Week 35 pregnant | Are you experiencing any contractions?
Baby: Is the fetus lying face down?
The baby is now 47 cm long and weighs 2.4 kg. Maybe not exactly, but approximately!
Premature birth
In the last few weeks, the baby will put on weight and most likely develop the classic folds or hollows on the arms and legs. Although most of the baby's development is complete by this time, the baby would be considered premature if born now. Therefore, at 35 weeks, your baby will (most likely) need help to maintain the right body temperature and get enough nutrition. This means that you would probably have to spend a couple of weeks in a neonatal unit (NICU) or with home care, depending on how your baby is doing, if he or she is able to eat and keep warm!
If the child is breech
Now the majority of babies are already lying head down in the birth canal, or pelvic inlet as it is also known. During visits to the BMM, the midwife will feel the baby's position with her hands on the outside of the belly.
Approximately 5 % of all fetuses lie with their legs or tail down in the pelvic inlet, this is called breech presentation. If detected, you will be offered a turnaround attempt around week 37-38 to get the fetus to lie upright with its head down. By week 35, the baby still has time to turn around, and there are also exercises to help the baby along:
Using the force of gravity, you can alternate between doing exercises with your head at a lower level than your pelvis. For example, you can try kneeling on a stool with your head resting on your hands/forearms on the floor. Alternate this with lying on your back on the floor (or in bed) with your pelvis elevated as in a pelvic lift. However, talk to your midwife before doing exercises to help your baby turn - there are some conditions where this is not recommended.
If a turnaround is attempted, a doctor will apply pressure with their hands on the outside of your abdomen to try to get the fetus to do a sort of somersault and turn in the right position. About half of all attempts to turn are successful, and in cases where they are not, the doctor will recommend another attempt to turn, a caesarean section or a vaginal delivery, depending on the circumstances.
Mother: 35 weeks pregnant
Only five weeks until BF!
Can you believe you've been pregnant for over 200 days? It's only a few weeks away from what you've been waiting for - the first meeting with your baby!
Aggravation in week 35
Have you noticed your uterus contracting and getting tense more and more often? This is called Braxton Hicks contractions and they are usually irregular. The contractions happen because the uterus is training for birth so that the labor pains are more manageable and you can push the baby out. Contractions are completely normal in most cases, but they should not be painful when you are resting. Many people experience these contractions in the evenings or nights despite resting - but as long as they subside, you don't need to worry.
Sometimes exacerbations can be restrictive in everyday life. Deep breathing and relaxation can help or make things easier at times. Deep breathing is also great to practice for dealing with labor pains!
It's easy to think that labor pains are synonymous with childbirth, but labor pains that come and go with exertion or changes in position rarely affect the cervix, which is a must for the birth of the baby.
If your contractions/pain become more regular and/or painful, if you notice blood or suspect that your water has broken, you should contact your healthcare provider.
