35 weeks pregnant: Baby’s development, symptoms and top tips

Another big weight gain this week – your baby is now 2.3 kg and measures 46.2 cm from head to heel.

All this extra fat will help your baby maintain a stable temperature in the outside world.

Other developments this week include the continue maturing of the lungs, ready for breathing air instead of amniotic fluid.

Head down

Your baby will probably be in a head-down position by now and if your bump has dropped that means their head is ‘engaged’ in the lower pelvis, i.e. the ‘go’ position. That doesn’t mean labour could happen at any time – but when it does happen, baby will be ready. Their skulls stay relatively soft until 12 – 18 months, making that journey down the birth canal a bit easier.

One consolation is that the breathing difficulties you’re having will ease as your uterus moves down, reducing the pressure on your lungs. At 35 weeks pregnant, you might experience the symptoms of the baby dropping – through so-called false labour – such as tightness in your belly, a pulling sensation in your womb, and possibly slight nausea and diarrhoea as well. Unlike real labour, false contractions don’t occur at regular intervals and don’t get more intense or painful, so even though you might not be able to tell if it’s the real thing or not at the start, the intervals will soon tell you which is which.

Bladder weakness

The pressure the uterus puts on your bladder can cause bladder weakness. False labour causes the uterus and your baby to move down towards your lesser pelvis, which increases the pressure on your bladder and makes it smaller. It will therefore fill up more quickly, so you’ll have to go to the toilet even more often.

Circulation problems

Another ongoing symptom is circulation problems. If you’ve been lying down on your back, for instance, you might find that you can’t get up again straight away. This is caused by the pressure your uterus is putting on the vena cava, the vein that supplies blood to the heart: it works less effectively, so less blood and oxygen circulates around your body and you may feel dizzy, light-headed and nauseous at times. For this reason, it’s recommended that you sleep on your side from week 28 onwards.

It's a good idea. Writing a birth plan can help you focus on decisions you need to make, and it can help you feel more relaxed about the impending birth. Keep a copy in your maternity notes and a separate copy in your hospital bag, so that you always have a copy with you in case you or your partner wants to refer to it during labour.

Not sure what to write? Download our handy birth plan template, which makes it simpler to note what you do and don’t want to happen during the birth. Though we call it a ‘plan’, it’s really more of a wish list. There are no guarantees with childbirth!

Talk to your partner about it – it’ll help you enormously if they know exactly what you want, and more importantly what you don’t want, during this unique experience. Many women find that they get into a very focused state during labour and can’t think about anything but what’s going on in their body, so it’s important you have someone to advocate for you in the instance you can’t speak up for yourself.

Perineal massage

Buy some perineal massage oil and massage the area between your vagina and your anus regularly to make it more flexible and ready for birth. Remember to cut your finger nails and wash your hands first!

Stock up

Have you got everything ready? There’s still time to buy those last few bits you need and finish off anything else you need to do. If you have time and feel the urge to do some cooking, then cook as much as you can. Split it up into smaller portions and freeze it – during the first few weeks after the birth, you’ll be grateful for your foresight and the ready-cooked meals.

Swollen feet?

If you get swollen feet, try cutting out dairy products in the evenings as they increase the amount of water you retain in your tissue. Elevate your feet as much as possible, and make sure you stay hydrated. Being dehydrated can lead to more fluid retention.

Positions for labour and childbirth

In films and on TV, women are often depicted lying on their backs for the entirety of labour and childbirth. In truth, lying on your back is usually not the most comfortable way to give birth or experience labour. Sitting up or kneeling while leaning forward can make contractions easier to bear. Place your feet lower than your bottom to get gravity working for you and open up that pelvis. Find out if the hospital or maternity unit you’re intending to use has a birthing ball, which will enable you to rock and bounce your way through contractions. Staying active – even in small ways – will help you cope with labour, and should keep it progressing.

Have a look online at different labour and birthing positions. When the time comes, you’ll probably find your body takes over and you instinctively move into a position that works for you.

Preparing for postpartum care

No one knows how their birth is going to go, or what their postpartum recovery will look like. Many women have some level of perineal injury – whether that’s from a tear or an episiotomy – that will require care. You can prepare for this by stocking up on ice packs (the flexible kind designed for medical use, not the rigid kind that go into coolboxes!), lavender oil and Epsom salts for a sitz bath, arnica tablets for healing, and perhaps a donut cushion to make it more comfortable to sit on your tender bottom.

Another way you can look after yourself is by setting up a changing table for your baby so you can change their nappy while standing up, instead of kneeling on the floor, which puts surprising pressure on your undercarriage immediately after birth. Make sure it’s a safe space, with everything you need to hand, as once the baby is on the table you won’t be able to leave them to go and find a fresh wipe.

It’s about this point in pregnancy that the reality of labour and delivery begins to feel very real and could be causing you anxiety. Hypnobirthingcan help you feel more relaxed about things, and will give you coping tactics you can use during childbirth. You don’t have to think of it as a replacement for pain relief – the two can complement each other, depending on how things are going and what you want.

Warm water can ease pain, which is why many women opt for a water birth. You can spend as much of your labour in the pool as you like and even deliver the baby into the water if you want. Talk to your maternity unit about what facilities are on offer, and how many. Bear in mind that even if you’ve got ‘water birth’ on your birth plan, you might not have access to the birthing pool if it’s already in use.

TENS machines send little electrical pulses into your body to ease the pain of contractions. You can buy these machines or rent them, and use them to manage your early contractions at home as well as in hospital.

Medical pain relief options include gas and air, pethidine/diamorphine and an epidural. Gas and airis breathed in through a face mask or mouthpiece and works quickly to ease the pain, though it may not take it away completely and some people report it makes them feel sick and dizzy.

Pethidine/diamorphine is administered as an injection to your thigh or bottom and is only suitable for the earlier stages of labour, as the drugs can interfere with the baby’s feeding and breathing. Pethidine takes about 20 minutes to work, but the effects last for around 2 – 4 hours.

An epidural is a local anaesthetic given into the space outside your spine. It’s a highly effective form of pain relief, but it could slow down labour and because it has to be administered by an anaesthetist it is not available everywhere.

What are some signs labour is nearing?

If your baby’s head is in engaged, it’s a good sign that labourwon’t be too much further away. Some people say they knew labour was approaching because they felt different, had a sudden rush of energy, or crazy dreams. None of this is very scientific, but you’ll soon be able to decide for yourself whether or notit’s true!

What are babies doing in the womb at 35 weeks?

Your baby is a little cramped now, and will only get more so in the next few weeks. That doesn’t mean they can’t move though – it just means their movements get more uncomfortable for you!

How do I know if my baby is head down at 35 weeks?

The big clue is if your bump has dropped. If you haven’t noticed that, however, you can always talk to your midwife at your appointment next week. They will be checking to see where the baby’s head is, and are much better at telling a head from a bottom!

How many movements should I feel at 35 weeks?

Your baby should be as active as ever, despite their cramped environment. Those movements will feel different – probably more intense pushing rather than quick sharp jabs – simply because they’ve got less space. You should expect them to maintain a continuous level of activity – whatever is normal for them – right up until delivery.

What exercises can I do at 35 weeks pregnant?

You can carry on with your regular pregnancy exercises right up until the end of your pregnancy, although you might find you need to do less as you get more uncomfortable. Pelvic tilts on a gym ball, pregnancy yoga, those all-important pelvic floor exercises – all are good preparation for birth and beyond.

Got questions? At the HiPPBabyClub, we bring you real-world advice and support from HiPP parents, midwives, nutritionists and more. Join our Baby Club to find out more.