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🌳Third Trimester•Weeks 28-40
Week 34 of Pregnancy
Your baby is the size of cantaloupe
📏
Length
17.7 inches
⚖️
Weight
4.7 pounds
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Size Comparison
Cantaloupe
👶 Baby Development
- •Vernix caseosa (protective waxy coating) thickens to protect skin during birth
- •Fingernails have reached the end of fingers and baby may scratch themselves
- •Central nervous system is maturing with improved temperature regulation
- •Lungs are nearly mature and producing sufficient surfactant
- •Multiple fat layers continue forming for insulation and energy
- •Baby is likely in head-down position by now
- •Eyes are developed and baby can track light
💭 Common Symptoms
- •Possible vision changes from fluid retention affecting cornea shape
- •Increased fatigue as pregnancy becomes more physically demanding
- •Intense pelvic pressure as baby descends
- •Possible worsening constipation
- •Braxton Hicks may be uncomfortable
- •Trouble finding any comfortable position
- •Possible leaking of urine when laughing, sneezing, or coughing
🥗 Nutrition Tips
- •Eat foods rich in vitamin K (90 mcg daily) like leafy greens, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts for blood clotting
- •Include probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables for digestive and immune health
- •Stay hydrated with water throughout the day
- •Eat 5-6 small, frequent meals that are easy to digest
- •Include fiber-rich foods with plenty of water
- •Eat iron-rich foods to build baby's iron stores
- •Focus on protein for tissue repair and fetal growth
✅ To-Do This Week
- •Discuss Group B strep (GBS) screening test with provider (done between 35-37 weeks)
- •Review your labor and delivery plan with provider and support team
- •Prepare your home for baby - set up changing area, sleeping space, and feeding station
- •Pre-register at hospital or birth center to expedite admission
- •Install and test any baby monitors or equipment
- •Stock up on postpartum supplies and newborn essentials
- •Arrange for help in the first weeks postpartum
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Did You Know?
Your baby is about the length of a standard ruler (about 18 inches) and weighs close to 5 pounds! They're putting on the final pounds needed for healthy birth.