Week 38: The Waiting Game - Signs of Approaching Labor

The Anticipation Builds

Week 38 brings a mix of excitement and anticipation as you enter what many call "the waiting game." Your baby is fully developed and ready for birth, but the timing of labor remains one of nature's mysteries. This waiting period, while sometimes frustrating, serves important purposes as both you and your baby make final preparations for the momentous transition ahead.

Most first-time mothers deliver sometime between 38-42 weeks, with an average of about 40 weeks and 5 days. For mothers who have given birth before, labor often begins slightly earlier, around 40 weeks and 3 days on average.

Early Signs of Labor

While every woman's experience is different, there are several signs that labor may be approaching:

• Lightening or "Dropping": Your baby may settle deeper into your pelvis, potentially improving breathing but increasing pelvic pressure and urinary frequency.

• Increased Braxton Hicks Contractions: Practice contractions may become more frequent, though they remain irregular and typically don't increase in intensity.

• Cervical Changes: Your healthcare provider may detect softening, effacement (thinning), or early dilation of the cervix during routine exams.

• Loss of Mucus Plug: The protective mucus plug that seals the cervix may be discharged, sometimes tinged with blood (called "bloody show").

• Nesting Instinct: Many women experience a sudden burst of energy and desire to clean, organize, and prepare for baby's arrival.

Distinguishing True vs. False Labor

Learning to distinguish between true labor and false labor can help reduce anxiety and unnecessary trips to the hospital:

True Labor Contractions:

• Occur at regular intervals that gradually get closer together

• Increase in intensity and duration over time

• Continue regardless of position changes or activity

• Often felt in the back and radiate to the front

• Cannot be stopped by rest or hydration

False Labor (Braxton Hicks):

• Irregular timing that doesn't follow a pattern

• Don't increase in intensity or duration

• Often stop with position changes or activity

• Usually felt only in the front of the abdomen

• May decrease with rest or hydration

When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider

Contact your healthcare provider or head to the hospital if you experience:

• Contractions every 5 minutes for an hour (or follow your provider's specific instructions)

• Water breaking (rupture of membranes), especially if fluid is green or brown

• Bright red bleeding (more than spotting)

• Severe, constant abdominal pain

• Decreased fetal movement

• Fever, severe headache, or vision changes

Your Baby's Final Preparations

Even though development is complete, your baby continues making final preparations:

• Continuing to gain weight, approximately 200 grams per week

• Practicing breathing movements and coordinating reflexes

• Accumulating more protective antibodies from your system

• Positioning optimally for delivery (usually head-down)

Emotional Readiness

The final weeks often bring intense emotions:

• Excitement about meeting your baby

• Anxiety about labor pain and the unknown

• Impatience with physical discomforts

• Nesting urges to prepare everything perfectly

• Fear about parenting responsibilities

These feelings are completely normal and shared by virtually all expectant parents.

Recipe: Comfort-Food Loaded Sweet Potato

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato

• 1/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1/4 avocado, diced

• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Bake sweet potato at 400°F for 45-60 minutes until tender

2. Cut open and fluff flesh with a fork

3. Top with seasoned black beans, yogurt, and avocado

4. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and cilantro

5. Comfort food that provides sustained energy for late pregnancy

Sources:

1. Norwitz, E.R., et al. (2019). “Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies”

2. Anderson, M.V., et al. (2013). “Nesting behavior in expectant mothers”