Congratulations on reaching the 34th week of your pregnancy! You’re now in the thrilling final stretch, with just six weeks left until you meet your baby. Like most expectant mothers, you’re likely feeling a wide range of emotions about welcoming your baby soon – excited, nervous, impatient, scared – or most likely, a swirling combination of all of the above. Your baby continues to grow, so your belly continues to grow, and other parts of your body are changing, too. Continue reading the blog to learn more -
Pregnancy Developments and symptoms at 34 Weeks Pregnant:
- At this stage of pregnancy, some women experience a tingling sensation or numbness in their pelvic region. This is thought to be the effect of a loosening of pelvic muscles in preparation for giving birth. Although this is perfectly normal, some women also experience pain in the hips and/or pelvis. If you are struggling to deal with pain, you should consult your Doctor.
- Some women experience changes in their vision during pregnancy. There are a number of causes of this. Firstly, pregnancy hormones can cause vision to appear less sharp. The tear ducts may also be producing fewer tears, causing eyes to feel dray and irritated. Finally, an increase in fluid behind the eye can cause increased pressure on the eyeball, altering its shape. This can lead to changes in vision. All of these changes are temporary and should all resolve after giving birth.
- You may also notice changes in your hair and its growth. Many women report that their hair grows more quickly and is thicker during pregnancy. Women also find that, due to pregnancy hormones, hair grows on the cheeks, chin and back. If you are concerned about this, you should consult your pharmacist about pregnancy-safe hair removal options.
- Your breasts could feel huge and may be leaking small amounts of yellowish colostrum. This is early milk that's rich in antibodies and will help to protect your baby from diseases if you choose to breastfeed.
- Back Pain –
- As your pregnancy progresses and that lovely baby of yours continues to grow and get bigger, you may start to experience lower back pain. This is caused by a combination of factors, the extra weight of your growing uterus and baby, how you are sitting and moving at this stage in your pregnancy and the release of relaxin – a hormone that causes the softening and loosening of your joints and the relaxing of ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine.
- The position the baby is lying in can have an effect too – if your baby is lying with their back towards your back, there is some extra pressure there too causing lower back pain.
- Back pain won’t cause your baby any distress, but can affect you with sitting, sleeping and moving around. Speak to your doctor to find out what the cause is and get advice on what you can do to relieve the pressure too.
Baby Development:
- Size and Weight: Your baby weighs between 2.2–2.5 kilograms (around 4.8–5.5 pounds). They measure about 45 centimeters (17–18 inches) from head to heel—roughly the size of a cantaloupe (melon) !
- Condition of Baby born at this stage :
- Babies born at 34 weeks have an excellent chance of surviving without major health issues. Babies born at this stage rarely have long-term problems related to prematurity.
- The lungs are now nearly fully developed although the central nervous system is still maturing.
- Both the digestive and intestinal systems are now fully developed and functioning and the bowel will probably be holding the first meconium stool (the first bowel movement), which will be passed after birth. Urine is being passed from the bladder out into the amniotic fluid.
- Around this time the ability to hear is fully developed and the fetus is able to hear and attend to external noise such as your voice, and the voices of you and your family. Some research shows that babies prefer higher pitched sounds both in the uterus and after birth.
- Hair continues to grow on the head and eyebrows and eyelashes are becoming thicker. Fingernails and toenails are also growing and are probably now reaching the tips of the fingers and toes.
- The vernix, the waxy, greasy coating that protects your baby's skin in the womb, starts to get thicker. Most babies move into a head-down position to get ready for labor and birth. It may happen this week or in the next few weeks.
- Around 34 weeks your baby will have also developed something called ‘Brown fat’ which is a special type of fat that will help keep your baby warm straight after birth.
34 Weeks Pregnant: What you should be preparing for
- Around this time many health care providers begin discussing the following with their patients:
- Group B Strep test
- Scheduled visits for the remainder of the pregnancy and post-partum
- Location of the hospital and the Labor and Delivery entrance
- Pre-registration packet
- Pain management options
- Cesarean Birth (if needed)
- Birth control methods for after delivery
- You should also begin to understand the various terms your doctor and other hospital staff will use during labor and delivery.
- You have maternity rights. You can ask for a risk assessment of your work place to ensure that you're working in a safe environment. You should not be lifting heavy things and you may need extra breaks and somewhere to sit.
- To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D. From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March, you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make enough from sunlight.
Conclusion
Always consult with healthcare professionals for guidance tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Enroll in our free lactation webinar to understand more about pain suffered during breastfeeding, possible causes, and solutions for the same.