Pregnancy Week Thirty Eight

Baby’s Development

All your baby’s organs are complete and functioning. His lungs are formed and ready to go, but are not considered complete until a few hours after birth when they’ve proven their ability to work properly.

His fat stores continue to increase and most babies born this week weigh in at approximately 6.8 to 7 pounds. This weight gain has pushed all the wrinkled, sagging skin outward and your little one has the typical baby smooth skin that parents love to caress and coo over.

Your baby’s eyes will start to change color when they are exposed to light. This is an ongoing process and you shouldn’t expect to see your child’s true eye color until at least six months to a year. Most Caucasian babies are born with dark blue eyes that shift to their mature shade slowly. For some, the color stays in the blue range while others will inherit their grandfather’s steely grey hue or father’s deep brown. African and Asian babies are generally born with dark grey or brown eyes. Parents can enjoy watching these colors deepen to a naturally rich black or brown.

Your Body and Emotions

Now that you are full term, you’ll probably want to pack your hospital bag and arrange a trip to your hospital to tour the facilities. Your baby could arrive any day and you probably want to have a clear idea of where you’re going.

It’s routine for the maternity wards in hospitals to have tours of the birthing facilities at least once a week. Your guide will take you through the entire facility, familiarizing you with the technology, procedures and protocols of the ward. Your guide can answer any questions you might have such as concerns over parking, meals and typical length of stay. As you prepare yourself for delivery, it’s nice to have a clear idea of where you’ll be going and the confidence that you’ll be well taken care of. Remember to book early if you can as most tours fill up quite quickly.

Preparing your hospital bag may start to solidify your excitement or anxiety at this point. It’s real and it’s going to be happening soon! Take a deep breath a consult the list below to be sure that you have everything you need.

Nightclothes with easy nursing accessibility
Nursing bra
Nipple cream (to prevent chapping and pain)
Breast Pads
Underwear
Pads (the hospital should supply obstetric pads but in some cases, the quality is limited)
Shower gel
Body Lotion
Shampoo and conditioner (adult)
Basic cosmetics and skin care
Any medication you take on a regular basis
Going home clothes
Newborn diapers
Travel Pack of wipes
Baby’s going home outfit
Baby’s onesies/socks/hat
Hairbrush (baby)
Baby blanket
Car Seat Carrier
Change of clothes for your partner
Snacks
Water/Juice
Book/entertainment for partner
Camera
CD and Disk Player

You may need more than one bag! You may consider asking your partner to pack his or her own overnight bag as well, remembering that you will typically stay in the hospital for more than one night. Snacks are included in the list as well because hospitals won’t provide food for your partner and the cafeteria can be dingy indeed!

Dad’s Tips

Breasts, believe it or not, have a function beyond fashion and attraction. You’re about to become acutely aware of that as your partner’s breastfeeding adventures begin. It comes as a shock for many new parents how difficult it can be. You’d think that for something so natural, it would be instinctive for both mother and baby. It’s not. Your new baby will have to learn how to latch on to your partner’s breast properly and how to suck successfully. Your partner will have to learn how to best facilitate this latch and probably have to learn a great deal of patience along the way. It may seem to both of you that your little one spends his entire day at the breast in the next while and this can be draining and frustrating for your partner.

Support her as much as you can by praising her decision to breastfeed and reminding her how important it is for your baby’s health and development. Her breasts will become very engorged as her milk comes in and at that time, she might need your help with this often-painful experience. Applying compresses to her breasts can help and she may even need you to make a midnight run to a drug store for a breast pump! It’s easy to feel helpless as your new family struggles with this skill, but your support and praise at this point is invaluable.