Your baby is full term! Week 38 pregnancy marks 36 weeks since your baby was conceived, and as many as 30 or so weeks that you’ve known this little one was coming. You may be waiting for few more weeks, or you could be holding your baby tomorrow. What an exciting time! Let’s talk about symptoms, the possibility that you’re walking around dilated, and signs of labor.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Updated August 14, 2021
Your little one probably weighs in at around 6 3/4 pounds. He or she is about 14 inches from crown to rump, or 19 2/3 inches from crown to heel (1). What else is going on with baby?
You probably feel like you’re all belly at this point. The top of your uterus is now 14 1/2 to 15 1/4 inches from the pubic symphysis, and 6 1/2 to 7 1/4 inches above your belly button (1). It may be hard to believe it, but your uterus (just the uterus itself, not baby or anything else) now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (2). For reference, it was about 2 ounces before you were pregnant! Isn’t your body incredible?!
We’ve talked about contractions the last couple of weeks, but it’s worth mentioning again. No talk of late pregnancy symptoms is complete without mentioning the contractions that you may be feeling with increasing frequency. You’ve likely been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions for a while. Your uterus may be contracting more often and more strongly (3). Your contractions may seem to be set off by everything — exercise, a sneeze, bumping your belly, or absolutely nothing at all. Along with your shifting hormones, these contractions are preparing your body for labor.
Before your baby is born, your breasts begin producing colostrum, a highly nutritious fluid that’s your baby’s first milk (2). Colostrum is a thick yellow fluid. It contains proteins and antibodies that help boost baby’s immune system. And, colostrum gives your baby nourishment until your breasts start making milk a few days after your little one is born (1,3). You may see colostrum leaking from your breasts or notice a dry crust on your nipples.
If your breasts leak frequently, consider using nursing pads. These are absorbent circular pads that you place in your bra, and they come in both disposable and washable forms.
You’re all belly these days, and it can be hard to find a way to get comfortable. Not to mention that your back aches, your uterus randomly practices Braxton Hicks contractions, you may have heartburn, and your bladder is completely out of room and sends you to the bathroom frequently. It’s no wonder you find it difficult to sleep. Try to keep a good sleep routine, use as many pillows and cushions as it takes to make yourself comfortable, and snag a little extra rest time during the day if you’re able.
Learn more: Tips & Comfortable Sleeping Positions During Pregnancy
You may have learned from a cervical check at your last prenatal appointment that you are a centimeter or two dilated. What does this mean? Is labor starting? Not necessarily. The start of labor is marked by the presence of regular contractions that bring about continued dilation and effacement. But, it does mean that your body is making progress–that your cervix is beginning to open.
Progress can be very slow, though. Some women progress from a closed cervix to 10 cm in a matter of hours once labor has begun, and others walk around for weeks 1 – 2 cm dilated without any contractions (4). As great as it would be if we could predict things more accurately, we’ll just have to embrace the fact that labor and birth remain one thing in life that are necessarily a surprise. If you’ve begun to dilate at all, just celebrate the fact that forward motion is happening.
We’ve been talking about signs of labor for a couple weeks, but right now, this information is pretty much the center of your thoughts. As you wait for baby, pay attention to your body’s signals so you’ll know when labor is approaching (5). Here are the 6 main signs that labor’s on it’s way:
Lightening is when baby moves down lower into the pelvis. This is also known as engagement. With baby dropped downward and the uterus no longer pushing into the diaphragm and lungs, breathing often becomes easier. However, it may be traded for leg cramps or pains, increased pelvic pressure, and edema in the legs and feet.
Braxton Hicks contractions are known as “practice contractions” of the uterus. The muscle tightens, however it doesn’t bring about effacement or dilation of the cervix. While they’re typically painless, Braxton Hicks contractions that have been occurring for some time may become more uncomfortable. They may become strong enough for a woman to believe she is in labor, and this is called false labor.
False labor can be uncomfortable and exhausting, and there’s no way to know if it’s the beginning of true labor unless your cervix is being checked regularly, which is not typically recommended. Call your provider if you’re unsure of what to do, and he or she can help you decide if it’s time to come in.
In the meantime, change up your activity level. If you’ve been standing all day, try lying down. If you’ve been lying down all day, get up and go take a walk. Braxton Hicks contractions will usually go away in response to a change in activity level.
The cervix softens before labor begins. As we discussed last week, the labor contractions help to thin (efface) and open (dilate) the cervix. Some women experience cervical changes days or weeks before labor, and for others, the cervical changes happen all at once during labor.
If you want to get an idea of how the cervix changes, there is an excellent video from Hamilton Health Sciences that demonstrates how the cervix changes before and during labor.
We learned in our week 37 pregnancy article that the cervix contains a mucus plug during pregnancy. When it comes out, there is often a small amount of blood loss from exposed capillaries in the cervix. This results in pink-tinged secretions known as bloody show.
In about 12% of women, the water breaks before labor starts. In most cases, labor starts within 24 hours of the membranes rupturing. If labor doesn’t start within 24 hours, your doctor or midwife may talk to you about the possibility of inducing labor. (This is not always necessary; it’s just something that will likely be brought up for discussion if more than a day passes between water breaking and labor starting.)
No one knows exactly why, but some women get a burst of energy a day or two before labor. If you find yourself suddenly full of energy, it may be a sign that labor is close. Try not to overdo it with baby-prepping though (i.e. painting the nursery), as your body will need the energy for labor.
During pregnancy, your cervix is closed, but there is an additional layer of protection to keep out anything that may be harmful to your baby. This extra protection is the disgusting but heroic mucus plug. It acts like a cork, plugging the cervix to keep out anything that doesn’t belong in the uterus. When your cervix begins to dilate, that mucus plus is dislodged and will come out. Some women notice the passage of a glob of mucus that is clear, yellowish, or brownish. Some women don’t notice it passing. But if you happen to see it, that’s confirmation that cervical change is happening. It may still be weeks, though, so don’t get too excited and think that labor is imminent. (And don’t worry about baby’s safety after the plug has passed. Your body continues to produce cervical mucus to keep your uterus protected.)
Weight Loss – Some women lose up to three pounds due to fluid loss and electrolyte shifts caused by changes in hormones.
Diarrhea, Indigestion, or Nausea – It isn’t known for sure why, but any or all of these may occur shortly before labor.
Any or all of these labor signs may appear before you go into active labor, but most of them aren’t an absolute indicator that baby will be here right away. The only thing in the list above that means that you’re “on the clock,” counting down to baby’s delivery is the rupture of membranes. If your water breaks, let your doctor or midwife know. The rest of the symptoms are just signs that your little one may be on his or her way in the near-ish future.
Join us again next week for Week 39 Pregnancy: No Signs of Labor, Labor Approaching, and Baby Movement.
Kopa Birth’s online birthing classes allow you to prepare for a natural hospital birth from the comfort of your own home, 24/7. Enroll today in our free online childbirth class and start preparing for your natural birth!
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Your baby is full term! Week 38 pregnancy marks 36 weeks since your baby was conceived, and as many as 30 or so weeks that you’ve known this little one
