35 Weeks Pregnant

Read about...

• Your Baby
• You
• 9th Month of Pregnancy Video
• Diary of a Daughter

Your Baby

At approximately 5.5 pounds and over 18 inches in length, you may find that your little one is not moving as joyfully as he once did. Lacking the stretching space he had before, your new baby may just be stretching and wiggling more often now, but should still keep active inside your womb. If you notice a dramatic decrease in activity, be sure to contact your doctor or midwife promptly to discuss this. You may be required to count fetal movements as a record of your little one's activity for reference.

The fingernails continue to grow on those little fingers and toes, and may even be longer than the edge come their birth day.

The kidney development is complete and the liver is beginning to produce waste products where you will begin to see those results come the first few days of your new baby on the outside. Your baby's lungs are almost completely developed now, and although the eyes are most likely blue at this point and time, they can change color after they are born to green or even brown later.

Fat stores are continually being added to give your baby that cute plumpness that you sometimes see on newborns, although admittedly most newborns do look quite skinny at least compared to what they will look like just a few weeks later..

You

Typically you may have gained anywhere from 24 - 29 pounds in total by now and are shying away from the scale each week when your doctor or midwife weighs you. Do not fear if you have gained more or less than expected or that is average. Each woman's pregnancy is different, and even women who have had multiple pregnancies may notice that one pregnancy weight gain is not identical to another.

If you have any questions or concerns with the amount of weight you or your baby have gained during this time, be sure to discuss those with your health care practitioner.

35 weeks pregnant, increased pressure from the baby sitting low and the increased weight can make you very uncomfortable during these last few weeks. Many women will seek out methods to help deal with this pain such as pregnancy massage. Although you may not be able to lie face down on a table, there are many certified massage therapists that deal specifically with pregnancy massage and are able to work around your growing abdomen to help you deal with any muscle aches and pains you may be experiencing.

A decreased sex drive is one of the many other side effects that women experience when coming closer to their expected due date. This can be from a combination of overall discomfort, lack of sleep due to frequent urination, or even constant heartburn or hemorrhoids can interfere with the desire to be intimate.

Be sure to keep open communication with your partner during this time. Remember that a low libido is common and normal at this stage and will continue to be common and normal long after yoyur baby is born, especially if you breastfeed. That is not to say that no new mom has a desire for sex, but very many experience a lower drive. To learn more about sex after pregnancy, click here.

To start learning about the birth process, visit our section about giving birth here.

If you are at all considering natural childbirth, I can really recommend these online birth classes.

You can also read my exclusive interview with Catherine Beier, the childbirth educator who has created these classes.

9th Month of Pregnancy Video

If seeing is believing for you; watch this video explaining the 9th month of pregnancy in pictures and words.

Instructions: When watching the video clips, start the videos by clicking the small arrow down to the left, not the large one in the middle of the screen. If you're using Internet Explorer as your browser and the video doesn't start, try clicking twice on the small arrow.

Diary of a Daughter