Your Baby's Development Week 38

Week 38
You are now 38 weeks pregnant and your baby will be gaining weight fairly constantly now from each day. At this stage in yourpregnancy, baby weighs about 6 pounds, 8 ounces (3083 grams) by now and measures about 19.6 inches (50 centimeters) in length.

Her intestines will be starting to accumulate meconium, a greenish-black substance that constitutes your baby's first bowel movement. Cells that are shed from the intestines, dead skin cells and lanugo hair are some of the waste products that contribute to meconium. If you're having a boy, his testicles have now descended into the scrotum (unless he has a condition called undescended testicle). If you're having a girl, the labia are now completely developed.

Am I In Labor?
You may start to experience "false labor." These contractions may be felt in various parts of your body including your back, lower abdomen and pelvis. True labor pains start at the top of your uterus and then spread like waves over the entire uterus, through your lower back and into the pelvis. Because your baby is engaged in your pelvis, your bladder is extremely compressed, making frequent bathroom trips a necessity.

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