Pregnancy Week 35

How big is your baby? Your baby will be weighing in at around 2.383kg (5.25 pounds) and measuring 46.2cm(18.19 inches). How big are you? If you have not yet dropped (your baby has moved downinto the birth canal) your uterus should now sit about 5.90 inches (15cm) aboveyour bellybutton and about 13.79 inches (35cm) above your pubic symphysis. Your weight gain up to this point of your pregnancy should be around 23.8-28.6 pounds(10.8-13kg). How is your baby developing and growing

• Fatty deposits continue this week, as your baby will start to get fatter aroundthe arms and legs now.
• If you are having a boy, then the testes should have completed their descent intothe scrotum this week.
• Should your baby be born this week, he/she will lose weight faster than a full termbaby as the digestive tract is not yet completely developed to be self sufficient.

Will your baby fit through the birth canal? Even if your doctor has estimated the birth weight of your baby, there is noway to tell whether your baby will fit through the birth canal. The best test methodto know is, unfortunately, labor itself, and should your baby be too big tofit through the birth canal, the result would be that he/she would be born by anemergency C-section. In some cases petit women have no trouble all at in delivering a 3.5kg baby naturally,and in other cases some average sized women have difficulty in delivering 2.9kgbaby. There really is no way of telling until you are in the situation. Preparing for baby’s birth If you haven’t already started preparing for the birth of your baby, then now is the time to start doingso. You may want to start gathering the following information to take with you tothe hospital:

• Your blood type and RH-Factor
• When your last period was, and when your due date is
• Details of any past pregnancies
• Your partners contact details (in the event that she/he is not with you)
• Your healthcare providers name and contact details
• Your paediatricians name and contact details
• Your pre-authorization number from your medical aid or health insurance.

Something else you will want to do is to create a birth plan. Creating a birth plan will allow you to ask yourself the questionsyou should be asking before childbirth. It will also give you a change to get yourmind focused and ready for your labor experience. In preperation for your impending labour you will no doubt be experiencing somestrong braxton hickscontractions, but it is also important that you are able to tell what the signs symptoms of labourare and what the different stages of labor are. Visit our Media Center for pictures of your growing baby Tell Us About Your Baby Remember that you can tell us about your baby and you can receive a week by weekupdate as to how your baby is growing and developing post pregnancy. This includesinformation and articles on:

• Baby development & milestones
• Nutritional requirements & feeding
• Sleeping patterns
• Caring for and teaching your baby
• And so much more