35 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips

Short Answer: At 35 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 46 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a honeydew melon, and weighs around 2.4 kg. The kidneys are fully developed, the liver can process some waste, the lungs are almost mature and the fat layer is thick enough to help your baby stay warm after birth. Most babies are head down, and many drop into the pelvis in the coming weeks. The top of your womb is about 34 to 35 cm above your pubic bone, close to your ribs. You may have pelvic pressure, backache, heartburn, swollen feet, frequent urination and stronger Braxton Hicks tightenings. This week, learn the signs that labour is getting close, ask about the group B strep test, know what to do if your baby arrives faster than expected, finish your hospital bag and plan your recovery for the first 40 days. Call a doctor the same day for any change in your baby’s movements, and for bleeding, severe pain, fever, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or a severe headache with blurred vision.

Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Thirty-five weeks pregnant means about thirty-three weeks since conception. You are in your ninth month, with about 5 weeks to go. Many doctors begin weekly visits at 36 weeks. For the week before, read our guide to 34 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.

36 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips

Week 35 at a glance

Sizes differ a little between guides, because they use averages from different groups of babies. Your own scan results and your doctor’s measurements matter more than a chart.

Your baby at 35 weeks

Growth. Your baby gains about 200 grams a week, almost all of it fat, which is why the cheeks and limbs look plump. The skin is smooth and pink, with few wrinkles left. Your baby is running out of room, so movements change.

Kidneys and liver. The kidneys are fully developed, and your baby passes about half a litre of urine a day into the amniotic fluid. The liver can now process some waste products, though it is still immature, which is why many newborns get mild jaundice in the first week.

Lungs. The lungs are almost mature, with enough surfactant for most babies born now to breathe on their own. A few still need short-term help. Full maturity comes at about 37 weeks.

Brain. The brain keeps growing and forming connections. Your baby sleeps most of the day, in cycles of deep sleep and dream-like sleep with rapid eye movements, and wakes for short periods. Your baby recognises your voice and the sounds of your home.

Reflexes. The sucking, rooting, grasping and startle reflexes are working. Your baby may suck a thumb, grip the umbilical cord and flinch at a loud noise. These reflexes help with feeding after birth.

Bones. The bones are hard apart from the skull, whose plates stay soft and separate so the head can mould in the birth canal. Your baby is still taking calcium from you.

Immune system. Your antibodies cross the placenta in large amounts in these weeks, protecting your baby against infections in the first months. The whooping cough and tetanus vaccines add to this.

Skin, hair and nails. Vernix, the white waxy coating, is thick, and the fine body hair is mostly gone. Hair on the head is thicker, and the nails reach the fingertips and may need trimming at birth.

Movement. Your baby is strong. With less room, movements feel more like rolls, stretches and pushes than sharp kicks. The total amount should stay about the same until labour. Hiccups, which feel like small rhythmic jumps, are common.

Position. Most babies are head down now. About 3 to 4 in 100 are still breech at term. Your doctor checks at about 36 weeks and may offer an external version or a planned C-section for a breech baby.

Chances at birth. A baby born at 35 weeks is late preterm. More than 99 in 100 survive in hospitals with good newborn care, and many go home within days to two weeks. They are more likely than term babies to have breathing, feeding, temperature, jaundice and blood sugar problems, so birth in a hospital with a newborn unit is safest.

Your body at 35 weeks

Womb. The top of your womb is about 34 to 35 cm above your pubic bone, close to your ribs. A tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 35 cm, give or take 2 cm. Your doctor measures this at visits as a quick check of growth.

Lightening. In a first pregnancy, the baby’s head usually settles into the pelvis, called engagement, about two to four weeks before birth. In later pregnancies, it can happen only in labour. This is sometimes called “lightening” or “dropping.” When it happens, you may notice that:

• Breathing is easier, and heartburn eases, because the womb moves off the diaphragm and stomach
• Your bump looks lower
• You feel more pressure in the pelvis, rectum and bladder, and need to pass urine more often
• Walking is more awkward, and you may waddle
• You may have sharp, electric-like pains in the pelvis or vagina, as the baby’s head presses on nerves

None of these means labour is about to start. Many people have no obvious drop.

Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week, though gain often slows near the end. By now most people have gained about 11 to 15 kg in total. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.

Blood and heart. Your blood volume is at its peak, and your heart works hard. You may feel warm, sweat more, have a faster pulse and notice veins on your legs and breasts.

Breathing. If your baby has not dropped, you may still be breathless on stairs. Sit upright, rest and avoid rushing. Call your doctor if breathlessness is sudden, severe or comes with chest pain, a fast heartbeat or a cough with blood.

Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face (melasma) and a dark line down the belly (linea nigra). Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream. Itchy, red bumps or hives on the stretch marks, called PUPPP, are harmless but very itchy. Ask your doctor for a safe cream, and do not scratch.

Breasts. They are larger and heavier. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, may leak. A supportive nursing bra and breast pads help.

Hands, feet and legs. Mild swelling is common, especially in hot weather. Tingling in the hands from carpal tunnel syndrome is common too. Varicose veins and piles can appear or get worse.

Tiredness and mood. Tiredness, impatience, vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. A burst of energy and the urge to clean and organise, called nesting, is common. Avoid climbing, heavy lifting and strong cleaning fumes.

Common symptoms and what helps

Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.

Signs that labour is getting close

Labour can start any time from 37 weeks, and many first babies come after the due date. Some signs show that your body is getting ready, though none can predict the exact day.

Signs that labour has started:

• Regular contractions that get stronger, longer and closer together, and do not stop with rest, water or a change of position
• Your waters breaking, as a gush or a steady trickle of fluid
• A show, together with regular tightenings
• A steady backache with tightenings

Go to hospital at once if your waters break, you have bleeding more than a show, your baby moves less, you see or feel the cord or you feel that something is wrong. Before 37 weeks, go for regular tightenings that continue after an hour of rest and water. From 37 weeks, a common guide for a first baby is to go when contractions come every 5 minutes, last about a minute and have done so for an hour. If you live far away or roads are slow, go earlier. Your doctor may give you a different rule, so ask.

Group B strep: what to know

Group B streptococcus, or GBS, is a bacterium that lives in the gut or vagina of about 1 in 5 healthy women. It does not harm you and usually causes no symptoms, but it can pass to your baby during birth and cause serious infection, such as sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis. Most babies of carriers are healthy, and the risk of infection is low, but it can be serious, so prevention matters.

Testing. Many guidelines recommend a swab of the lower vagina and rectum at 36 to 37 weeks and 6 days. Some hospitals test at 35 to 37 weeks, and some do not test but use risk factors instead. The swab is quick, painless and done by you or a nurse. Ask your doctor what your hospital does, and whether it can do the test.

If you carry GBS. You are given antibiotics, usually penicillin, through a drip once labour starts or your waters break, ideally four hours or more before birth. This lowers your baby’s risk of infection a great deal. Tell the staff that you are a carrier when you arrive at hospital.

If you are not tested, your doctor may still advise antibiotics in labour if you have risk factors:

• Labour before 37 weeks
• Waters broken for 18 hours or more before birth
• A fever of 38°C or more in labour
• A previous baby with GBS infection
• GBS found in your urine during this pregnancy

If you are allergic to penicillin, tell your doctor, because other antibiotics are available.

After birth. If you were a carrier, or have risk factors and did not get enough antibiotics, your baby is watched for 24 to 48 hours for signs of infection. Warning signs in a newborn include fever or low temperature, poor feeding, fast breathing, grunting, sleepiness, floppiness and a blue colour. Go to hospital at once.

When to call a doctor

Bleeding. Any bleeding in the third trimester needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Painless bright red bleeding can be a sign of placenta praevia, and bleeding with pain and a hard belly can be a placental abruption. Both are emergencies. Do not examine yourself internally, and go to hospital at once.

Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.

Preterm labour. Call straight away if you have regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, a steady low backache, pelvic pressure, a change in vaginal discharge, bleeding or fluid leaking before 37 weeks. Lie on your left side and drink water, and go to hospital if the signs continue for an hour, or at once for bleeding or fluid leaking. Call 999 if you need help getting there.

Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.

If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.

Tests and visits

Visits. Many doctors see you every two weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly. The World Health Organization recommends contacts at about 36, 38 and 40 weeks, with more if there are problems. Keep every appointment, even if you feel well, and bring your prenatal card.

Ask at your next visit:

• What are my blood pressure, weight, hemoglobin and womb size?
• Is my baby head down, and has the head dropped?
• When and where is the group B strep test, and what is the plan if it is positive?
• What is the plan if my waters break, or labour starts before or after my due date?
• When would you advise induction or a C-section, if at all?
• Which hospital should I go to, and do I need to register in advance?

Write down the answers. Carry your prenatal card and test results to every visit and to the hospital.

If your baby comes faster than expected

Most labours take many hours, especially the first. A few are very fast, and in Bangladesh, traffic, floods or distance can delay getting to hospital. A little preparation can save a life. This is for emergencies only. The best plan is to leave early and give birth with skilled help.

Signs the baby is coming now:

• Strong contractions, one on top of the other, with little rest between them
• An overwhelming urge to push, or pressure in the bottom as if you need to open your bowels
• A bulging or stretching feeling at the vagina, or you can see the baby’s head

If you are still far from hospital:

1. Call 999 or your doctor, and tell them you are in labour and how far apart contractions are. Ask someone to arrange transport or an ambulance.
2. Do not go alone, and do not drive yourself. If the baby’s head is visible, stop and stay put.
3. Stay calm and breathe. Pant or blow short, light breaths when you feel the urge to push, to slow the baby’s head and reduce tearing.

If birth happens before help arrives:

1. Wash your hands and the helper’s hands with soap and water if you can. Spread clean towels, cloth or a clean sheet under you, in a clean, warm place.
2. Get into a comfortable position, on your side, semi-sitting, or on hands and knees. Do not lie flat on your back.
3. Let the baby come out naturally. Support the head gently as it emerges, and do not pull. Let the shoulders and body slide out with the next contractions.
4. If the cord is loosely around the neck, slip it gently over the baby’s head or shoulder. Do not pull on the cord.
5. Catch the baby in a clean cloth. Place the baby face up on your chest or belly, with the head slightly lower than the body so fluid can drain.
6. Dry the baby quickly and thoroughly, with a clean cloth, rubbing the back and body, and wipe the face. Rubbing helps start breathing. Remove the wet cloth, and cover the baby and yourself with a dry blanket and put a cap or cloth on the head.
7. Keep the baby skin-to-skin on your chest, warm, with the face clear. This keeps the baby warm and helps breathing and feeding.
8. If the baby is not crying or breathing, keep rubbing the back firmly, and flick the soles of the feet. Tell the emergency operator, who can guide you. Do not shake the baby, and do not slap.
9. Do not cut the cord. Leave it until help arrives, or wait at least one to three minutes, then if it is necessary, tie it in two places with clean thread or string, and cut between them with clean, new or boiled scissors or a blade. Doing nothing is safer than using a dirty tool.
10. Wait for the placenta, which usually comes within 5 to 30 minutes. Do not pull on the cord. Place it in a clean bag or bowl to show to the doctor.
11. Put the baby to the breast. Suckling helps the womb contract and lowers bleeding.
12. Gently massage the lower belly, below your navel, in circles, until the womb feels firm like a hard ball, which helps stop bleeding.
13. Get to hospital, with the baby, cord and placenta, as soon as you can, even if you feel well. Both of you need to be checked.

Danger signs after a fast birth: heavy bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour, a floppy or blue baby, a baby who is not breathing, severe pain, fainting or the placenta not coming out. Call 999 and get help.

If the cord comes out before the baby (cord prolapse), call 999 at once. Get onto your hands and knees with your head down and your bottom in the air, or lie on your left side with a pillow under your hips. Do not push the cord back in, and do not touch it more than necessary. Keep it warm and moist with a damp cloth. Go to hospital by ambulance, and do not walk.

Choosing skilled care: facility, midwife and home birth

Many women in Bangladesh still give birth at home with a traditional birth attendant, a dai, or with relatives. Most of these births go well, but some do not. A skilled attendant can recognise danger and act quickly, and a hospital has the tools to save a life when things go wrong.

What can go wrong, and what skilled care can do:

What to do:

• Choose a facility with skilled staff. Choose a hospital, clinic or health complex with a doctor, a nurse-midwife or a trained family welfare visitor, who can do an emergency C-section and give blood, and a newborn care unit. Many upazila health complexes and community clinics provide basic care, and refer complicated cases. Ask your doctor or local health worker which facility to use.
• Know the difference. A skilled birth attendant is a doctor, nurse, midwife or other health worker trained to manage normal labour and to recognise and treat or refer complications. A traditional birth attendant is not considered skilled by the health system, though many have experience and can help as a companion.
• If a home birth is unavoidable, for example because of flood, distance, or an unexpectedly fast labour, have a trained attendant if you can. Prepare clean supplies, a clean surface, soap, boiled or new scissors and thread, clean cloths and warm wraps. Ask the attendant how and when they would transfer you, and arrange a vehicle and a hospital beforehand. Do not delay leaving if there is any danger sign.
• Never let anyone press hard on your belly, pull the cord or put anything in your vagina, and do not allow herbal or traditional mixtures to be inserted or taken to speed labour, unless a doctor has approved them.
• Plan early. Leave for the hospital when labour starts, or earlier if you live far. Many deaths happen because families wait too long.

Costs. Ask about the cost in advance. Some government facilities provide delivery care at low or no cost, and some programmes support transport and costs for pregnant women. Ask your local health worker or the upazila health office about services and schemes. Do not delay going to the hospital because of cost.

Your first 40 days after birth

The weeks after birth are called the postnatal period. Many women focus on the baby and neglect their own recovery. Most problems can be found and treated if you know the signs.

Postnatal checks. The World Health Organization recommends checks for you and your baby within the first 24 hours, at about day 3, between days 7 and 14, and at about six weeks. Stay in the facility for at least 24 hours after a vaginal birth, if you can. Keep your appointments, even if you feel well.

What is normal in the first weeks:

• Lochia, the bleeding and discharge after birth, is red for the first few days, then turns pink, brown and yellow-white, and may last four to six weeks. It can increase when you are more active, and may include small clots
• Afterpains, cramps as the womb shrinks, especially when breastfeeding
• Soreness in the perineum or a C-section wound
• Tiredness, swollen breasts when milk comes in and mood swings
• Sweating, hair loss in the following months and constipation

Danger signs that need urgent care. Go to hospital or call 999 if you have:

• Heavy bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour, or large clots, or bleeding that suddenly increases
• A fever of 38°C or more, or chills
• Foul-smelling discharge
• Severe belly pain
• A severe headache, blurred vision or fits
• A painful, red, swollen leg, or chest pain or breathlessness
• A breast that is red, hot, painful and with fever
• A wound that is red, swollen, leaking or opening
• Burning urination or being unable to pass urine
• Feeling faint, very weak or your heart racing
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Rest and help. Sleep when your baby sleeps, accept help with cooking, cleaning and older children, and limit visitors. Ask your partner and family to share night duties.

Food. There is no need to avoid fish, vegetables, fruit or other nutritious foods after birth. Eat a balanced diet with extra protein, iron and calcium, drink plenty of water and eat small meals often. Breastfeeding mothers need about 500 extra calories a day. Take iron-folic acid and calcium as your doctor advises for at least three months after birth, or longer if you are anaemic. Some families have traditional food restrictions in the first 40 days. Ask your doctor, since many restrictions can leave a new mother short of nutrients.

Perineal care. Keep the area clean and dry. Rinse with warm water after urinating and passing stools, pat dry, change pads often and wash your hands before and after. A cold pack eases swelling in the first days, and sitting in a few inches of warm water helps. Take pain relief as advised, and eat fibre and drink water to avoid straining.

C-section care. Keep the wound clean and dry, hold a pillow against it when you cough or laugh, walk a little each day and avoid lifting heavy things for about six weeks. Report any fever, redness, swelling or leaking.

Pelvic floor. Start gentle pelvic floor squeezes in the first days, when you feel ready, and build up. If you leak urine or stool, or feel a bulge, tell your doctor.

Bathing. You can bathe from the first day. Showering is fine, and it does not harm you or your milk.

Sex and contraception. You can have sex when you feel ready and your bleeding has eased, often after four to six weeks, but you can become pregnant again before your first period, even while breastfeeding. Waiting at least 24 months between births is safer for mother and baby. Ask your doctor about contraception before you leave hospital. Options include an implant, injection, pills, a copper IUD and condoms. Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, with no periods, is a short-term method, but it is not reliable if your baby is fed other foods or your periods return.

Your mood. Many mothers have the baby blues in the first two weeks, with tearfulness and mood swings. Postnatal depression affects about 1 in 7 mothers, and is more likely if you had depression before, have little support or have had a difficult birth or violence. Signs lasting more than two weeks include feeling sad, hopeless or worthless, no interest in your baby, trouble sleeping beyond the baby’s wakings, panic, and thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. Tell your doctor, and do not wait. It is treatable, and it is not your fault. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, go to the nearest hospital or call 999.

Partners can also feel low after birth, so look after each other.

If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.

Your newborn’s first week

Feeding. Start breastfeeding within the first hour, and feed exclusively for six months. Give no honey, water, sugar water, formula or other food before your milk is established, and never give honey under one year. Newborns feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. From about day 5, expect at least 6 wet nappies a day and soft yellow stools. Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days and regain it by about two weeks.

Warmth. Keep your baby warm with skin-to-skin contact, a cap and a dry wrap. Delay the first bath for at least 24 hours.

Cord care. Keep the cord stump clean and dry. In Bangladesh, health workers may apply chlorhexidine gel to the cord stump after birth. Follow their advice, and do not put oil, ash, turmeric or other substances on the cord, which can cause infection. The stump falls off in one to three weeks. See a doctor if the skin around it is red, swollen or has pus or a bad smell.

Safe sleep. Place your baby on the back, on a firm, flat surface, with no pillows, loose blankets or soft toys. Keep smoke away from your baby, and do not share a bed if you or your partner smoke, have taken alcohol or are very tired.

Vaccines. BCG is given at birth in Bangladesh, and the Expanded Programme on Immunization provides free vaccines from about six weeks. Ask your doctor or local centre for the schedule, and keep your baby’s card safe.

Jaundice. Mild yellow skin on the face and chest is common on days 2 to 5. Go to a doctor the same day if yellow appears in the first 24 hours, spreads to the belly, legs, palms or soles, lasts beyond two weeks, or if your baby is sleepy, feeding poorly or has pale stools.

Newborn danger signs. Go to hospital at once if your baby has: fever or very low temperature, poor feeding, fast or difficult breathing, grunting, fits, a floppy or very sleepy baby, yellow skin in the first day, a red or pus-filled cord or does not pass urine or stool.

Registration. Register your baby’s birth with the local authority. It is free within 45 days, and the certificate is needed for school and many services.

Food and supplements

Iron. Keep taking iron-folic acid tablets as prescribed. Take iron away from tea, coffee and milk, and with something sour such as lemon. Dark stools are normal on iron.

Calcium. Take calcium as prescribed, at a different time from iron.

Iodine. Use iodised salt in your cooking. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development.

Eat more of: protein (eggs, well-cooked fish, chicken, lentils and milk), iron-rich foods (leafy greens, lean meat and lentils, with lemon or guava), calcium-rich foods (milk, yogurt and small fish eaten with the bones), fruit and vegetables, whole grains and fibre and healthy fats such as well-cooked oily fish, nuts and seeds. Drink about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, more in hot weather.

Calories. Your needs rise by about 450 calories a day in the third trimester. You do not need to eat for two.

Limit: caffeine to about 200 mg a day, which is one or two cups of tea or a single small coffee. Limit sweets, sugary drinks, juice and fried snacks.

Avoid: alcohol, all tobacco (including zarda and jorda), raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, unwashed produce, large predatory fish such as shark and swordfish, high-dose vitamin A supplements and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.

Smaller, more frequent meals help with heartburn and breathlessness. Eat slowly, and avoid lying down for an hour after eating. In early labour, light snacks and water are usually fine unless your doctor says otherwise.

Dates. Some studies suggest eating about six dates a day in the last four weeks may help the cervix soften and shorten labour. The evidence is limited. If you have gestational diabetes, ask your doctor first, because dates are high in sugar.

Weight gain. Total gain over the whole pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy, and Asian-specific BMI ranges may apply, so ask your doctor.

Exercise, sleep and posture

Exercise. The standard advice for healthy pregnancies is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days. Walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, sitting on a birthing ball and pelvic floor exercises are good choices. You should be able to talk while you exercise. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports, heavy lifting and anything with a risk of falls. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, regular tightenings or fluid leaking.

Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do 10 repetitions a few times a day. Practise relaxing the pelvic floor fully after each squeeze, which helps in the second stage of labour.

Perineal massage. If you plan a vaginal birth and your doctor agrees, daily gentle perineal massage from about 34 to 35 weeks reduces the risk of deep tears, especially for first-time mothers. Ask your doctor first if you have a low-lying placenta, bleeding, an infection or waters broken.

Sleep. Sleep on your side, either side, with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Sleeping on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Do the same for naps. A long body pillow helps. Keep a regular bedtime and avoid screens at night. Hot, humid nights and power cuts can disturb sleep, so use a fan, wear loose cotton clothes and keep water by your bed.

Posture. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, avoid high heels and use a chair that supports your lower back. Lift by bending your knees. A support belt can ease back pain, so ask your doctor.

Movement tracking. Keep tracking your baby’s movements. Learn the usual pattern, and if you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. If you notice a clear drop or change, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait until the next day or rely on a home Doppler.

Travel. Avoid long trips from now unless necessary. Stay within reach of your hospital, carry your prenatal records and plan how you would get care if labour started. Many airlines do not allow travel after 34 to 36 weeks.

Work, leave and money

• Maternity leave. Under Bangladesh’s labour law, working mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, eight weeks before and eight weeks after the birth. Government employees receive six months. Check your own contract and your employer’s policy, and confirm your start date in writing.
• Work. If you keep working, take breaks to sit, eat and drink, avoid heavy lifting and long standing and tell your doctor about night shifts or hazards. Stop work and call your doctor if you have regular tightenings, bleeding, fluid leaking or severe headaches.
• Money. Budget for delivery, newborn care, a possible hospital stay and emergencies. Ask the hospital for a written estimate that includes tests, delivery and complications, and what is paid in advance.
• Emergency plan. Know your blood group, arrange transport and blood donors, keep money and documents ready and agree with your family to go to hospital at once if there is a danger sign. The national emergency number is 999.
• Hospital bag. Keep it packed by the door, with your prenatal card, test results, ID, loose cotton clothes, maternity pads, nursing bra, baby clothes, wraps, nappies, a phone charger and cash.
• Help at home. Arrange relatives or friends to cook, clean and look after other children in the first weeks.
• Birth registration. Register your baby’s birth after the birth. It is free within 45 days.

Checklist for this week

• Keep your visit this week, and check your blood pressure, weight, womb size and hemoglobin
• Ask about the whooping cough and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines if you have not had them
• Ask about the group B strep swab, your baby’s position and the plan if your waters break
• Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt
• Keep tracking your baby’s movements, and call the same day if the pattern changes
• Sleep on your side every night, including naps
• Learn the signs that labour is near, and the danger signs
• Learn what to do if your baby comes faster than expected, and tell your partner and family
• Confirm your hospital, a skilled attendant and transport, and arrange blood donors
• Keep your hospital bag packed by the door, and your birth plan ready
• Plan your first 40 days: help at home, postnatal checks, food and contraception
• Tell someone if you feel low or anxious
• Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number

FAQ

How big is the baby at 35 weeks?
About 46 cm from head to heel and 2.4 kg, roughly the size of a honeydew melon. Sizes vary a little between guides and between babies.

Can a baby survive if born at 35 weeks?
Yes. More than 99 in 100 babies born at 35 weeks survive in hospitals with good newborn care, and many go home within days to two weeks. They are late preterm, and need watching for breathing, feeding, warmth, jaundice and blood sugar.

What does it mean when the baby drops?
The baby’s head settles into the pelvis, which usually happens two to four weeks before birth in a first pregnancy, and later in other pregnancies. You may breathe more easily, feel more pelvic pressure and need to pass urine more often. It does not mean labour is starting.

What is group B strep?
A bacterium carried by about 1 in 5 healthy women. It is harmless to you, but it can infect newborns. Many hospitals test at 36 to 37 weeks and give antibiotics in labour to carriers.

What should I do if my baby is coming too fast to reach hospital?
Call 999, stay calm, get to a clean place and let the baby come out naturally without pulling. Dry the baby, keep them skin-to-skin and warm, do not cut the cord and get to hospital as soon as you can.

Is it safe to give birth at home?
Home birth with a skilled attendant, a clean setting and a plan to transfer can be safe for a healthy, low-risk pregnancy. Home birth with an unskilled attendant is risky, because bleeding, obstructed labour, fits and a baby who does not breathe need skilled care. Choose a facility with skilled staff when you can.

Can I eat fish and vegetables after birth?
Yes. There is no need to avoid them. Eat a balanced diet with extra protein, iron and calcium, drink plenty of water and ask your doctor about any food restrictions.

What are the danger signs after birth?
Heavy bleeding, fever, foul-smelling discharge, severe belly pain, severe headache, a swollen painful leg, breathlessness, a red wound or breast and thoughts of harming yourself. Go to hospital or call 999.

Is it safe to exercise at 35 weeks?
Yes for most healthy pregnancies. Walking, swimming, gentle yoga and pelvic floor exercises are good. Avoid contact sports, heavy lifting, hot yoga and lying flat on your back during exercise.

Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting, fluid leaking, a change in your baby’s movements or any symptom that worries you.