38 weeks pregnant: how the fetus develops and what happens in the body
The momentous moment is getting closer, and even if there are still two weeks before the due date of delivery, the baby has every chance of being born at any time from this week. By 38 weeks, the baby has already prepared for life outside the mother's body, so if you suddenly feel even a hint of true contractions, you need to take the prepared bag under your armpit and go to the hospital. Today we will consider how the baby feels at this time, and also touch on the topic of the internal sensations of the mother herself.
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Baby at 38 weeks pregnant
At 38 weeks, the child is already absolutely ripe and ready to go out into the world. All its organs are perfectly developed, all systems are debugged and function remarkably well. If childbirth at 38 weeks does not occur, then nothing else is expected other than light weight gain. Now the crumb has an impressive size. His weight has reached three kilograms, and his height is about 50 cm.
The baby's skin has already smoothed out and acquired a natural color. The original grease was gone, and with it lanugo. By this time, meconium has already formed, from which the intestines of the crumbs will get rid of immediately after birth. It is worth noting some cases when babies "relieve themselves" while still in the womb. In this case, the amniotic fluid has a green color and an unpleasant odor, and the baby himself is born in green mucus.
If the belly is a boy, then his testicles have already descended into the scrotum, but this may not happen. If this is not observed, then in the future he may have problems in the genital area. That is why, first of all, after birth, the doctor checks the genitals of boys.
The baby already recognizes the sounds that occur outside of his "house", he listens to them, hears when they talk to him and can even respond to calls. He feels the touch on the stomach, he can distinguish between night and day, according to the change in light. By this time, the baby already its own regime is being developed... You can see how the activity increases during the day, and dies down at night. During this period, the mother needs to observe psychological calmness, since the baby feels the nervous tension of the mother, which can negatively affect the nervous system, since the latter is formed in children until the moment of birth.
38 week of pregnancy - harbingers of childbirth
There are several main signs that herald a very early birth. Here is some of them:
- Lowered belly. Explained by simple anatomy. When the baby prepares for birth, he turns his head down and falls closer to the birth canal, which outwardly looks like the stomach has dropped down. At this time, mommy may experience aching pain in the lumbar region, which is due to the discrepancy of the bones.
- Allocations... Since some part of the fetal bladder has moved away from the walls of the uterus, discharge may begin from the birth canal. At this time, amniotic fluid may begin to leak - it is very important not to miss this moment and consult a doctor in a timely manner.
- Along the cervix. This sign is visible only to hand on a personal examination, the woman herself does not feel it. Before childbirth, changes occur in the cervix, now it becomes like a tube with an enlarged opening.
- By its own weight. If you regularly weigh yourself and by chance noticed a sharp loss of a kilogram and a half, you will soon see your baby. Thus, before giving birth, the body gets rid of puffiness.
- Exit of the mucous plug. It can be confused with normal secretions, which also have a mucus structure. Only in this case, its density is slightly higher, and in color it can be both transparent and yellowish, and green, and with bloody blotches. But profuse spotting is a signal for an urgent visit to a doctor!
- Posture changes. Before childbirth, due to the drooping of the abdomen, the posture of the future mother becomes proud. The back is thrown back, the chin looks up. At the same time, the gait becomes "duck".
- Frequent urge to go to the toilet "in a small way" and loosening of the chair. This harbinger is not the most reliable, as it is explained by the increased estrogen hormone, which can take several weeks.
- The appearance of training contractions and their regular intensification. Compared to real fights, training fights are not regular and have different durations. Thus, the body simply prepares for the upcoming delivery.
- Unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen, these are aching pains, and pulling. However, this often worries primiparous mothers, and with a secondary pregnancy, this sensation may not be there.
Childbirth at 38 weeks gestation
By the 38th week, it is already necessary to prepare everything that is required in the hospital, to choose an institution in which the baby will be born. Think in advance how you will get to the maternity ward, for example, if the city is very large and there are constant traffic jams, it may make sense to go there in advance, than then urgently and nervously rush to the doctors.
Practice breathing practice. Correct breathing will help you focus on the process and reduce pain. Childbirth at 38 weeks is characterized as normal, so there is no need to worry.
Pain at 38 weeks gestation
Now pain can occur for quite natural reasons. So, for example, back pain is an indicator of weakening of the joints with ligaments, which indicates the passage of the crumbs closer to the birth canal. Since the center of gravity is shifting, the growth and weight of the baby is large, and the ligaments and joints become loose, the pain can be quite severe.
Since the baby is in a head-down position, he begins to put pressure on the pelvic bones, adding a load to them, which explains the pain in the womb. Pain in the legs, knees, sacrum is characterized by compression of the femoral nerve, which lies just next to the uterus. If caviar is disturbed, this indicates an insufficient amount of calcium in the body of the expectant mother.
To the listed pains, false training contractions are added, which in no way affect the woman's condition. But if during this period there are frequent dizziness, nausea, vomiting, pain in the head and split before the eyes - you need to urgently call an ambulance!
