Pregnancy Guide for Couples: Week 34
You may wonder when you will go into labor and how you will know you need to call your doctor. We’ll discuss that below and how much your little one has developed by week 34.
What’s Going on with Baby
At Week 34, your baby is the size of a medium-sized pumpkin!
Many parts of your baby are in their final stages of development. This includes your little one’s central nervous system and lungs. Typically, by week 34, your baby would do okay if they were born now, as long as there are no other health problems. Here are some things to know about babies who are considered “late preterm:”
Many babies at this stage can breathe on their own, but some may need respiratory support
Late preterm babies may need help regulating their temperature, so they would be placed in an incubator or kept warm with heated blankets
Babies may need tube feeding until they can bottle feed or nurse successfully
Late preterm babies are at an increased risk of jaundice
What’s Going on with Mom
You’re probably getting quite comfortable feeling Braxton Hicks contractions at this point. Braxton Hicks are irregular and sporadic contractions of the uterine muscles. They are usually painless and feel like a tightening or hardening of the abdomen. Unlike labor pains, Braxton Hicks do not increase in frequency and do not become more intense with time. If you haven't felt any, don't worry. That's normal too and doesn't mean there's anything wrong.
So, speaking of labor, how do you know when to call your doctor?
Having regular contractions 5 minutes apart consistently
If your water breaks
If you have severe or prolonged pain
If you noticed a significant decrease in baby’s movements
Focus less on the time and more on how you feel. When you hit active labor, you'll be focused, not talkative and likely making noise through contractions. We recommend laboring at home until active labor unless you have complications. When in doubt, call your provider!
What’s going on with Partner
Something that Dad can be working on this week is a postpartum plan for housework. Many couples forget to prep for this before birth! Since Mom will undeniably be busy once baby is born and Dad may be too, a plan for helping keep the house tidy and clean would be extra helpful to both of you.
Consider having family or friends sign up for days to help clean, or you could hire an outside service to come to the house once a week. You'll be busy nursing and caring for your newborn!
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
One of the biggest questions I hear from first time moms is: how will I know if I'm in labor? This blog should clear this up for you!
