Your Pregnancy Week 38

Your Baby

Your baby could be gaining as much as one full ounce of weight per day now. While he continues to urinate and practice breathing, your baby is also storing meconium (your baby's first bowel movement) in his intestines. His lungs are continuing to mature and his grasp has become even firmer then before. Your baby is approximately 20 inches long and weighs about 6 1/2 to 7 pounds. Almost all babies born now will live with little medical intervention.

Your Body

You may begin to feel electrical buzzes down your legs and inside your vagina. This is caused from the baby hitting nerves as he settles into your pelvis. You may be experiencing some Braxton-Hicks contractions, which can be irregular and very painful. These contractions may be felt in your back, hips, lower abdomen and your pelvis. The difference between these contractions and real ones are that true labor contractions usually start at the top of your uterus and spread over the entire uterus, through your back and into the pelvis. True labor pains will be progressive in strength and duration and will not be alleviated when you change positions. If you're unsure, call your doctor. But don't worry. You'll know the difference - trust your body.

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