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38 Weeks Pregnant
 The Baby Your big baby weighs around 7 pounds (3200 grams) now and he is about 19 inches (48 cm) long. Once he's born, he will be able to keep himself warm with your help, because the layer under his skin is now thick enough. Babies can gain up to half a pound per week during these last three weeks or so of pregnancy. Much of this weight is fat. Healthy, unmedicated infants are born with a strong sucking reflex and instinct to nurse. In fact, an unmedicated baby can crawl up his mother's abdomen to her breast and latch himself on with little assistance! If you have questions about breastfeeding, look for a support group in your community such as La Leche League International, which is found in countries around the world. Most newborns nurse within the first hour after birth and as often as every hour or so thereafter. At the other end, some newborns may be sleepy after all their hard work and not nurse at all for the first day. As long as your nipples don't hurt and your baby is pooping and peeing adequately and doesn't appear dehydrated, don't worry too much about his weight. After one or two weeks, most babies are at their birth weight once again. But if you have serious concerns you should always talk to your health care provider (HCP).It's wonderful to see what your baby is like shortly after his birth. You can see by his position how he was lying in the uterus. He probably crosses his legs in the same manner and places his hands just like he did in the womb: under his chin, thumb in his mouth, his little hand over his ear or against his nose or cheek. If you lift your baby up shortly after the birth while he is in the fetal position, you can see exactly how he was folded up in your womb. Take a picture because in a few days he can no longer do this trick.The due date is not for another three weeks but babies seldom come into the world on the exact date that was calculated. Only five percent of women give birth on that day. There is a five week window of opportunity around your due date, from 37-42 weeks of "due time."
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The birth process can take a long time. There is no reason to panic or be in a hurry to call your doctor or race to the hospital. You surely know the quickest way to get there and a safe ride to the hospital is very important? |
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Some women experience "practice contractions" that may last for hours or days. The uterus contracts -- softening and "ripening" the cervix, starting the dilation process, gently squeezing the baby, and causing the mother no end of excitement.But, labor has not officially started, because the contractions are not progressing - that is, they are not getting stronger, closer together, and longer in duration. If your cervix were measured, it is likely it would be changing, but not dilating significantly.This is a good time to make sure everything is in order and practice your relaxation techniques. Consider it good practice for the actual work of giving birth! |
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 MotherIf you have just gotten pregnant, labor still seems a long way off. As the months go by, you start thinking about the birth. You look forward to it, you delight in it and you may dread it. You have mixed feelings. Talking about your fears and uncertainties helps. If you had a less-than-perfect experience with a previous birth, talk with your HCP about what was so difficult and how you can do things differently. You might benefit from taking a refresher childbirth class to learn some new tools. Having faith in your health care provider is very important. If you find you are not seeing eye to eye, don't be afraid to change providers, even at this late date. Faith in yourself and learning to relax are especially important as well. If you and your partner have learned to relax through, for example, visualizing beautiful memories, meditation or breathing exercises, this will calm, center, and focus you and you will easily be able to deal with the delivery. If, on the other hand, you stay tense, the adrenaline in your body will cause the contractions to become weaker, and perhaps even painful, and everything will take even longer. See it as a sports match that you can only win at, because the prize is always your baby!You can never plan the birth and how it will go. Because you don't know when and how it will begin and how long it will last. It's just like diving into deep water...You can prepare yourself, however, by reading a lot about giving birth, having faith and not being afraid. Some women experience childbirth as powerful, empowering, strong, intense, or hard work. Some women experience childbirth as painful. The discomfort or pain associated with birth is pain with a purpose. If your uterus hurts, it's because it is contracting, doing the work of opening your cervix. If your pubic bone hurts, it's because the baby is moving down lower. Knowing the process of birth and interpreting these changes can help you cope with the discomfort or pain. If you ask different mothers about their births, their descriptions will be very different. Pain perception is something very subjective. If you dread the pain a lot, and your childbirth class has not given you the tools you need, consult with your doctor concerning the possibilities for pain suppression.
Some couples like to prepare a birth "plan," where they outline the options they would like to have during the birth, and what they would like most to avoid. Know what your choices are and how you may feel if things don't go the way you'd hoped. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst! Give yourself many choices. For example, know that you have the option to birth in an upright position, in the tub, or on your hands and knees, but don't set the expectation that you must give birth in the tub. When the time comes, the tub may seem really uncomfortable and you may birth on the floor - and that's good too! Or, you may be planning an unmedicated birth at home and for the health of your baby, end up with an emergency cesarean birth. If you have planned for this possibility, it will be less disappointing. You will know that you made important decisions for your baby and the outcomes are still good.
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Giving birth is hard work but if you understand the process and go in to it well prepared, you don't have to be afraid. If you choose medication in the hospital, the most commonly accepted form of pain relief is narcotic (usually morphine derivatives) and epidural anesthesia (spinal puncture). Techniques for dealing with the discomfort of birth include hypnosis, relaxation, acupuncture, massage, herbs, homeopathic remedies, the loving attention of your partner or a birth support person called a doula. |
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