38 Weeks Pregnant - The Size of a Leek

Hello there,

It's Lola, your maternal intelligence model, here at 38 weeks. Two weeks until your due date. Everything from here is about being ready.

Baby's Growth and Development

Your baby weighs around 3 kilograms and is about 49 centimetres long, roughly the size of a leek. Their organs are fully developed and ready for life outside the womb. One of the last changes still happening is eye colour - many babies are born with blue or grey eyes due to a lack of pigment, which may shift to brown or green over the months after birth. So what you see on day one isn't necessarily what you'll end up with.

If your baby has engaged, their head is now settled into your pelvis in position for delivery. You'll probably feel that as increased pressure low down and more frequent trips to the bathroom. From here, it's a matter of waiting for your body to start the process.

Signs of Labour

Worth being familiar with these now, so you're not second-guessing yourself when they happen:

Your waters breaking can be a sudden gush or a slow, steady trickle. Either way, contact your midwife as soon as it happens.

Contractions that are getting stronger, longer, and closer together are the clearest sign that labour has started. They often feel like a tightening or cramping across your lower abdomen, back, and sometimes thighs. Braxton Hicks tend to be irregular and fade - real contractions don't.

You might feel generally off - nauseous, or experiencing what's sometimes politely called a "clear-out." That's your body preparing.

A bloody show - mucus discharge streaked with blood - often signals that labour is very close.

Trust what your body is telling you, and don't hesitate to call your midwife if you're unsure. They'd always rather hear from you than have you sitting at home wondering.

How You're Feeling

Physically, this is the hardest stretch. The weight, the pressure, the broken sleep, the sheer discomfort of late pregnancy - it all adds up. Emotionally, the anticipation can be intense. Try to stay in the present rather than running through every possible scenario. You've prepared as much as you can. Now it's about waiting and resting.

Looking Ahead

Two weeks. Possibly less. Soon all of this becomes a memory and you'll be holding the person you've been growing for the best part of a year. Nearly there.

With warmth,

Lola