38 Weeks Pregnant
38 weeks pregnant can feel like one of the longest and most exciting weeks of your entire pregnancy. Your due date is close enough that every contraction, cramp, pressure change, or trip to the bathroom can make you wonder, “Is this finally it?”
At 38 weeks, your baby and body are still preparing for birth. ACOG classifies 38 weeks as early term, with full term beginning at 39 weeks. Unless there is a medical reason for earlier delivery, ACOG recommends avoiding nonmedically indicated delivery before 39 weeks because important development continues during this period.
That does not mean labor cannot naturally begin at 38 weeks. It simply means your baby gets to decide the timeline, and there may still be some important finishing touches happening before delivery.
What Happens When You Are 38 Weeks Pregnant?
By the time you are 38 weeks pregnant, space inside your abdomen is limited. Your uterus has expanded dramatically throughout pregnancy, and your baby’s organs continue maturing as birth approaches.
You may notice that your baby’s movements feel different simply because there is less room for large kicks and turns. You should still continue to notice your baby’s usual pattern of movement, though. A meaningful decrease or change in fetal movement should be discussed promptly with your prenatal provider.
Physically, you may also feel as if everything has shifted downward. Your pelvis may feel heavier, walking can become more uncomfortable, and getting out of bed may suddenly feel like an athletic event.
For many moms, these final weeks are less about feeling “sick” and more about simply feeling very pregnant.
Your Baby May Drop Lower
One of the most noticeable changes near the end of pregnancy is lightening, commonly described as the baby “dropping.”
When your baby settles deeper into the pelvis, your belly may appear lower. Some women notice that they can breathe more comfortably because there is less pressure beneath the ribs. At the same time, increased pressure on the bladder and pelvis can make walking, sitting, and sleeping less comfortable.
You may also find yourself going to the bathroom even more frequently.
Having your baby drop does not tell you exactly when labor will begin. For some first time mothers, this happens weeks beforehand. In later pregnancies, it may not happen until much closer to labor.
If you already have our article Baby Dropped? What It Means Before Labor published, this is a perfect place to internally link it.
Pelvic Pressure at 38 Weeks Pregnant
Increased pelvic pressure is extremely common when you are 38 weeks pregnant.
Your baby is larger, your body is preparing for delivery, and the muscles and joints surrounding your pelvis are handling a tremendous physical load. Standing after sitting, climbing stairs, walking for long periods, or rolling over in bed may feel very different than they did earlier in pregnancy.
Some women also experience brief, sharp sensations low in the pelvis that are sometimes referred to as lightning crotch.
Changing positions slowly may help. Gentle movement, when your prenatal provider has not restricted activity, may also reduce stiffness.
Persistent or severe pain is different from ordinary late pregnancy pressure and should be discussed with your OB GYN or midwife.
Are These Real Contractions?
This is probably one of the biggest questions at 38 weeks.
Braxton Hicks contractions can become more noticeable near the end of pregnancy. Your abdomen may tighten and become firm before relaxing again.
These practice contractions tend to be irregular and may change after you rest, hydrate, walk, or change positions.
True labor contractions generally become more regular, stronger, and closer together as labor progresses.
Your OB GYN or midwife should give you individualized instructions for when they want you to call or head to your planned birth location. Those recommendations can vary depending on your pregnancy history, previous deliveries, medical circumstances, and how far you live from the hospital or birth center.
Is Back Pain a Sign of Labor at 38 Weeks?
Back discomfort can happen for many reasons late in pregnancy.
Your growing abdomen changes posture and places additional demands on the muscles surrounding your lower back and pelvis. Your baby’s position can also change where you feel pressure.
Some women experience lower back discomfort during labor, but back pain by itself does not necessarily mean labor has started.
Pay more attention to the overall pattern. Back discomfort occurring alongside increasingly regular contractions, pelvic pressure, leaking fluid, or other labor changes may be more meaningful than an isolated sore back after a long day.
This also creates a natural internal link to your existing pregnancy back pain content.
Sleep Can Become Difficult
Nobody needs to tell a mom who is 38 weeks pregnant that sleep can be challenging.
You finally find a comfortable position, then your hip hurts, or you switch sides, your baby starts moving. Getting comfortable again can be tough and then you need to use the bathroom.
Pregnancy pillows can help support the belly, hips, and legs. Many women find a pillow between the knees helpful while side sleeping, while another pillow beneath the abdomen may reduce pulling or pressure.
Do not become frustrated if sleep comes in shorter stretches. Rest whenever your schedule allows, including during the day when needed.
Your body is preparing for labor, and conserving some energy is worthwhile.
Does Losing the Mucus Plug Mean Labor Is Starting?
As your cervix begins changing, you may notice thicker vaginal discharge or lose some or all of your mucus plug.
This can certainly be one of the signs that your body is preparing for birth, but it does not create an exact countdown to labor.
Some women lose their mucus plug shortly before labor. Others notice pieces of it over several days.
A small amount of blood tinged mucus can occur as the cervix changes. Significant vaginal bleeding is different and deserves prompt medical attention.
If you are uncertain about what you are seeing, contact your prenatal provider rather than trying to determine the cause yourself.
What If My Water Breaks?
Water breaking does not always look like it does in movies.
Some women experience an obvious gush of fluid, while others notice a steady trickle.
If you believe your water has broken, contact your OB GYN or midwife and follow their instructions, even if contractions have not begun.
Do not wait for contractions to become intense before telling your provider that you suspect your membranes have ruptured.
When Should I Call My Provider at 38 Weeks Pregnant?
Knowing what deserves medical attention is especially important at 38 weeks pregnant because so many symptoms are changing.
Follow the specific labor instructions provided by your OB GYN or midwife. In addition, contact your prenatal team promptly for significant vaginal bleeding, suspected water breaking, decreased fetal movement, severe or persistent pain, fever, severe headache, visual changes, sudden significant swelling, difficulty breathing, or severe upper abdominal pain.
These symptoms should not be assumed to be normal simply because you are close to your due date.
If something feels dramatically different or concerning, calling your prenatal provider is appropriate.
Should I Be Trying to Start Labor?
At 38 weeks, waiting can become difficult.
You have probably packed the hospital bag, washed the baby clothes, installed the car seat, and answered “Any baby yet?” more times than you ever wanted to.
However, unless your healthcare provider has recommended delivery for a medical reason, there is generally no need to rush your body into labor. ACOG recommends avoiding nonmedically indicated delivery before 39 weeks because newborn outcomes are generally better at 39 weeks and beyond than during the early term period.
Instead, focus on staying hydrated, eating regularly, resting, and remaining appropriately active according to your provider’s recommendations.
Chiropractic Care at 38 Weeks Pregnant
Many women continue chiropractic care during the final weeks of pregnancy because the physical demands on the pelvis, hips, ribs, and lower back continue changing.
At Third Coast Chiropractic, pregnancy focused chiropractic care is centered on spinal and pelvic mobility, musculoskeletal comfort, and healthy movement.
We also utilize the Webster Technique when appropriate. Webster Technique care focuses on evaluating and addressing pelvic joint dysfunction during pregnancy. It does not manually turn babies, induce labor, or guarantee a particular delivery outcome.
At this stage, our goal is straightforward. We want Mom to move as comfortably and efficiently as possible while her body prepares naturally for birth.
If a symptom suggests an obstetric concern rather than a musculoskeletal one, your prenatal provider is the appropriate first call.
The Final Stretch
Being 38 weeks pregnant puts you incredibly close to meeting your baby, but there is no reliable way to turn every new sensation into a countdown clock.
Your baby may drop without labor beginning.
You may experience contractions that disappear.
Your mucus plug may change without delivery happening that day.
Then one day, the pattern really does change.
Stay connected with your OB GYN or midwife, pay attention to your baby’s usual movement, and give yourself permission to slow down during these final days.
At Third Coast Chiropractic in Traverse City, we love supporting families through this entire transition, from the final weeks of pregnancy into postpartum recovery and those first incredible weeks with a newborn.
You are almost there.