Pregnancy Week - 34 Weeks Pregnant

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Pregnancy Week 34

**Please note- Your Due Date is calculated from the date of your last menstrual period, which corresponds to our Pregnancy Week by Week articles.

Week 34

Your Baby's Growth and Development
Your baby is continuing to grow and fill out during pregnancy week 34. Not much is changing in your baby, except he is adding on valuable weight. Keep in mind that the baby weights presented each week in our week to week guide are only estimates. Some babies will weigh in a bit larger and others a bit smaller. Some babies will also be longer or shorter. Every baby is unique.

There are many factors that make estimating the weight of your baby challenging. Many women like to get an estimate of how big their baby is during their prenatal visits. However, most estimates, unless calculated by an ultrasound, can be as much as 1 pounds off in either direction.

The discrepancy is due to the difficulty of guessing how much the baby will weigh combined with the placenta and amniotic fluid.

During an ultrasound, your healthcare provider will take many measurements to help estimate the baby's weight and size. Among the more common measurements include the diameter of your baby's head, the circumference of the head and abdomen and the length of your baby's femur. Estimates of your baby's weight by ultrasound are still not percise when performed late in your pregnancy.

Your Growth and Development
Your uterus at 34 weeks pregnant is now just about 5 to 6 inches from the top of your navel. You may notice that you look similar to or different from other pregnant women who are as far along as you are. Every woman carries her baby differently. Some tend to carry more wide, while others carry lower or higher. You may even carry differently from one pregnancy to the next!

There are many women who believe the way you carry represents the gender of your baby, but by and large, this is an old wives tale! It is fun to guess however, particularly if you are waiting until delivery to determine the sex of your baby!

Changes in You
You probably are getting a little bit uncomfortable by pregnancy week 34. You are also likely to start feeling anxious to meet your newborn baby.

Some women start to worry about whether or not their baby will fit through the birth canal. Generally, your healthcare provider will not be able to predict whether or not your baby is too big to fit through your pelvis. This diagnosis is typically made during labor, when your physician can determine how the baby is fitting into your pelvis.

Just because you are petite doesn't mean that you won't be able to delivery a large baby. There are many petite women who go on to deliver babies 8 pounds or more.

After 34 weeks pregnant, some women also start wondering when their baby will 'drop'. Dropping is the term that refers to the process whereby your baby's head enters the birth canal. This change in position can happen anytime, but usually a few days prior to delivery.

When you do drop, you should notice a change in your abdomen. You might notice that your baby is resting lower. You might also notice that it suddenly becomes easier to breathe, in part because you have 'lightened' your load and now have more room available in your upper abdomen.

After your baby drops, it is common to start feeling some pressure in the vagina. Some women worry that their baby might fall out. Talk to your doctor if the pressure is severe. Your healthcare provider can check to see exactly how low the baby's head is. Usually everything will be fine, you simply need to adjust to your baby sitting a little lower than you are used to.

Nursing Pillows
For Breast and Bottle Fed Babies

You may think that if you bottle feed your baby you won't suffer from any of the side effects that nursing mothers often do (like neck and shoulder pain). The fact of the matter is however, whether you bottle or breast feed your baby, feeding takes its toll. Most babies feed while laying in their side, supported by their mother or fathers arm.

The support you lend your baby while feeding can eventually lead to neck and shoulder problems. Fortunately, these problems are easily resolved with the use of a proper support pillow like Snoozer Pregnancy Pillows . Remember you'll need to take good care of your neck and shoulders so you can carry and lift your baby without pain.
Watch our pregnancy pillows video on youtube.com.

Maternity Clothes
The Inside Scoop On Maternity Tees

Want to know what many pregnant women find most comfortable to wear? Why, maternity tees of course! Maternity Tees and Shirts from Destination Maternity, provide all the comfort of ordinary tees with just a little extra room for expansion… something you will need during the next 9 months! Many maternity tees are specially designed with expectant mothers in mind. They may have cute logos that tell onlookers whether you are having a boy or girl (and even twins in some cases!) or other classy pictures. The majority of maternity tees come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. You can mix and match plain ones with more dramatic, colorful concoctions.

If you are considering wardrobe essentials during your pregnancy, don’t forget to add Maternity Tees from Motherhood Maternity to your list of must haves! Once you have a perfect maternity tee, you’ll find that you can’t live without it!

Pregnancy Health Tips
As your baby's birth approaches, many women start wondering about whether or not they will need an episiotomy. Recent studies have suggested that while episiotomies are common, they are an unnecessary medical procedure that many new mothers endure at the time of delivery.

An episiotomy is an incision that your healthcare provider will make from the bottom of your vagina to the top of the rectum in an effort to avoid tearing during delivery. Many women experience tearing when the baby's head passes through the birth canal.

Supporters of the procedure claim that it may help prevent unnecessary tearing and lacerations. However, there are many women who endure increased lacerations, complications, unnecessary pain, and even those that require reconstructive surgery after having an episiotomy. Many times, an episiotomy will result in a longer recovery period after delivery.

There are certain risks associated with having an episiotomy including:

• Increased risk of blood loss during delivery.
• Increased risk of infection.
• Weaker pelvic floor muscles after birth.
• Increased healing times.
• Loss of sexual sensation post delivery.
• Incontinence.
• Increased risk of a severe tear during birth.

In some instances, an episiotomy may be a life saving procedure. It can be medically necessary, particularly during times when the baby is in distress and needs to be delivered quickly.

Baby size doesn't really have anything to do with the amount of tearing you might experience. How big your baby's head is will actually determine whether or not you experience any tearing during delivery.

Is there anything you can do to avoid an episiotomy? Some women and healthcare providers encourage gentle stretching of the birth canal during labor and delivery. This is often referred to as a perineal massage. You can actually perform this massage in the weeks leading up to your birth.

Perineal massage is a form of exercise that can help prepare your body for labor. Many women begin massage in the five to six weeks leading up to delivery. Use of perineal massage may help reduce your risks for excessive tearing.

Many women choose to perform a perineal massage themselves, however, there is no reason your partner can't help you. To perform a perineal massage you will need to do the following:

• Sit in a position that allows you to remain comfortable with your legs apart.
• Place some water soluble lubricant on your fingers and thumbs as well as the area between your vagina and anus.
• Next, you will place your thumbs into the vagina about half way. Spread your legs and press down firmly on the perineal area. Try pressing down and to the sides at the same time, so that you are stretching the area.
• Hold for a few minutes. You should feel some tingling.
• Massage the lower vaginal canal back and forth.

It is best that you ask your healthcare provider exactly how to perform a perineal massage if you are interested. It is often hard to visualize such activities without someone actually showing you how to perform them.

Ultimately, the best way to avoid tearing is through a slow decent and controlled delivery of the head. If you work with a qualified health practitioner, you have the best chance of delivering your baby with minimal damage to your vagina and surrounding areas. If you have concerns about tearing, talk with your healthcare provider. Typically, your healthcare provider will be able to alleviate some of your concerns and inform you of all your options prior to delivery.

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