week 38
What is happening to my baby?
Your baby is now mature and the organs are fully functioning. However, your baby would still grow. The size of your baby will differ from one woman to another. You could ask your doctor who could give an estimation of your baby’s weight either clinically or by scan.
What is happening to my body?
You may still be growing at this stage. You should be aware of the possible symptoms of labour. In some women, their doctors may advice them to go for caesarean section which could either be an elective or emergency procedure. You and your partner should prepare yourself if this were to happen as labour sometimes could be very unpredictable.
What should I plan this week?
- Have an antenatal check up with your doctor
- Make sure your labour bags are packed with your antenatal cards.
- Ensure you have made arrangements to go to the hospital with your partner or other family members when you go in labour. Do know where exactly to go when you go into labour.
- Last minute preparation of baby’s things and nursery
- Arrangement for help with the new baby or child care for the other kids when you are in hospital and when you return home with the new baby.
Tips of the week
Tips of taking care of your caesarean wound:
- The initial few days after caesarean section, you may feel pain at the incision, do take analgesia regularly as prescribed by your doctor.
- Ask your doctor whether the sutures need to be removed later after a few days or gets absorb by itself and does not need to be removed.
- You could still breastfeed, but experiment and find the most comfortable position for you to do so.
- Ensure that your underwear is large enough and covers above your incision instead of rubbing onto your wound.
- You could have a shower after discharge from hospital. Just ensure your wound is kept clean and dry after showering.
- Observe the wound, initially it looks red. However, inform your doctor if the skin surrounding the wound looks red and angry or if you notice any discharge coming out of the wound.
- Do not worry too much if there is itchiness or numbness at the wound area.
- Do not carry heavy things 6 – 8 weeks after delivery.
- Ensure you are taking a balanced diet so that you have enough important nutrients in your body to heal the wound well.
- You could take vitamins such as vitamin C and zinc to promote wound healing.
- After 2 weeks you could rub on some vitamin E to the wound to reduce the formation of keloid scar.
Health matter
You could read further on the following topics:
