34 weeks pregnant: symptoms and baby development
Curled up, knees to chest.
Third trimesterMonth 85 min read
By Solesia, from public clinical guidanceUpdated
Curled tight, knees drawn up to the chest, chin tucked, your baby is settling into the shape they will hold until birth. For some people this is the week that shape drops lower into the pelvis, and you know it when it happens: suddenly there is room to breathe, the heartburn eases, and in exchange walking is slower and the bathroom is never far away, which is a fair trade. Your breasts may be leaking a little of the first milk. Six weeks from your due date, with work, leave and feeding coming into view, the questions start to pile up, and it is fine to write them down.
How big is your baby at 34 weeks
About the size of a cantaloupe
17.7 in long·5.1 lb
Baby development at 34 weeks
At 34 weeks your baby measures about 17.7 inches from head to heel and weighs around 5.1 pounds, roughly a cantaloupe. There is no room left to stretch out, so they lie curled, with their legs bent up toward the chest and their arms tucked in. You can still feel them shift and watch your bump change shape as they do.
The waxy coating on their skin, the vernix, is thickening again this week, building a layer that will protect their skin in the last stretch and help them slide through the birth canal. Under it the skin is smooth and pink, with fat rounding out their cheeks and limbs.
Their lungs are close to ready, and a baby born this week would very likely breathe on their own, perhaps with a little help. Their fingernails reach the ends of their fingers. If the baby is a boy, the testicles are moving down from the abdomen about now; if a girl, the ovaries already hold every egg they will ever have. Either way, the genitals can look swollen at birth from your hormones, and that settles within days.
Your body at 34 weeks
Some babies drop lower into the pelvis around now, a stage called lightening, and it is expected whether it happens this week or not until labor. When it does, the pressure comes off your lungs and stomach: you breathe deeper and heartburn eases. In exchange there is more weight on your bladder and a heavier, wider walk. First babies often drop a few weeks before birth; later ones may not until labor starts.
Your breasts may feel fuller and leak a thin yellowish fluid, colostrum. This is expected, and it is the concentrated first milk your baby will have in the first days. Breast pads keep it from showing; there is nothing to express or save unless your provider suggests it.
Getting up from a low chair, rolling over in bed and putting on socks are all harder than they were, and that is the size of the bump, not a lack of fitness. Sit to dress, roll onto your side and push up with your arms, and let someone else do the lifting. Practice contractions and a sore lower back are also part of the week.
Common pregnancy symptoms at 34 weeks
- Bathroom trips. The baby’s head on your bladder. Lean forward to empty fully; keep drinking in the day.
- Easier breathing. If the baby has dropped, your lungs have room again. Enjoy it.
- Leaking colostrum. First milk arriving early. Breast pads; nothing to do.
- Walking is harder. Weight low in the pelvis. Shorter walks, more often, and supportive shoes.
- Braxton Hicks. Practice tightenings, painless and irregular. Rest and water settle them.
- Lower backache. The load has shifted forward and down. Warmth, and a pillow behind you when sitting.
- Hemorrhoids. Pressure on the veins below. Fiber, water, and a cool compress.
When to call your provider at 34 weeks
Two things are worth a same-day call at any point in pregnancy: bleeding that is more than spotting, and pain that is severe or does not ease. From the second trimester, add fluid leaking and any change in your baby’s usual pattern of movement. You do not need to be sure something is wrong to call; that is what the number is for.
What to do at 34 weeks
- The 34-week visit. Blood pressure, urine, the size of your bump and the baby’s position. Ask how they are lying and what would happen if they are still head up at 36 weeks.
- Plan your leave. Decide when you will stop work and what paperwork your employer needs. Many women find the last two weeks easier at home; others work to the end. Both are fine.
- Feeding plan. If you plan to breastfeed, a class or a visit with a lactation consultant now makes the first days simpler. If formula, choose one and have a small supply at home.
- Finish the childbirth class. If you are taking one, it should wrap up by week 36. Ask about the hospital tour, in person or online, if you have not done it.
Common questions at 34 weeks
What does it mean when the baby drops?
The baby moves lower, head settling into your pelvis. Your bump sits lower, you breathe easier and heartburn fades, but you need the bathroom more and walking feels heavier. First babies often drop two to four weeks before birth; later babies may not until labor begins. It is not a sign labor is about to start.
Is it normal to leak colostrum at 34 weeks?
Yes. Colostrum, the thick yellowish first milk, can appear any time in the second half of pregnancy, and a spot on your bra is common now. Leaking does not affect how much milk you will make later, and not leaking does not either.
What happens if a baby is born at 34 weeks?
Babies born this week do well. They usually spend some time in a special care nursery to keep warm, feed and, sometimes, get a little help with breathing, and nearly all go home healthy. It is a comfort worth having, though the aim is still a few more weeks inside.
When should I stop working before the baby comes?
Whenever suits you and your job. Many women work until 37 or 38 weeks; some stop earlier because of tiredness, standing or a long commute. Talk to your provider if the work is physical, and check what your employer needs from you and when.
Written from public clinical guidance, including NHS: Week 34, ACOG: How your baby grows, ACOG: Changes in your body, ACOG: Preterm labor, NHS: Indigestion and heartburn and NHS: Back pain. This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace your provider.