Week 34 Pregnancy Update-What to Expect for You & Baby

You’re 34 weeks down??!! That means both you and the little bambino inside you have reached the most beautiful 8^th month. Two more months and there you go! You’ll be holding your little one in your hands. Ah! Look at that smile on your face. 😊

No doubt, you’re at the fag end of your pregnancy journey, and you must be curious to know the big-time changes that you and the little one inside you would be undergoing. Isn’t that right?

So, let’s go to your baby first.

Baby’s Development in the 34^th Week

In the 34th week of pregnancy, your little one is big. He or she is approximately 2.1kg and 45cm long from head to toe. That means your little one is about the size of a cantaloupe melon or kharbooja. You can alternately hold a 5-pound bag of flour in your hands and imagine how big is your would-be-baby.  So much so that you start noticing very little movements in your womb except a few wiggles and stretches.

The Little One is Settling for a Sleep Pattern Right From Inside You

While he or she is inside your womb, the child will be able to prepare a sleep pattern for themselves. Who knows that while you go off to sleep, your baby also closes those cute little eyes and opens them when he or she’s done sleeping? 

The Little One Can See the “red” Colour

Yes! Your baby inside you, at the pregnancy 34th week, has cones or cone cells to let your baby see the first colour, which is red colour. Why? That’s because red is the colour present in the womb. And that’s the colour of the baby inside you can see.  

The Little One will Drop Lower by now

By this time, your little one is slowly getting ready to meet you. Therefore, as your due date approaches, you’ll start feeling that your baby has taken the head-down position while trying to move out with the head. (However, in certain cases, your little one may take the breech – position too)

The Little One May have Thick Skin

Your baby’s skin while he or she’s growing up inside you may develop a waxy and cheesy coating known as the vernix. Vernix or vernix caseosa covers your baby’s skin. In the 34^th week, however, the vernix thickens. Additionally, your little one’s body is covered with lanugo or hair. Within a few weeks, both the vernix and the lanugo will be disappearing. Some of the hair may still be left on the baby’s body at the time of birth. The vernix helps keep the body temperature of your baby regulated, helps to keep your baby’s skin safe against water loss, and further helps to keep your baby’s immune. However, lanugo plays an important role in keeping the vernix attached to the skin of the baby inside.

The Little One May be Poking You

The feeling is like, “Mooom! Time to let me out!” As your baby inside is getting ready with those cute and tiny fingers and toenails to move out of your womb, it’s quite natural that you may feel the pokes.

The Little One Has Put on Weight

Yes! Since you’re having a balanced and nutritious pregnancy diet, your baby is also getting the nutrients from you and accumulating heath, growth, and fat. However, the fat is stored under the skin. After a few months of your baby’s birth, the baby fat looks cute and that helps in controlling your baby’s body temperature.

The Little One’s Lungs are Mostly Developed by now

Along with the above-mentioned developments in your baby, your baby’s lungs are almost developed by now. If your healthcare provider tells you to deliver this month, be ready for an emergency C-section. But you needn’t be worried about the health of your baby. Being born preterm, if your baby has a breathing problem at birth, he or she would be taken care of by the healthcare providers.

Isn’t that exciting? But, you’re yet to be surprised.

How Your Body Changes During Pregnancy in the 34^th Week  

As you’re nurturing another life inside you in the 34^th week of pregnancy, and you’re almost there, you’ll undergo some major changes or you’ll experience some of these symptoms in your body. So, the changes or symptoms are as follows: 

Look at Your Cute and Big Belly and Belly Button 😊

You and the rest of the world can see the sweet and good-sized baby bump you’ve developed. After all, the little life is also growing inside you. Along with your baby bump, the belly button transforms from being innie to outie. But, you needn’t feel worried about it. It’s natural. But this is a sensitive place. You can bandage the place to avoid irritation.

You’ll Notice Extra Weight Gain in the Midsection

With the kind of food that you’re having and with the baby’s growth inside you, it’s natural that you’ll gain weight, especially around your midsection. But, try to avoid being plus-size! That will impact your health and the health of your baby inside. 

Constipation is not Your Best Friend During this Time

Pregnancy constipation is a common pregnancy symptom and this can make you feel uncomfortable. Due to the soaring hormones and slow-moving intestine, the digestion during your pregnancy may slow down.

Haemorrhoids or Piles – an Unwanted Foe at the 34^th week

As a result of your constipation, you may feel like releasing your stool many times during the day, but that’s not – at – all – a fun symptom. You’ll end up with those uneasy and painful haemorrhoids or piles.

Feeling Pelvic and Back Pain?

In the 34^th week of pregnancy, since your baby drops lower in your pelvis, getting ready to come out of your womb, and exerting pressure on the uterus, makes you feel uncomfortable on your back, and gives you back pain.

See How Swollen You are!

With the progression of your pregnancy, due to the soaring hormones, increased flow of blood as well and fluid retention in the tissues of your body, you’ll feel swollen in your feet, ankles, and fingers. 

Be Careful! You Might Feel Short of Breath

Since a pregnant belly tends to get bigger, and your baby’s head inside you may feel like it is under your ribs, it makes it hard to breathe. Your lungs won’t even get the chance to expand properly. So you may feel shortness of breath at this stage of your pregnancy and that is normal.  

Can’t Shut Your Eyes at All at Night? Can’t Help It too!

Your stress about the delivery of your baby, the cramps and pains all across your body, and frequent urination can make closing your eyes difficult for you. 

Leaky Breasts Can Make You Feel “urgh”??!! That’s not Natural!

With you nearing your due date, your breasts seem to leak the yellowish pre-milk, also known as colostrum during this stage of your pregnancy. After all, you’re also preparing your body for the birth of your child and experiencing leaky breasts may not be good, but it is a phase of motherhood.

Therefore, in this condition, nutritious food and exercise can keep your weight under control, practice prenatal yoga, stay hydrated, get enough rest and get support from your friends and family. Don’t forget your doctor visits, and ultrasound scans, packed, keep track of your baby’s kicks and have patience.