JustMommies / Pregnancy / Pregnancy Week by Week

38 Weeks Pregnant: Your Pregnancy Week by Week

How are you holding up? You are at week thirty-eight now and we promise that your pregnancy will not last much longer. If you are like a lot of moms-to-be you are getting antsy and ready to have your baby. If your baby doesn’t make her appearance in the next couple weeks, you might start considering taking measures into your own hands. In this week’s newsletter we are going to be talking about just that. We will be discussing some natural ways to induce labor and give you some ideas to try. Talk to your doctor or midwife, of course, before you try any of the methods suggested in this newsletter. She might even have some other suggestions for you. We are also going to help you with your last minute nesting projects in this newsletter.

What is going on with mom & baby

Baby: Baby’s crown to rump length is around 36-37 cm (14.2-14.6 inches). Your baby weighs about 3200-3250 grams (7-7.2 pounds). She is still putting on fat which helps to regulate her body temperature and cushions her organs. Now that your baby is getting closer to being born, she has lost most of the lanugo and vernix that was covering her body.

Mom: You may be having intermittent contractions. This is very common during the last part of pregnancy. Now is a good time to practice breathing through contractions. Have your partner use a stop watch and practice timing contractions. If you start having regular contractions that are five minutes a part, call your practitioner right away as this is a good sign that you are in labor.

This week’s Pregnancy Checklist

		Make a photocopy of your insurance card and any important medical information and put it in your hospital bag.
		Make sure a copy of your birth plan is in your hospital bag.
		Gather up a ziplock bag full of loose change and add it to your hospital bag.
		Print out directions and a map to the hospital and put it in your hospital bag.
		Program your phone or cell phone with the phone number of your hospital and doctor’s office.
		Take a new belly picture for your scrapbook or journal.

Natural Methods for Inducing Labor

In the next couple weeks your baby should be arriving. As you get closer to the end of your pregnancy you may be thinking about ways to induce labor on your own. Before you use any of the methods in this newsletter please make sure that you are full term and that you have discussed this with your doctor or midwife.