illustration of developing human baby at 34 weeks

34 weeks pregnant

For information about weeks 32 to 35 of a twin or multiple pregnancy, tap here. 

How’s Baby?

Right now, Baby is measuring in at somewhere around 18 inches, the size of a savoy cabbage, and weighs in the neighborhood of 5 lbs. But your baby still has some growing to do, and your little one’s lungs, brain, and central nervous system will keep rapidly developing. Baby’s immune system is still not yet mature, so your little one will depend on your body sharing antibodies to help them fight future infections. What other exciting developments are happening? The vernix caseosa, that slippery coating that protects Baby’s skin, is now covering their body as they get closer to delivery day. Your little one is also peeing up to a pint (473 mL) a day, and preparing that tarry meconium for their first poop.

What's new with you?

As Baby gets stronger, you might feel yourself struggling a little. Try to get as much rest as possible, to stay active with movement you enjoy if you can, and eat a range of nutritious foods that help you feel good. This won’t make all of your symptoms go away, but it can help you feel as good as possible — and your due date is on the horizon now.

What symptoms might you be dealing with in week 34? Confusion and blurry vision can be fairly common as your hormones rage. Third trimester symptoms like swollen feet, constipation, and hemorrhoids may also be at a high point right now. And while these symptoms are common, if uncomfortable, side effects of pregnancy, make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you notice your vision changing, headaches, pain in your upper abdomen, and/or if your hands or feet swell suddenly, as these could be signs of preeclampsia, which is dangerous for both you and your baby.

Your hormones are also preparing your pelvis for delivery, so you might notice some new symptoms, including increased vaginal discharge and the need to pee more frequently. And your expanding belly and pelvis could cause an increase in lower back pain at this point. As annoying as these symptoms are, just remember that these changes are your body’s way of helping your body prepare for labor and delivery.

It’s also time to make sure that your hospital or birthing center trip and your return home are planned out. Is your bag packed? If you already have a little one at home, do you have someone on call for babysitting? If you have a pet, do you have someone ready to pet-sit? Do you have any details to sort out at work? And even if you know the way to the hospital or birthing center, it doesn’t hurt to review — after all, you never know when Baby is going to decide to make an appearance! If you’re delivering at a larger hospital, it’s also a good idea to double check what entrance you’ll want to go in and what paperwork you’ll have to deal with on your way to the delivery room. If you get all of these ducks in a row, it will leave you with a lot less to stress out about in advance of the big day.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Read more
Sources
Get the Ovia Pregnancy app
Get our app at the Apple App Store Get our app at the Apple App Store Get our app at the Google Play Store Get our app at the Google Play Store