{"id":10229,"date":"2021-04-15T07:16:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T11:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10229\/week-38-pregnancy\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T10:08:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T14:08:22","slug":"week-38-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10229\/week-38-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"38 weeks pregnant"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For more information about week 38 in a twin or multiple pregnancy, tap here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s most exciting news? The biggest symptoms to look for at this point aren\u2019t pregnancy symptoms, but signs of labor! If you experience any of the big ones \u2014 like your water breaking, regular and painful contractions, or other signs like vaginal bleeding \u2014 you should notify your healthcare provider. <\/span>Baby<\/span> will be snuggling in your arms soon!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How\u2019s Baby<\/span>?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Although Baby<\/span>\u2019s eyes have color by now, this might not be their final one, as your little one\u2019s irises could continue to gain pigment during infancy, causing their eyes to turn a bit darker. The melanin that colors Baby<\/span>\u2019s eyes is actually the exact same color pigment whether they end up with blue, green or brown eyes, it\u2019s just a question of how much melanin is there. That\u2019s why so many babies are born with blue eyes \u2014 blue is the color that shows up with the least melanin, and babies don\u2019t start with as much melanin as they end up with. Baby<\/span> could also have up to an inch of hair, though similar to eye color, the hue of their hair could change after they\u2019re born.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baby<\/span> could now be\u00a0over 7 pounds and 19 \u00bd inches tall \u2014 about the size of a spaghetti squash \u2014 although genetics, the amount of time spent in the womb, the health of the pregnancy, and their sex make these estimated sizes nothing more than educated guesses at this point. Male babies are generally born larger than female babies, though female babies will catch up in height and weight early in childhood. Baby<\/span> keeps producing more and more surfactant, the substance that prevents the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing. And at this point, all of their other organs are functioning on their own!<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s new with you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There\u2019s not much left to do now but wait! Baby<\/span> is almost here \u2014 it could be any day now! At this point, if you start experiencing any nausea, blurred vision, severe abdominal pain, or a persistent headache, let your healthcare provider know \u2014 this could be a sign of preeclampsia, which can be very dangerous, so they should see you immediately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ll be returning to work shortly after your baby is born, it\u2019s not too early to start thinking about who is going to care for Baby<\/span> during the day while you\u2019re away. And if you plan on enrolling Baby<\/span> in childcare, it\u2019s also a good idea to look into when the childcare centers you prefer have enrollment space for your little one, even if your baby\u2019s first day feels very far away at this point. Many childcare centers have limits to the number of children they enroll at any time, so it usually requires some planning ahead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But more immediately, you should also start to think about your birth plan if you haven\u2019t yet. Your preferences don\u2019t have to be set in stone, but it helps your OB provider and medical team to know what your hopes are for labor, birth and immediately postpartum. You still have a little bit of time to ask your provider any final questions you have. You\u2019ll get to meet Baby<\/span> before you know it! <\/span><\/p>\n

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Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team<\/h5>\n
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