7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138 • (901) 682-9222 • Open Weekdays 8:00 - 5:00
PREGNANCY TIMELINE: WEEK 35
It's week 35! Do you feel as big as a house? Are you continually tired? Have your feet and hands swelled like balloons? Hang in there Mom, just a few more weeks and you'll be feeling more like your old self than you have in months. Of course, life will never be the same again once you hold your new baby in your arms.
Week Overview
Although you do not want your baby to be born early, at 35 weeks or beyond, the baby will have an excellent chance of being healthy and strong. But for now there are still some finishing touches taking place. Your baby is building fat and iron stores that will help support development during the early weeks of life outside you. All organ systems are in place and are putting on the final touches before birth. Skin is now smooth as fat fills out wrinkles. Baby is gaining about half a pound a week now.
If the baby has not already settled into position for birth, he will be doing so anytime now. Four out of every 100 babies settle in a breech (buttocks, knees, or feet down) position.
Baby's Physical Development
- Crown-to-rump, baby measures around 13.2 inches and weighs approximately 5.5 pounds
- Total length is 20.25 inches
- Lungs are in the final stages of development
- Hearing is fully developed
- Central nervous system is still developing
- Periods of sleep and wakefulness
- Downy hair gradually disappearing
Your uterus is about 6 inches above your bellybutton. By this week your weight gain should be between 24 and 29 pounds.
From this point on you'll be visiting the doctor more frequently. Your doctor will check the baby's presenting part - the part of the body farthest down in your pelvis, ready to be born first. This usually is the baby's head, which can be felt by the doctor in your lower abdomen just above the pubic bone, or at the top of the birth canal, during a vaginal exam. Once the baby is lower in your pelvis you may find it much easier to breathe. This is called lightening.
Your doctor may also begin regular checks of your cervix some time in the next few weeks for signs of effacement and dilation. Your baby cannot pass through a normally closed cervix. The process of labor is the stretching, and thinning (effacement) and opening (dilation) of your cervix to allow the baby to pass through. Your cervix is fully dilated when the opening measures 10 centimeters.
Sometimes the placenta lies close to the cervix or covers the cervix. This condition is called placenta previa. This condition is serious because of the chance of heavy bleeding. The baby is more likely to be in a breech position with placenta previa, usually resulting in a Cesarean delivery. A Cesarean delivery also helps to keep bleeding at a minimum.
This week you may take a nonstress test, part of the biophysical profile that evaluates the well-being of your baby inside your uterus. This part of the evaluation involves fetal monitoring. A fetal monitor is attached to your abdomen and records the baby's heartbeat every time he moves. This test helps doctors evaluate how well your baby is tolerating life inside the uterus.
Other tests your doctor may perform include a test for Group B strep, the leading cause of life-threatening infections among newborns. In addition, your doctor may want to perform repeat cervical cultures at this time to check for gonorrhea or chlamydia infection. If infection is found, it can be treated before the baby is born. The test is performed using a cotton swab during a pelvic exam.
Time to Start Thinking About
As your due date draws near make sure you know the signs of true labor and have an action plan ready for when labor starts. Remember, labor contractions are generally regular and increase in duration and strength over time. Real contractions have a regular rhythm. Be prepared to time the length and frequency of your contractions. Contraction time and frequency will determine when you should go to the hospital.
Your water may break before you go into labor. Usually, you will notice a gush of amniotic fluid followed by a steady leak. Amniotic fluid is usually clear and watery. In some cases it may have a bloody appearance, or it may be yellow or green. Contact your doctor immediately if you suspect your water has broken.
Because you never know when those contractions are going to start or if your water is going to break, it is recommended that you have your suitcase packed and ready to go. You should also ask your doctor what you should do if you think you are in labor. Should you call the office or go directly to the hospital? Being prepared for the big moment will make things a lot easier while you wait out these last few weeks.
Also, now is the perfect time to make sure you understand several key labor and delivery issues like induction, fetal monitoring in pregnancy, pain relief, epidurals, forceps and cesarean delivery. Use our site to learn everything you ever wanted to know about labor and delivery, but were afraid to ask.
Tips for Mom
Right now you should be eating 2400 calories a day. Make sure you are eating at least 60 grams of protein each day as part of your balanced diet. Try to consume two to three servings of poultry, fish, meat, dairy products or nuts a day. Protein provides the building blocks for the growth of the baby, the placenta and your increased blood volume.
Also, keep taking those prenatal pills. Your daily requirement for iron doubles from 15 mg to 30 mg during pregnancy. This allows your body to store iron for your upcoming delivery and recovery period. It also assures a source for your baby's iron stores, which is so important to the first few months outside the womb.
During these final weeks you may become more anxious about the events to come. You may have increasing concerns for the health and well-being of your baby, worries about labor and delivery, and fears about your ability to parent. Mood swings are common during this period and may seem to occur without cause. But in truth, your increasing fears, changes within your body and the fact that you are becoming more and more uncomfortable all work together to make your emotions rollercoaster from high to low. Try talking to your partner, friends, and your doctor, let them know how you really feel about the approaching birth of your child. Who knows? You might be surprised and reassured to learn you aren't the only mom-to-be that was frightened of labor or worried about being a good parent.
Tips for Dad
Is Mom becoming more and more uncomfortable as her body makes its final preparations for birth? Perhaps now might be a good time to post-pone love-making for a while. Although sex during the final stretch of pregnancy does not harm the baby, Mom may not be feeling very sexy these days. What do you do when she's not in the mood? How about being close without sex? Hug a lot, hold hands, sleep in the spoon position, and kiss. Give Mom a back rub or a foot massage and remain close. Discuss sex with Mom and find out how she feels. She'll certainly appreciate your support and care during these final days.
Complications to Watch For
Most pregnancies occur without any complications or problems. But there are times when your physician should be contacted immediately. The following list contains symptoms to be aware of during pregnancy.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe swelling of the fingers and face
- Severe abdominal pain
- Loss of fluid from the vagina, usually a gush of fluid, but sometimes a trickle or continual wetness
- A big change in the baby's movements or a lack of movement
- High fever (more than 101.6F;38.7C) or chills
- Severe vomiting or an inability to keep food or liquid down
- Blurring of vision
- Painful urination
- A headache that won't go away or a severe headache
- An injury or accident, such as a fall or automobile accident, that causes you concern about the well-being of your pregnancy
7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 682-9222; Fax: (901) 682-9505