38 weeks pregnant
At 38 weeks you are in the third trimester, and your baby measures about 50 cm from head to heel and weighs about 3.1 kg, roughly the length of a large leek. The 38-week visit is this week, and the final admin before the birth, such as confirming who to call and how to get to the hospital, is done now.
Weighs about 3.1 kg, like a 3 L bottle of milk. Averages from standard growth tables; your scan gives your baby's own numbers.
Your baby at 38 weeks
Shedding lanugo and vernix; a firm grasp. Most babies have turned head-down by now and have little room left to move.
How you might feel
Pelvic pressure, swollen feet, broken sleep and strong practice contractions are common; rest when you can.
38-week visit. Rest when you can.
Call the maternity unit today for any change in your baby's movements, bleeding, fluid loss, a severe headache or vision changes. 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) in Queensland; 000 in an emergency.
What's due this week in Australia
Lodge the Parental Leave Pay and Family Tax Benefit claims
You can lodge up to 3 months before the due date through myGov → Centrelink.
Final admin before the birth
Confirm leave dates with your employer (at least 4 weeks before leave starts), save the maternity unit’s number in both phones, check that myGov and the Centrelink claim are in order, and agree who tells whom.
38-week antenatal visit
Blood pressure, position and movements, and a conversation about what happens if you go past the due date: membrane sweep and induction options.
Coming up: 40-week antenatal visit (first pregnancy)
A membrane sweep is usually offered from 40 weeks, and a plan is made for monitoring past the due date.
Coming up: 41-week visit and post-dates plan
A membrane sweep is offered and the baby’s wellbeing is checked (CTG and a fluid scan).
Checklist for the week
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Questions about 38 weeks
How many months is 38 weeks pregnant?
About eight and a half months.
What trimester is 38 weeks?
Week 38 is in the third trimester. In the Australian guidelines Hello Bub follows, the first trimester runs to 13 weeks, the second from 14 to 27 and the third from 28 weeks.
Can I ask to be induced at 38 weeks?
Induction before 39 weeks is offered for medical reasons only, such as blood pressure problems, diabetes or concerns about growth. Without a medical reason, Australian public hospitals wait until 41 weeks.
Written by the Hello Bub team; medical schedule follows the Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines; last reviewed 3 November 2026.