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Welcome to Week 38

38 Week Old Fetus

Your Baby: Reaching Full-term

During the last couple weeks of pregnancy, your baby might gain a very small amount of weight. Or they may stop gaining at all. Now considered full-term, your little one may weigh anywhere from 6 to 9 pounds (2.7 to 4 kg) and measures about 21 inches (53 cm) long.

Your Body: Getting Into Position

There is no right or wrong, best or worst position to give birth. It depends on what is comfortable and what is happening. Most women do well lying on their side during labor. Others may feel better walking around, taking a shower, or pacing the hospital's hallways. Listen to your body to find the position that works best for you and helps labor progress. Always remember that whatever position you're in there are options:

Upright Positions

It's important to realize that upright positions can be difficult if you have an epidural, because your legs may be too numb to support you or balance in an upright position.

Also remember that the health care provider may have to monitor the heartbeat of the baby. This may limit some of your options during labor. It's important to breathe through each contraction and keep an open mind. If you have to be restricted to bed because of medical equipment, anesthesia or fetal monitoring, stay focused on your goal: your baby. And whether you're lying down or standing up, changing positions is key.

On A Different Note: Episiotomy Up Close

Most first-time pregnant women feel a certain sense of panic when they think about how they're going to get that huge baby out of that small vaginal opening. Of course, most women's openings stretch out to accommodate the baby. If the baby needs to come out quickly, before the skin has time to stretch, mom may end up with an episiotomy. This is a surgical incision in the perineum to enlarge it. But many women get through childbirth without tearing on their own, and without needing an episiotomy. In fact, recent studies show that not having an episiotomy is best for most women in labor.

Weekly Tip

Whether this is your first or your fourth baby, you could give birth any moment now. So it's crucial to get the logistics in place. That means:




Review Date: 8/20/2019
Reviewed By: LaQuita Martinez, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Alpharetta, GA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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