34th Week Growth...

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity.

As of this week, your baby has grown so large she takes up most of the available space inside the uterus, and can no longer float around your womb. Baby is now about 4.7 pounds and about 16.8 inches long. Meanwhile, other exciting things are still going on inside the womb this week:
*Your baby's adrenal glands are growing and producing corticoid hormones that, together with prolactin from the pituitary, will stimulate lactation.
*The vernix coating on the baby's skin is getting thicker to better protect Baby's skin.
*Baby's skull bones are still quite pliable and not completely fused together at the top of her head, which will make it easy for Baby to slip down the relatively narrow birth canal.
*Baby's skin is gradually becoming less red and wrinkled as the fat beneath it fills out and stretches the skin.

How your life's changing:You may be feeling a little fatigued lately, and that's perfectly understandable. Let yourself slow down and save some energy for labor day. If you have to spend a lot of time on your feet, try wearing a maternity belt that supports your abdomen and helps redistribute some of the weight. And if you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, which may cause a temporary (but rapid) drop in your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy when you get up.
In the next couple of weeks, you'll probably be tested for Group B streptococcus (GBS), a type of bacteria carried by up to a third of pregnant women.

Around this time, your doctor will want to check Baby's position in the womb. Because she's grown much larger, she's now tucked up and has probably moved into the proper location for birth. With luck, that's the standard "head down, rump up" position. However, as late as week 34, around four percent of all babies are still facing the other way, with their bottoms or legs toward the cervix. This is called a "breech presentation." At this late stage, a baby can't usually turn around on her own, so your doctor will probably try to coax her into position by manipulating your lower abdomen. This should be performed in a hospital so you and baby can be monitored during the process.

This week may herald some additional puffiness in your feet, hands, face, and ankles, especially during the evening or a warm spell. This puffiness is most likely caused by water retention. It may seem odd, but drinking more water can help ease water retention. (If you're not getting enough water, your body perceives your dehydration as a threat to your survival and begins to hold onto every drop within you.)

Braxton-Hicks ("false labor") contractions may also intensify this week. Relax — it doesn't mean true labor is beginning. Increased pressure from the baby's head may make it seem as if she could suddenly emerge at any moment. Almost always, this just means that the baby is pushing lower than usual into your pelvis. This increased pressure also may cause a harmless numb or tingling feeling in the pelvis area. If you find it uncomfortable, you can try lying on your left side to help ease pelvic pressure. Lying on your left side is the best position because it removes the pressure on arteries caused by your expanding uterus. Your doctor will continue to measure your uterus. It's important your uterus enlarges at an appropriate, consistent rate.