34 Weeks Pregnant

The big day is on the horizon. Your bump is bigger than ever before, which may make moving around a bit uncomfortable.

Inside your belly, your baby is undergoing a few last-minute changes before he finally enters the world. Let’s take a look at what’s happening to both of you at 34 weeks.

Although he’s officially a fetus until birth, your little one shows all the signs of being a fully formed baby. He’s kicking, punching, and has now developed his senses of taste, sight, and hearing.

However, he’s still got a little more growing to do before he’s ready to make his debut.

Your baby’s physical development

Your baby is roughly as big as a butternut squash, weighing about 4–5 pounds and measuring around 17.72 inches long. 1 2

Nature has wrapped up the basics and is adding the finishing touches by filling out his limbs, making him the complete (and cuddly) bundle you’ve been waiting on for the better part of a year.

• Fingernails and toenails: Your baby’s nails have reached the tips of his fingers. His toes will follow suit in about four weeks.
• Skin changes: His skin is smoothing out thanks to the fat he’s putting on.
• Reproductive organs: If your baby is a boy, his testicles are likely descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Girls, in contrast, are already fully developed in this area. 3 4
• Practice breathing: Your unborn baby is practicing his breathing by rhythmically inhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. 5

Your baby’s sensory development

It’s not just his external features that are developing—inside, your baby’s senses are taking big leaps:

• Hearing: Your baby’s hearing has developed to the point that he can differentiate between sounds. There’s research to suggest that he can recognize your voice, too. 6
• Sight: He can track slow-moving figures and shapes in low-light environments. If someone shone a light on your tummy, he’d be able to follow it. 7
• Touch: Similarly, your baby can detect movement and pressure against his skin. He’ll react by moving and possibly yawning when you touch or tap your belly. 8
• Taste: Your tiny passenger eats what you eat, thanks to the buffet that’s your amniotic fluid. Since his taste buds are fully developed, he can taste what you eat, too. 9

Your baby’s position at 34 weeks

Your baby may have already descended into your pelvis in preparation for birth, in a process that’s known as “lightening.” 10

He may now be in a head-down position. However, that isn’t guaranteed, and he also might still be in the breech position (feet down and head up). Don’t panic if his head isn’t facing down yet; most babies get into the right position by week 36 of pregnancy. 11

If he’s still in the breech position after 36 weeks, your doctor may try to turn your baby manually with an external cephalic version (ECV) procedure. If that doesn’t work, you might need a C-section, but it’s still much too early to call that in week 34.

Your own body is gearing up for your baby’s grand entrance. Here are some of the changes you can expect this week:

• Your belly: Your belly may appear slightly distended, like it’s stretching “lower” as your baby descends into your pelvis. This has both pros and cons; while you might find it easier to breathe, it increases the pressure on your bladder, so you may need to pee more often. 12 Your fundal height (the distance from the top of your uterus to your pubic bone) should be about 34 cm (13.4 inches). 13
• Amniotic fluid: The nutrient-rich liquid that fills your uterus around your baby will reach its highest level between weeks 34 and 36. 14 After week 36, the amount decreases, allowing for more growth.
• Hair growth: Some women find that their hair and nails grow faster and thicker during pregnancy. 15 This will continue until you go into labor.
• Stretch marks: These bad boys may present themselves in various colors, including pink, red, purple, reddish-brown, or dark brown. Many women dread getting stretch marks, but there’s no way to prevent them. This might be affected by genetics or how stretched your skin is from weight gain. 16

Your physical and hormonal changes may bring about uncomfortable symptoms. Some may be new to you, while others are probably old friends by this point. Here’s what to watch out for:

Aches and pains

The hormones progesterone and relaxin, both key players during pregnancy, relax your muscles and ligaments throughout your body. Along with the added weight of your growing baby, the strain will likely affect your:

• Pelvis: Many women suffer from pelvic pain, known as pubic symphysis, symphysis pubis dysfunction, or pelvic girdle pain (PGP). In extreme cases, this can limit your mobility, but that’s rare, and it’ll probably just be uncomfortable. 17
• Round ligaments: With your growing uterus causing your ligaments to stretch, you might feel something called round ligament pain—sharp stabbing sensations or dull aches in your lower belly or groin.
• Sciatica: As your center of gravity shifts, you may experience a sharp sensation starting in your buttocks and traveling down the back of your leg. 18
• Legs: You might also get painful leg cramps due to weight gain, dehydration, the compression of your blood vessels, changes in your circulation, or other hormonal factors. 19

While most aches and pains during pregnancy are just the result of carrying a miniature human all the time, you should let your doctor know if they get especially bad, just to be on the safe side.

Digestive issues

Progesterone also slows down your digestion, which often brings about unpleasant side effects like constipation, bloating, and excess gas. 20

Constipation can also cause the veins around your rectum to swell. You might get hemorrhoids, making your number two trips especially painful.

Braxton Hicks contractions

As your body prepares for labor, you may now have to deal with Braxton Hicks contractions. These “practice” contractions will become more noticeable as you approach your due date, and you may even mistake them for the real deal.

However, unlike true labor contractions, they don’t affect your cervix, are more irregular, and often ease up with a little rest. 21 While they’re uncomfortable, they typically aren’t actually painful.

Fatigue

It’s no easy task to carry a tiny human 24/7, so you’re bound to get exhausted. Although you probably got a nice boost of energy during your second trimester, you’ll likely feel more fatigued than ever at 34 weeks.

Aside from the physical strain, your bathroom trips may get more frequent at night, causing you to lose out on some shut-eye as a result.

Vaginal discharge

Throughout pregnancy, your vaginal discharge increases. This discharge, known as leukorrhea, should be milky-white or clear, and either odorless or mild-smelling. If your pregnancy discharge takes on a weird color, such as if you see green or yellow discharge during your pregnancy, or if it smells bad, that could indicate an infection. Make an appointment with your OB right away. 22

Don’t confuse vaginal discharge with the amniotic fluid that seeps out when your water breaks. Amniotic fluid is thin, clear, sweet-smelling, and comes out in a steady stream. 23

As you approach your due date, you’ll also lose your mucus plug, which looks like a glob of jelly, sometimes tinged or streaked with blood. This is a sign that labor isn’t far off, although it could still be a few days or even a few weeks before it finally arrives. 24

Leaking breasts

If they haven’t already, your breasts will soon start leaking milk for the first time. Initially, it’ll be an orange or yellowish fluid (colostrum) that’s packed with nutrients and antibodies. 25

While leaking breasts are normal, they can still be bothersome. You don’t need to pump this early milk, but you can use nursing pads to stop all of your favorite maternity wear from getting covered in milk.

Vision changes

You may find that your rising hormone levels affect your vision, making it blurry and causing dry or puffy eyes. If you wear contact lenses, glasses may be more comfortable during this time, although contact lenses are still safe to use when pregnant. 26

While these changes are typically temporary, you should still let your doctor know about them, especially if your vision changes are accompanied by: 27

• High blood pressure
• Severe swelling on the face, hands, or around your eyes
• Sudden weight gain of more than 2 pounds over 1–2 days

These symptoms are the warning signs of preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that affects pregnant women (usually after 20 weeks) and even some postpartum women. Fortunately, preeclampsia isn’t always serious, and regardless, if your doctor catches it early, you’ll be able to get a handle on it.

Swelling

During pregnancy, your body produces 50% more blood to support the new life in your womb. At the same time, your uterus slows your circulation and creates a buildup of fluid in your lower body, causing your capillaries to leak. 28

This moisture then seeps between the tissues and results in your ankles and feet swelling. This will, unfortunately, be part of your life for the next few months, including after your pregnancy concludes; postpartum swelling is a very common complaint among recent mothers.

If your swelling is severe (meaning that when you press into your skin, an indentation remains for a few seconds) or is accompanied by any of the preeclampsia symptoms we listed above, get in touch with your doctor right away.

Shortness of breath

As your baby grows, your uterus starts encroaching on your lung cavity, which can leave you feeling out of breath. Progesterone also causes you to breathe deeper than normal. 29

You can manage this by sleeping on your left side. This ensures that the vena cava, which channels oxygen-rich blood to your body and baby, isn’t restricted.

Sleeping on your back has the opposite effect: the weight of your uterus compresses this vein, reducing oxygen flow to both you and your baby. It can lead to hypotension in as little as 20 minutes. 30 Needless to say, you should avoid this, along with the other sleeping positions that are wrong for pregnancy.

Insomnia

Another casualty of your pregnancy may be your sleep schedule. Between issues like restless legs, your overactive bladder, pain, and your baby being active at night, you’ve got a recipe for pregnancy-related insomnia.

You can combat this by eating your last meal of the day three hours before bedtime, dimming the lights before turning in, and reading a book rather than surfing social media or watching TV.

As you get closer to the finish line, don’t give up on the healthy habits you’ve been cultivating these past 34 weeks. Here’s how to look after yourself and your baby this week:

Stay hydrated

If you’re not sufficiently hydrated, you may get dizzy or fatigued, and your baby will be at risk of reduced fetal growth or premature labor. Drinking plenty of liquids ensures a healthy breast milk supply and also combats constipation. Throughout pregnancy, aim to drink at least 8–12 cups (64–96 oz) of water daily. 31

Eat well

As for your pregnancy diet, focus on nutritious meals with plenty of fiber to aid your digestion and manage your blood sugar. 32

Cut back on salt to manage your swelling and minimize the chances of your baby developing kidney or cardiovascular issues later in life. A good way to limit your salt intake is to cut out prepackaged foods with a high sodium content.

Prioritize your sleep

Shut-eye can do wonders for both you and your growing baby. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, and get into bed at the same time every evening (your body loves consistency). 33 Use comfortable, breathable bedding with extra cushions or pregnancy pillows for support if you need them.

Keep active

While you should also get plenty of rest, that doesn’t give you free rein to lie on the couch all day. Exercise boosts your energy, makes it easier to sleep, and prepares your body for labor.

Medical professionals recommend 150 minutes of medium-intensity activity every week. 34 Pelvic floor exercises are a great option, as they’ll strengthen your muscles in preparation for labor and reduce the risk of incontinence. 35

Keep track of your baby’s movements

Monitor how many times your baby kicks in an hour by setting a timer and counting or by using the the kick counter feature in a pregnancy tracker. During one of his active periods, when he isn’t obviously sleeping, you should feel him kick 10 or more times.

If you count fewer than 10, wait a little, then try again. If he’s still not reaching 10 kicks, contact your doctor immediately. 36

Be careful about what products you use

Being pregnant gives you a great excuse to spoil yourself and spend a little extra on your self-care, so go nuts. However, you should be a little careful about what cosmetics and skincare products you use.

For example, some acne medications are unsafe during pregnancy and can cause birth defects, so run your regimen by your doctor and ask them about safer alternatives. 37

You can treat most pregnancy symptoms with a little home care and plenty of rest. That said, you should contact your doctor if you experience:

• Regular contractions that don’t stop after an hour
• Vaginal bleeding (not just very mild and occasional spotting)
• Lower back pain
• Sudden and excessive swelling
• Significant changes in your vision
• Rapid weight gain
• Any unusual vaginal discharge and leaking fluids
• Reduced fetal movement

If you do go into premature labor—one of the big concerns at this stage—you’ll be glad to know that most babies born during the 34th week are perfectly viable and go on to have healthy childhoods. However, if this happens, your little one will still need to stay in the hospital for a while before going home. 38

You can never be too prepared. As your due date approaches, fine-tune your arrangements:

• Install a car seat: Ensure you’ve installed your infant car seat correctly. This means strapping it to the center back seat, facing the rear. You can have your work inspected at a fire or police station for free. 39
• Consider a postpartum doula: A doula helps out during the first few weeks after your baby is born. They can look after your infant, assist with household chores, care for your other children, and provide you with emotional support. You can find one through the Doulas of North America organization (ask for references from their previous clients).
• Discuss your labor game plan: Ask your doctor when to call about contractions, what to do when your water breaks, and when to head to the hospital.
• Get organized: Get your baby’s nursery ready for his arrival. Pack your hospital bag, and leave it in a visible place so you can grab it at a moment’s notice.
• Plan for your postpartum period: Have a support system lined up to help you during the postpartum period. This means thinking about things like meal prep now, before the baby comes. Figure out what you’ll do yourself and what you’ll ask your family, friends, or partner to do for you.

Your appointments and tests

You’re likely seeing your OB every other week now. You’ll probably have a Group B strep test done around 36 weeks. This involves a vaginal and rectal swab.

You’re close to the end of your pregnancy and will soon finally meet the adorable little baby who’s been kicking and somersaulting inside you for the past 34 weeks. You can also breathe a sigh of relief knowing that if he were born this week, he’d have a good chance of being healthy. 38

You’re past most of the real risks associated with pregnancy at this point—what matters now is staying healthy and happy until the big day finally comes.

Make all your final preparations, get plenty of rest, and feel free to reach out to your doctor, even if it’s just for a little reassurance. Pregnancy has been one heck of a ride, but it won’t go on for much longer.