If you feel like something is going up and down in your legs like lightning, don’t worry, at 38 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is probably down in the pelvis, which means that he is getting ready to come out. In the 38th week of pregnancy, the contractions that occur at regular intervals have become stronger, which indicates that something big is happening. You will soon be holding your little one and that is so exciting. Together we review some other events of the 38th week of pregnancy.
The state of the fetus in the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy
Your fetus in the 38th week of pregnancy has gained weight ! He weighs 3083 grams (boys are usually slightly heavier than girls) and his body length is between 49.8 cm. He can grip so hard that you can try it with your finger soon! His limbs are fully grown and in their final position. But his lungs and brain have grown enough to be able to function, but they continue to grow until birth and some time after that. In the 38th week of pregnancy, the fetus has grown so much that its knees and elbows constantly bend or twist. However, it still moves and hits you. Therefore, you should be aware of his movements. Her heart rate during labor and delivery is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. You may also notice her hiccups now more than ever due to the swallowing of amniotic fluid that occurs when she breathes. At this time, your wife can easily see the movement of your clothes. The baby’s lungs are now fully developed.
The length of the fetal umbilical cord is between 30 and 100 cm, with the most common size being around 50 cm. The umbilical cord looks like a white, wet and twisted telephone wire, which is the link between the baby and his partner.
What color do you think your baby’s eyes are? You may not be able to answer correctly. If his eyes are brown, they will probably stay that color. If the color of his eyes is dark gray or deep blue, they may remain the same color and may turn hazel green or brown until the baby is 9 months old. This is because the baby’s iris (the colored part of his eye) may store more pigment in the first months after birth. For this reason, it is not possible for the color of his eyes to become brighter or bluer. Hazel green and brown irises have more pigment than blue or gray irises.
Height: 49.8 cm
Weight: 3083 grams
Mother’s condition in the 38th week of pregnancy
It may be more difficult for you to sleep during the night and you may not have a good night’s sleep. Try to sleep during the day as this may be your only option for the rest of the time. Pay close attention to your child’s movements. Although the space around him is very tight, he should still be active. Swelling of the feet in these final weeks is normal; But if you notice swelling in your hands or face, sudden weight gain, persistent or severe headaches, blurred vision, spots or light flashes, or pain in the upper abdomen, contact your doctor or midwife immediately; Because these conditions may be a sign of an acute condition called preeclampsia. Encourage your wife to relax and do the things she likes; Because after the birth of the baby, he will not have time for fun.
Important symptoms of the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy
If you have anxiety and worry, you should know that this issue will affect your delivery process. Try to stay calm and focus on regular exercises. Relax to relax your muscles. Start with a part of the head or foot and relax each muscle one by one. You can ask your partner to massage your back and shoulders. Then massage your hands and feet because massaging the muscles will release endorphins, which will bring you euphoria. Also, sit in a quiet room with a single point of focus and go through everything that comes to mind.
What should we eat in the 38th week of pregnancy?
The best way to increase the absorption of calories while breastfeeding is to use nutritious foods such as skim milk, yogurt, red meat, white meat and fish, eggs and legumes. An extra 200 kcal can be found in a Turkish kebab sandwich with wheat bread, a bowl of brastok or cereal with milk, eggs with slices of wheat bread, and roast chicken. Legumes, fruits and vegetables will also play a major role in providing the calories you and your baby need. If your diet is not rich enough, see your doctor to get vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, E, C, folic acid, vitamin B1 and B12, calcium, copper, tin, manganese, iodine, biotin, selenium and others. Prescribe minerals and nutritional supplements.
Ultrasound of the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy
During the last weeks of pregnancy, your fetus has less room to move. A few weeks ago he might have kicked or turned, but now he doesn’t have enough room to do that because he’s grown and less able to move. But if the movement of the fetus is too low, it may be necessary to carry out the necessary examination with ultrasound. In the ultrasound of the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy, the heart rate of the fetus is checked to make sure that it is within the normal range.
List of important tasks in the 38th week of pregnancy
Read up on how to care for your baby: Now is a good time to finish reading up on pregnancy and go over how to care for your baby. You won’t have much time to read after your baby is born, so at least learn about the first few weeks of your baby’s birth.
If before 38 weeks labor symptoms include regular contractions every 5 to 8 minutes, each lasting 45 to 60 seconds, or the rupture of the water sac accompanied by sudden or gradual discharge, you should contact your midwife or doctor as soon as possible. Call or go to medical centers, because it is possible that you will give birth prematurely.
Fetal hiccups at 38 weeks pregnant
If the baby hiccups in your belly, the reason for these hiccups is that the baby swallows some of the fetal fluid in order to practice breathing. Therefore, at this time, his lungs have grown enough and are complete. These hiccups may be so strong that your partner also notices your stomach moving.
Headaches in the 38th week of pregnancy
Pregnant women may experience headaches for various reasons, including fatigue, stress, sinus problems, or a history of migraines. Most of these headaches are more intense than before pregnancy due to the presence of pregnancy hormones in the body, and this is more in the third trimester. If your headaches continue at this stage of pregnancy, you should take measures to prevent and treat them. Having to walk across the room several times a day to pee is hard enough. In order to get rid of headaches caused by stressful emotions, you need to slow down your life, deal with everything that worries you, ask for help and get enough rest. Set aside part of the day to take deep breaths or do some stretching in a cool, dark place. Also, breathe some fresh air and be active. If your headache is caused by tension, put some ice on your forehead or back of your neck. If your headache is caused by sinus problems or allergies, keep the bedroom cool and use a humidifier at home.
Contraception after delivery
During these months, you have been so busy that you haven’t had time to think about contraception, or maybe you have imagined that with a new baby at home, you won’t have time for sex anymore. It may take a few weeks or months for your libido to return, but you may not have the necessary preparation and information for prevention after the return of sexual desire, which is especially difficult after adding a new person to your life. And it is more important. So think of a plan for yourself right now.
- Breastfeeding does not prevent pregnancy: It is true that breastfeeding reduces the chance of having a baby, but if you stop breastfeeding completely, even if your period has not yet started, there is a chance of ovulation. Therefore, hormones related to breastfeeding are not a reliable option to avoid future pregnancy.
- Natural prevention: This method is the least reliable for preventing pregnancy and requires you to keep your menstrual and ovulation periods in mind. However, during the fertile days, you should avoid sexual intercourse or use a safer method of contraception. To predict the time of ovulation, you can use various methods, including measuring the temperature of the cervix or testing its mucus, or use special kits for this purpose. This method is about 60% effective, so out of every 100 women, 40 women may get pregnant during the year.
- Condom: Many women use condoms instead of birth control pills so that there is no disruption in the secretion of their lactation hormones. Condoms are generally 85% effective and also prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Diaphragm: If you used a diaphragm before pregnancy, you will be able to use it afterwards. Since the shape of your uterus may have changed after giving birth, make sure it is positioned correctly with the help of your midwife or doctor. In addition, you should know that even if the diaphragm is used correctly, which means placing it correctly and using spermicide and placing it in front of the diaphragm six hours after sexual intercourse, it will still not be a completely safe solution. Its effectiveness is 94% in the best case, and for women who do not use the correct diaphragm, this effectiveness decreases to 80%.
- IUD: This tool, which is widely used all over the world, is the most popular method of contraception due to its 99% effectiveness and not causing any disturbance during sexual intercourse, and it can be easily removed by a doctor.