PREGNANCY WEEK 34 ~ HEALTH and FITNESS

34 WEEKS PREGNANT

Watch what you say! Your curious baby can hear your voice and is listening in on your conversations at 34 weeks pregnant. In fact, baby might enjoy a lullaby or two—so go ahead and sing to him or her. Some experts say that, after birth, babies can recognize songs mom sang while pregnant; they may even be more easily soothed by those familiar tunes once they're “on the outside.” And no, baby won’t care if you’re singing a bit off-key.

How Big Is Baby at 34 Weeks?

At 34 weeks pregnant, baby is the size of a butternut squash. With less than two months until go time, baby weighs in at about 4.7 pounds and measures about 17.7 inches.

34 Weeks Pregnant Is How Many Months?

34 weeks pregnant is seven months and about two weeks pregnant. You’re only about six weeks away from becoming a mom.

34 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

Your symptoms at week 34 of pregnancy are pretty typical to late pregnancy and might seem like a broken record from here on out.

Blurry vision. A combination of hormones, fluid buildup, and lack of sleep may make your vision seem a little “off.” Sometimes it’s just a normal, temporary pregnancy symptom, but if your blurry vision is accompanied by swelling, headache, rapid weight gain and/or swelling, it could be a sign of preeclampsia, so tell your OB right away.
Fatigue. It’s exhausting carrying around all that extra weight (whether you’ve got one baby in there or you’re 34 weeks pregnant with twins!). And if only you could sleep at night!
Constipation. It’s normal to be stopped up at 34 weeks pregnant, which can make you feel more uncomfortable than you already are. Remember to take frequent walks, eat foods with lots of fiber (think leafy greens), and drink lots of water to get things moving.
Hemorrhoids. What a vicious cycle! Straining when you go to the bathroom can cause this other not-at-all-fun symptom. So can all the extra weight baby’s putting on your rectum. To ease hemorrhoids, work on the constipation and try different sitting and standing positions to ease some of the pressure on the area.
Swollen ankles and feet. Sit down and put up your feet whenever you can to reduce the swelling.
Abdominal pressure. As baby prepares for arrival and settles down lower, you might feel pressure in your pelvis and even more frequent urination.
Braxton Hicks contractions. At 34 weeks pregnant, cramping sensations are totally normal. It’s likely your body just getting ready for the real deal. Note, though, that at 34 weeks pregnant, pelvic pain could be the sign of a problem. Regular contractions that don’t stop after about an hour, vaginal bleeding, and lower back pain are all signs of premature labor. If you have any of these worrisome symptoms at 34 weeks, call your OB immediately.

34 WEEKS PREGNANT BELLY

Your 34 weeks pregnant belly might seem a little—or a lot—lower than it did a few weeks ago. That’s because baby may have descended lower into your pelvis. This may let you breathe a little easier, since your lungs have more space. Ahh! (Of course, some babies don’t do this until the day they’re born, so we’re not making any guarantees.) The pitfall of this descent, of course, is even more pressure on your bladder, so be prepared to make even more trips to the ladies’ room over the coming weeks.

A 34 weeks pregnant, your belly should measure about 32 to 36 inches from the top of the uterus to the pubic bone. If you’re measuring a bit big or a bit small, it could mean baby’s bigger or smaller than average or in a breech or sideways position, or that there is an abnormal level of amniotic fluid. Anything out of the ordinary with fundal height (that belly measurement) may prompt your doctor to order a 34 weeks pregnant ultrasound to figure out the cause.

Fun fact: Amniotic fluid is at an all-time high between weeks 34 and 36, so you might feel as if your belly isn’t getting too much bigger after this point. That’s because fluid will decrease so baby can keep growing and have room to wiggle around. Still, he or she is getting snug in there, causing movement to start to feel slightly different around this time.

Continue checking in on baby by doing kick counts. Set a timer and see how much time it takes baby to move ten times. (It should be an hour or less.) Then check back each day to make sure the approximate time is pretty similar. Let your doctor know about any notable changes.

If you’re 34 weeks pregnant with twins, you might be feeling pretty antsy. That could be a subtle psychological sign that the babies are coming soon. For twin moms-to-be, the countdown is officially on, since the average twin pregnancy lasts about 35 to 37 weeks. If there’s no need to deliver your babies early, you’re likely to go into labor around 37 weeks.

34 WEEKS PREGNANT ULTRASOUND

You’ll likely take a trip to the OB this week, since you’re probably seeing her every other week. If your doctor orders it, you could have a biophysical profile (BPP), which is a combination of a 34 weeks pregnant ultrasound and a special non-stress test, which measures baby’s heart rate over a period of time. Together, these two tests help the doctor confirm that baby’s reacting well to stress and thriving.

Enjoy next week off because starting at week 36, you’ll have weekly OB appointments. You’ll probably have a Group B strep test around 36 weeks too. 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women test positive for the Group B strep bacteria, which could be harmful to baby if passed to him or her during delivery. If you test positive for Group B Strep, it’s no biggie—you’ll just have to take some antibiotics during labor and delivery. Maybe pick a new book to read during your waiting room time.