Pregnancy week 35 - baby's development and your body

Your baby has gained more fat, and the fine lanugo hair that once covered their body is now gone. Instead, a generous layer of vernix coats the skin, providing protection and insulation.

Size:

Your baby is about 45 cm or 17.72 inches long, from head to foot.

Weight:

Approximately 2.4 kg or 5.29 lbs.

Fetal development:

Aside from the lungs and brain, most of your baby’s body parts and organs are fully developed and ready for birth. Your baby is continuing to gain fat.

Space is getting tighter in the uterus, so kicks may now feel more like strong stretches or pushes. However, the frequency and strength of movements should remain the same.

By now, many babies have turned head-down, but some may still shift into position this week or next.

In just three weeks, your baby will be developed enough to survive outside the womb without assistance, although most babies aren’t born for another 5–7 weeks. Babies born now almost always survive and typically don’t need intensive care, with a very low risk of long-term complications.

Your body:

As pregnancy nears its end, the ligaments and muscles in your lower back soften, which can lead to back pain. The baby’s pressure may also make it harder to breathe, sit, stand, or find comfortable positions for sleep.

When the baby drops head-first into the pelvis, many people feel relief from the pressure on their ribs and lungs. For most first-time mothers, this happens before week 36, but for those who have given birth before, it may not happen until labor begins.

Pelvic pain after exertion is also common, as the hormone relaxin softens the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth. Contractions are normal at this stage, too.