By week 38 your baby's organs are ready for life outside, and they're shedding the waxy coating on their skin.
Your baby this week
- Organs
- Ready to work on their own.
- Vernix
- The waxy coating is shedding, though some is often still there at birth.
- Grip
- A strong grasp, ready to hold your finger.
What you might notice
- Swelling in your feet and ankles. Sudden swelling is in the list below.
- Tiredness and broken sleep.
- Practice contractions that may feel more like the real thing.
- Wanting it to be over. Completely normal.
Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit now if
- Your waters break, or you think they might have
- Your contractions are regular and getting stronger, or you're not sure
- You have bleeding, or your baby's movements have slowed down or changed
- You have a bad headache, blurred vision or sudden swelling
Day or night. If something just feels wrong, that's reason enough to call.
Coming up
Any day
Labour could start.
Week 40
Your due date.
Questions to bring to your next appointment
- What are the signs I should come in?
- What's your plan if I go past 40 weeks?
- What support is there for feeding in the first few days?
Add your own, then bring the list with you.
For your partner
Fill the freezer with a few easy meals. Future you will be grateful.
NUGA follows you week by week
Enter your due date once and NUGA knows you're at week 38. The day before each appointment, it gathers what you've noted and the questions to bring.
Download on theApp StoreAvailable nowSources
This page draws on public guidance from:
General information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different, and your midwife or doctor knows yours. Last updated October 2026.