Day 268 of 280, third trimester
You are 38 weeks and 2 days
Your baby will be born with beautifully big eyes, but it'll be some time before he sees clearly at a distance.
12 days until your due date
Your baby's eyes are almost adult-sized at birth: they keep growing very slightly until adolescence and the lens grows throughout life, but the eye is already three-quarters of its adult size. Both color-sensing cells (cones) and black-and-white cells (rods) are present in the retina, but vision is still quite poor, roughly equivalent to seeing just the top letter of an eye chart.
This is called 20/400 vision: the baby could see at 20 ft (6 m) what a person with perfect vision could see at 400 ft (122 m). So your newborn may not seem to pay much attention at first, as he'll find it hard to focus and his eye muscles are weak. He will, however, see objects about 12 in (30 cm) away, roughly the distance between your breast and your face, so he can see your face while he feeds.
He'll be six to eight weeks old before he can fix on and follow an object, four months before he can judge distances, and two years old before his vision reaches 20/20.
As a matter of fact
Due dates
95 percent of babies don't arrive on their due date; of these, 25 percent come early and 70 percent late. The four weeks between 38 and 42 weeks are regarded as normal and safe. A month is a long wait, so put a message on your voicemail such as "We'll be in touch as soon as the baby's arrived." Keep busy: get your hair done (much easier without a newborn), catch up with friends, and above all, sleep!
Ask a Doctor
I don't often swear, but is it true I'm likely to verbally abuse my partner during labor?
Possibly, but no one will blame you! Giving birth can be incredibly painful, and you may feel emotional, irritable, shaky, and even nauseous. Don't worry too much about what you say and do; stay focused on the birth and ask for pain relief if you need it. Most birth partners are forgiving and unlikely to take it personally; they'll know you're not quite yourself, and if they've been with you throughout, they'll fully understand what you're going through. You may snap at your caregivers too, but they're used to it!
Explainer
A plump, rounded baby
Your baby has gained weight steadily over these final weeks as fat is laid down under the skin. If born now, he'd have a plump, rounded look.
Appointments and key dates around now
- RSV vaccineFrom 28 weeks
Read the full 38 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.