Week 35
Did you know that your uterus has expanded 1000 times more than its original size! Yip, that’s how your amazing body adapted over the past few months to make space for a beautiful baby. You are no doubt feeling like you’re the size of a house, but remember it’s a home filled with love and warmth that you personally created for your little one to thrive in.
Your Baby
Your little person, now the size of a spanspek, is about 46cm tall, which is almost full birth length. They won’t grow much taller, but will take the next few weeks to fatten up. Your baby now weighs about 2.4kg and will put on roughly another whole kilogram before the big day. At this stage, their kidneys are fully developed and their liver can process some waste. You’ll be very pleased to know that most of their basic physical developments are complete. Now its time just to plump up.
Your Body
Your growing uterus, which used to hide away in your pelvis, now reaches up under your rib cage. Your baby is squashed inside your womb. From here on out, you will be seeing your doctor regularly so that they can monitor your progress. Interestingly, the measurement in centimeters from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus is almost the same number of weeks of your pregnancy – so consider this an easy way to remember how far along you are (in the very unlikely event that you will forget).
Sensible Tips
- If you’re planning on breastfeeding your little one, now would be a good time to read up as much information as possible around getting your baby to latch.
- Book an appointment with a lactation consultant to learn the basic tips and tricks. You may be surprised to discover that it’s not as easy and natural as one would think, and you and your little one may require a bit of coaching before you get it right. The wrong latch can result in incredibly sore breasts, and while you both adapt and find your rhythm it can be an incredibly painful and frustrating experience for both you and baby. But persevering will be well worth it in the end and the benefits will far outweigh the initial setbacks. If you’re really struggling, enquire about laser treatment for your nipples while in hospital. Whilst this wont help with the latch, it will certainly help relieve the pain.