38 weeks pregnant

In week 38 of pregnancy, your baby weighs around 7lbs. Around now, most babies move lower into the abdomen, a process called ‘engagement’ or ‘lightening’, which means that labour probably isn’t too far away. Read our suggestions for healthy snacks for labour to include in your hospital bag. These snacks will provide a nutritious boost that will benefit both you and your baby when the time comes.

By the time you're 38 weeks pregnant, your baby, weighing somewhere in the region of 6¾lbs¹, is now fully developed and ready for birth². They may even have moved down further into your abdomen, a process known as engagement or lightening. This is sometimes visible with a noticeable lowering of your bump, although for some mums-to-be this only happens at the beginning of labour¹.

By this time your baby has already shed most of their lanugo, the soft downy hair that insulated them for most of pregnancy. Some babies are born with small patches of it that gradually disappear over the first few days and weeks¹.

Another way your baby’s body is getting ready for life after birth is by producing more surfactant within their lungs. This substance stops the air sacs in the lungs from sticking together as they transition from taking in amniotic fluid to breathing air³.

With your baby’s arrival imminent, week 38 is the time to get your hospital bag in order. As well as personal and practical items, it’s helpful to have a variety of nutritious snacks to choose from if you need an energy boost at any point during labour.

You’re unlikely to want to eat a large amount, but a bite or two of a nutrient-rich snack can help to keep you going. Pack several different foods; you won’t know what you’ll feel like or can tolerate until the time comes.