Your Pregnancy: Week 38

Woman places her hands on pregnant belly

By 38 weeks, your baby’s senses are all working now.

At 38 weeks of pregnancy, your baby now weighs around 3.1kg and measures about 50cm in length. Now that they are running out of room their movements may feel different. Your baby should still be moving regularly though so if you notice a reduction in frequency, let your LMC know immediately.

The circumference of your baby’s tummy and head measures about the same now and all of their senses (smell, sight, hearing, touch and taste) are in working order.

By now you’re probably feeling ready to meet your baby. It’s understandable if you are feeling impatient, they’ll be here soon. Take the chance to have a relaxing bath or put your feet up at home – especially if you’re feeling sore, heavy and generally uncomfortable. Enjoy some ‘you time’.

If you’re having a home birth, you might like to have the birthing pool partially set up so it’s ready to be fully inflated when labour begins.