PREGNANCY
34 Weeks Pregnant: A Guide to Your Discharge
Your baby is sleeping, sucking and slurping...and you might even see her kicking in your belly!
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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PREGNANCY
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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At this point, your belly is mostly your almost 5-pound baby…so every time she moves, you really see it. Can you make out those tiny feet? They are probably near the top of your belly...as she settles into the normal head-down position, ready for delivery! (Babies are breech—bum or feet first—at only about 5% of births.) Her whole body is pretty much ready; babies born this week have a 99% survival rate.
She is sleeping, sucking, and slurping (drinking gulps of amniotic fluid flavoured with whatever you just ate)! A thick, waxy layer of cream cheese-like vernix is smeared all over her body. She will shed most of that before birth, but preemies often come out coated with it. This covering protects her skin—imagine if you were in a bathtub for 9 months! —and offers antimicrobial benefits after birth.
You are getting close to the finish line!
In 3 more weeks, your baby will be “at term” (no longer pre-term or premature). One sign your body is getting in gear may be some leakage of colostrum. This incredible fluid is the early rich milk made that is perfectly tailored for a brand new baby. It is packed with carbs, protein, antibodies, and other essential stuff. It has tons of infection-fighting white blood cells, no wonder they call it “white blood!” This concentrated, thick milk has so much Vitamin A, it is actually yellow/orange coloured…like a carrot.
Vaginal discharge tends to increase towards the end of pregnancy as well. Your cervix is responsible for that, creating more and more mucus, blocking bad bacteria from sneaking up to infect your baby. If the discharge is pink-tinged and jelly-like, you may be losing your mucus plug that seals the uterus during your pregnancy. It can slip out in one big clump, or bit by bit.
Passing the mucus plug is a sign that your cervix is softening and labour is coming…eventually.
Some mums lose this plug weeks before delivery and can even regrow it. However, a mucus plug tinged with blood (your healthcare provider or midwife may call it the “bloody show”) is a sign you will meet your baby pretty soon. If the discharge is yellowish or greenish, call your care provider. This could mean a yeast or bacterial infection, both of which usually need to be treated.
Heartburn means your baby will be born with a full head of hair.
This one sounds crazy, but scientific research suggests there is truth to it! Turns out the same hormones that bring on heartburn also contribute to how much hair your baby will be born with!
The most important thing she learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one. — Jill Churchill
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, mothers eat a healthy, balanced diet. Combined breast- and bottle-feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of a mother's breastmilk and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. If you do decide to use infant formula, you should follow instructions carefully.
