34 Weeks Pregnant
Your baby is the size of a Cantaloupe 🍈
🌱 Baby Development at Week 34
Baby's central nervous system and lungs continue to mature. Fat stores rounding out the body. Fingernails have reached fingertips. Brain is making trillions of new connections. Baby is very active — punches and kicks are strong.
🤱 Common Symptoms
🥗 Nutrition Tips
- Continue eating balanced meals
- Dates for cervical ripening benefits
- Avoid spicy foods late at night
🏃♀️ Exercise Tips
- Perineal massage to reduce tearing risk
- Birth preparation classes
- Gentle movement as tolerated
🏥 Medical Tests & Appointments
🔬 Hormone Changes
Progesterone begins very subtle decline. Body starts releasing cortisol to prep for labor.
📖 Week 34 Pregnancy — In-Depth Guide
Starting week 34, you better watch what you say, and your baby’s hearing skills start to get much better.
You can of course go right ahead and practice singing lullabies, and some experts even believe that your baby may even be familiar with those tunes once they’re out of your belly.
In terms of baby at 34 weeks pregnant, they are about the size of a butternut squash, and are just 6 weeks away from entering into the real world.
🩺34th Week Pregnancy Symptoms
Here are some of the common symptoms you may experience when you’re 34 weeks pregnant.
▸ Fatigue
You may feel a little more exhausted at times compared to your previous weeks for the simple fact that your baby is growing and you have to carry around a little more weight.
Blurry vision
Blurry vision during pregnancy
Your vision at times may seem a bit off due to several reasons such as fluid buildup or fluctuating hormones. Blurry vision sometimes attracts swelling, headaches and rapid weight gain, which also could be a sign of preeclampsia—a serious pregnancy condition.
▸ Hemorrhoids
These are caused mainly due the extra weight baby is putting on your rectum. To get some relief, try switching sitting and standing positions.
▸ Constipation
You may feel a bit plugged at times, which consequently can make you feel uncomfortable. To ease yourself, it is recommended that you eat foods that contain lots of fiber, drink lots of water and take frequent walks.
Abdominal pressure
Abdominal pressure during pregnancy
As your baby is in the process of settling down and prepare for arrival, you may feel more pressure applied on your pelvis area that may cause frequent urination.
Braxton Hicks contractions
Braxton Hicks contractions during pregnancy
If you’re cramping, remember that it is completely normal. However, if you feel any pelvic pain, it could be a sign of a major problem, for which you contact your OB immediately.
Swollen ankles and feet
Swollen ankles during pregnancy
Since you’re carrying around an almost fully grown baby, that extra weight is bound to put some pressure on your ankles and feet and cause swelling in those areas. The best solution is to relax your feet whenever you can.
🤰Inside your Belly in Week 34
When you are 34 weeks, you may feel that your belly is a lot lower than it did in your previous weeks. The biggest reason for this is because your baby is moving down closer to your pelvis, which may open up a little extra space in your lungs.
The downside to this drop in position is of course that your baby is applying more pressure on your bladder, which may cause you to hit the washroom more often.
In terms of size, your belly measures somewhere between 32 and 36 inches and is more likely moved towards a sideways position. If there are any issues with your pregnancy such as an unusual level of amniotic fluid
your OB will order an ultrasound to check to ensure that things are in good order.
Fact is that amniotic fluid levels reach their peak levels between week 34 and week 36 of your pregnancy, so you may not feel your belly getting bigger after this point.
Don’t forget to still keep tabs on your baby’s kick counts which is easily done by setting a timer and seeing how much time it takes your baby to move at least ten times in an hour.
If you’re pregnant with twins, your pregnancy period may be much shorter, because most dual pregnancies last between 35 to 37 weeks.
📷34th Week Pregnant Ultrasound - What to Expect ?
Although you’re most likely to take a trip to your OB when you’re 34 weeks pregnant, you will probably not have an ultrasound this week. Only if your doctor decides to, you may have a biophysical profile (BPP)
which includes ultrasound and non-stress test. These two tests are performed to help your doctor gauge if your baby is reacting well to stress.
▸ ultrasound image on week 34
👶Your Baby's Development in Week 34
Your baby when you’re 34 weeks is opening and closing its eyes when they wake up and go to sleep. In terms of size, your baby measures approximately 17.72 inches and weighs 4.73lbs, and its tiny fingernails have probably made it to the tip of its fingers.
▸ baby image inside belly on week 34
In other baby developments, they can hold their head upright and even swing it from side to side and most of the lanugo that was once present is now replaced with a thick coat of vernix.
✅Pregnancy Week 34 Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions answered by our medical team