At 38 weeks
At 38 weeks, your baby is about the size of a jackfruit (kathal), around 49.8 cm from head to heel (NHS), with a WHO median estimated weight of about 3,186 g. Most of the soft lanugo hair has gone, and sticky green meconium is stored in the bowel, ready to become the first poo. You could go into labour at any time now, and frustration or boredom are common feelings this week.
Your Baby at 38 Weeks
The soft, downy lanugo that covered your baby in the second trimester has mostly gone, though some babies are born with patches here and there. Your baby is storing meconium, a sticky green substance made from everything they swallow in the womb, which will normally come out after the birth as their first poo (NHS).
Your baby is now ready to be born and is probably still covered in vernix, a white, creamy film that protects their skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. If meconium is released during labour it turns the fluid green, and your baby would then be monitored more closely, as it could be a sign of distress (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
Your Body This Week
At your antenatal appointment around now, your midwife or doctor will measure your bump, check your blood pressure and test your urine for protein, which could point to pre-eclampsia. You will also talk about what might happen if you go beyond 41 weeks, when you may be offered an induction (NHS).
You could go into labour any time between now and 42 weeks, and strong, regular contractions lasting at least a minute each mean labour has begun. You are probably tired and uncomfortable, but some women get a burst of energy and want to prepare the house; just avoid overexerting yourself and make regular time to rest (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
When to call your midwife or doctor: Give your doctor or midwife a call when you think you are in labour, and follow the plan you have agreed for when to go in. Do not drive yourself to the hospital or birth centre, and contact your team immediately if your baby's movements change.
Garbh Sanskar This Week
A small daily practice for this stage, from Mamta’s 1:1 sessions. It is tradition and gentle self-care, not medical advice, so keep every check-up and follow your doctor or midwife first.
- Mantra: The Garbha Raksha Stotram is a devotional prayer asking Brahma, as Prajapati, to protect the pregnant woman and her child; its authorship is uncertain and it is not a Vedic text. Reading or chanting a single verse softly for a few minutes is plenty, with no fixed count needed, and our Garbh Sanskar mantras guide has the details.
- Music: The NHS suggests thinking about the atmosphere you would like at the birth, including whether to play your favourite music. Spend some time choosing calm tracks or bhajans that help you settle, and enjoy them now as well.
- Gentle movement: Feeling cooped up? A short walk outside for fresh air fits Mamta's late-pregnancy teaching of gentle daily movement, only with your doctor's or midwife's clearance, and the NHS suggests taking your notes with you just in case.
- Food: Traditionally, week 38 falls in Charaka's ninth month, when the classical guidance turns to treatments that only a qualified practitioner should give, so stay with simple home meals. Light vegetarian dishes such as khichdi or curd rice can sit within a balanced diet, alongside the iron, calcium and folic acid your doctor recommends.
- Garbh samvad (a line to say to your baby): Every day you grow a little stronger. I am waiting for you with so much love.
Questions About Week 38
What happens at the 38-week antenatal appointment?
Your midwife or doctor will measure your bump with a tape measure, check your blood pressure and test your urine for protein, which could indicate pre-eclampsia. You will also discuss what might happen if you go beyond 41 weeks, when an induction may be offered.
When is a planned caesarean usually booked?
The NHS says a planned (elective) caesarean is usually booked for when you are at least 39 weeks pregnant. This gives your baby's lungs the best chance of being fully developed.
What does it mean if meconium is in the waters?
Meconium is your baby's first poo, a sticky green substance stored in the bowel. If it is released during labour, it turns the amniotic fluid green and can be a sign of distress, so your baby will be monitored more closely.
Practise With Mamta, Wherever You Are
Mamta guides expecting mothers through private 1:1 Garbh Sanskar sessions online, scheduled in your own time zone, from the first trimester to the last week. Start with a free conversation on WhatsApp or read how sessions work.
Sources
Mamta is not a doctor. Medical points on this page come from the sources below, checked in October 2026. Sizes are approximate and babies vary; your scan report is what matters.