Learning About Stages of Development, Babies Born at 38 to 40 Weeks
Full-term babies can interact, grasp, and respond to you. Talk, sing, and hold your baby skin-to-skin to support growth. Ask your care team about tummy time, bathing, or massage. Feeding takes practice, so be patient as your baby learns.
What can you expect when your baby is born at 38 to 40 weeks?
Babies born at 38 to 40 weeks are considered full term. At this stage, they are usually ready to eat, sleep, grow, and interact with the people around them. Every baby develops at their own pace, but here are some things you may notice.
At this stage your baby may:
- Interact with you.
- Grasp your finger.
- Suck on a pacifier.
- Communicate with facial expressions and movement.
- Stay awake more around feeding and caregiving times.
- Be more interested in their surroundings.
What can you do to help your baby develop?
You’re an important part of your baby’s care, and there are things you can do to help them.
When your nurse says it's okay, you can help with diaper changes and other daily care. Being part of your baby's care helps both of you.
Contact with you is important for your baby’s development. Be sure to talk, read, or sing to your baby often. Your baby likes to hear your voice. You can also try playing gentle, soothing music for your baby.
Physical contact with you is soothing. Hold your baby skin-to-skin as much as you can. And try rocking your baby to comfort them. You can also ask your care team about giving your baby a bath or infant massage.
Your baby is more interested in their surroundings. Spend time face-to-face with your baby. Your face and voice are best for their development. You may notice a mobile or crib mirror in your baby's bed. The care team uses these to support learning when your baby is awake. The team will also adjust lighting, dimming it at night and brightening it during the day, to help your baby build a healthy sleep-wake routine.
Help your baby have different positions and movements. Ask your care team when to start tummy time. This helps strengthen your baby's head and upper body muscles. Your care team can show you how to do tummy time safely.
Your baby may be breastfeeding or bottle feeding and working toward taking full feedings by mouth. Your baby's care team will help you learn your baby's feeding cues. Feeding still takes a lot of energy, so be patient. Some feedings may go better than others, and that is normal.