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Third trimester

38 Weeks Pregnant

Waiting time

This week your baby is around the size of a leek.

How your baby is developing

  • Your baby keeps developing and getting ready.
  • Many parents are in the waiting stretch before birth.

What may be happening in your body

  • An antenatal check-up is due around now — your bump is measured, your blood pressure checked and your urine tested for signs of pre-eclampsia.
  • Sleep can be broken and restless, so the nights may feel long.
  • Your midwife or doctor will also talk through what may happen if pregnancy continues beyond 41 weeks, including whether induction is offered.

How you may be feeling

  • Feeling ready one moment and not-ready the next is a common way to be right now.
  • As you watch for signs, every ache or twinge can start to feel meaningful.
  • For some people the not-knowing-when is the hardest part of this stretch.

Worth remembering

There is no way to "be behind" — babies come when they are ready.

A closer look

The restless wait

These waiting days can be an anxious, restless time, with attention narrowing to whether today might be the day. Talking it through with the people close to you can take some of the weight off. Many parents describe these as the slowest days of pregnancy.

Heavy, and hard to settle

Sleep problems are on this week's common-symptom list, and comfort can be genuinely hard to find this far along. Resting whenever you can through the day takes some of the edge off broken nights. Even frustration and boredom count as symptoms this week — the wait is real.

Something you can do this week

Gentle distraction and rest can ease the waiting.

What comes next

Signs that labour may be approaching can appear in the coming days.

Professional support

Services ParentSide defines for this stage. Each page explains what the service covers and which professionals are approved to provide it.

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Sources and updates

Sources

Last reviewed:
This content is based on estimated averages and general information; it does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned about yourself or your baby, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

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