound to take a close look at the baby’s overall movements, breathing movements and muscle tone.
The 40th week is such that even by now if the mother has not gone into labour, she will forcefully be induced into it.
Debra Aspinall is an experienced journalist and the editor and leading writer for the Emma’s Diary website, one of the UKs foremost pregnancy and baby websites. She writes on pregnancy, having a baby, pregnancy week by week and etc. If you are searching for 38 weeks pregnant information, please visit us at Emmasdiary.co.uk.
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