35 Weeks Pregnant

You are 35 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOU

The time is rapidly approaching when months of waiting (years, for some parents!) is rewarded with your newborn son or daughter. Just as real, are the fears you may be experiencing. If this is your first baby, you may wonder how you will cope with labor. Will it be “easy” or “hard,” long or short? We all have visions of the perfect labor, just as surely as we have visions of the “perfect baby.” You are probably wondering if you will be a good mother or father. If you will be prepared to meet the demands of parenting. You and your partner have already made some very important decisions, but many more lie ahead.

This last month of pregnancy is often an introspective time. Of course it is also a busy time. A time for packing your bag if you will be giving birth in a hospital or birthing center. Time to arrange for child care of siblings and care of the house and pets. Time to buy diapers and baby clothes and a car seat. It’s also a good time to prepare your children for the baby.

Find out about hospital or birth center protocols for sibling participation. Make an appointment with a pediatrician or pediatric nurse practitioner to ask about newborn exams and tests. Find out if the staff is supportive of breastfeeding.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to write out a list of questions and concerns that you may have regarding your birth.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

The “average” baby weighs about five pounds at 35 weeks and is about 15 inches in length, but then again “average” baby can just as commonly weigh seven pounds at this gestational age. It is during this last six weeks of pregnancy that your baby will put on most of his or her weight. In general, babies gain about one-half pound per week in the last month of pregnancy.

You may have noticed that your baby has predictable patterns of sleep and wakefulness. As the neurological system develops, he or she will have predictable cycles. Awareness of these patterns provides a helpful insight into your baby’s overall well-being. Some practitioners emphasize the importance of daily fetal movement counts. Even if you don’t use a counting method, it is wise to be aware of your baby’s typical pattern and alert your care provider if he or she seems to be less active, or if the pattern is significantly altered. Your provider may request that a “non-stress” test be performed to observe the activity of the fetal heart in response to fetal movement.

EATING FOR TWO

Healthy alternatives to unhealthy cravings:

FACT OF THE WEEK

You may have struggled with low hemoglobin (iron) during your entire pregnancy only to find that it is beginning to rise again. This elevation is due to the fact that your body is storing iron in preparation for the normal blood loss experienced at birth. Your baby has been manufacturing red blood cells and bone marrow, which may have depleted your levels, but that work is almost done. Now it’s your turn to absorb some of the iron.