PREGNANCY
35 Weeks Pregnant: What’s That Ouch Down There?
Your little one is packing on the pounds now!
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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PREGNANCY
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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Your baby isn’t ready to be born quite yet, but almost all of their systems are a go!
They’re likely over 5 pounds now and measure around 18 inches. Now, they’ll slow down growing longer, but continue packing away the ounces and getting pudgier. Their big job heading up to their birthday is to put on weight (which means you will too).
At 35 weeks, baby’s body is working hard to get their lungs, brain, and nervous system ready for their big day. But their circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are close to finished. Their bones are getting stronger (turning the cartilaginous ends into harder calcium), but their kneecaps haven’t formed, and their skull bones have not yet joined together. Because of these individual skull bones, your baby will actually be born with more bones than you have in your body.
Why is a baby born with multiple unfused skull bones? To make room for the growing brain! The size of a newborn’s head is about 75% of an adult head. And, by your kiddo’s 2nd birthday it will grow another 33% and almost reach adult size. (By 18 to 24 months the skull bones are permanently joined together.)
The skull is compressed, and the floating bones overlap during the birth process. This makes the head diameter ½ inch smaller to help babies squeeze through the birth canal.
Your newborn’s skull has two “soft spots” (also called fontanelles). These are like little lakes surrounded by touching islands of thin bone. There’s a 2-inch soft spot in the front and a fingertip-sized one in the back near the crown of the head. Each is covered with a very tough, but flexible, membrane, so the brain underneath is perfectly protected. It’s as durable as bone, so don’t worry about touching it when you stroke your baby’s head or shampoo the hair.
35 weeks pregnant is approximately 8 months.
At 35 weeks, your baby is the size of a head of romaine lettuce.
If your normal walk has become a bit of a waddle, welcome to the club!
When your baby “drops” into your pelvis it puts pressure on your pelvis, hips, and bladder (yes, this is why you feel like you’re making constant bathroom runs!). With that, movement becomes more difficult, and you may be finding it harder and harder to get comfortable when you’re sitting and even lying down. One of the best ways to find relief may be to immerse yourself in a bath, pool, or the ocean to float the weight off your feet and joints. On the flip side, as your little one nestles deeper into your pelvis it may alleviate some of the pressure against your diaphragm and lungs…making it easier to breathe!
Sudden, sharp pains deep in your vagina may be the next unwanted visitor to appear. This electrifying sensation has been given the not-so-eloquent name “lightning crotch.” Sometimes the pain is caused by the baby’s head pushing down right over a pelvic nerve—or it could be that your cervix has started dilating. Either way, it’s a sign that things are moving along nicely. You might feel lightning crotch most frequently when you make a sudden movement (think, coughing or standing up quickly)—or your baby does!
Braxton Hicks contractions are common from here on out. Researchers still don’t know what causes them, but many believe they’re your body gearing up for real labor. Important note: Braxton Hicks contractions don’t increase in intensity as time passes, don’t come at regular intervals and usually can be made better by moving around or drinking water. But, if in doubt, it’s always best to call up your doctor, just to check in...in case they are the beginning of the “real thing!”
Another unexpected pregnancy symptom at 35 weeks may be when a hand or arm starts hurting. The fluid you're retaining can pinch a nerve in the wrist and cause carpal tunnel syndrome. This may require you to wear a splint and ice the area to give some relief until you give birth, when the pain goes away along with the excess fluid.
Common symptoms of 35 weeks pregnant include:
Pregnant women should prepare their nipples for breastfeeding.
As if you don’t have enough to do right now! This one is thankfully false. There is no need to “toughen up” your nipples. Sore nipples are caused by incorrect latch-on or things like tongue tie. Excessive nipple stimulation may actually provoke early labor. In fact, it’s one of the methods doctors and midwives often use to kick-start your labor, so leave ‘em alone for now!
But, DO immediately ask your healthcare provider for help if you have flat or inverted nipples! (Not sure? Give your nipple a pinch. If it doesn’t become erect, it’s considered flat. If it’s not protruding at all, it’s considered inverted.) If you are faced with flat or inverted nipples, there are breast shells you can wear to help make it easier to breastfeed.
On the few occasions that my crying baby fell asleep before I did, I used the time for me! I soaked in a bubble bath, relaxed with a drink, read a book, and prayed that she would sleep a little longer. —Frances Wells Burck, Babysense
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.
