Right around now is when you might start to feel miserable, and making it to 40 weeks may seem like a terrifying journey. You’re finding it harder to breathe and peeing all the time. On the bright side, you can see your munchkin rolling around in your belly, which is pretty much the coolest thing that will ever happen to you!
Choose Your Week
- Pregnancy Week 31
- Pregnancy Week 32
- Pregnancy Week 33
- Pregnancy Week 34
- Pregnancy Week 35
- Pregnancy Week 36
Sources of information included in this series include What to Expect, American Pregnancy Association, several specific sources cited within the text, and my personal experience as a biological mother of two!
Pregnancy Week 31 Development
How many months pregnant is 31 weeks?
31 weeks equals over seven months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 31 weeks?
Head down, booty up: this is the position you want your baby to be in by now. Not just because those bladder kicks are causing you to pee yourself without warning (the head constantly pushing on it isn’t much better), but because soon, the baby will have very little room to move at all, making it much more difficult to get into the birthing position.
What does a baby look like at 31 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 31 weeks: 16 inches
- Average fetal weight at 31 weeks: 3.5 pounds
That little brain is working overtime, forming trillions of connections and processing information (from all five senses). All this work is tiring, so the baby’s sleeping for longer stretches at a time – which can be nerve-wracking for expectant mothers trying to do their daily kick counts. If you simply must wake the baby up right now, try drinking something cold and sugary (like orange juice – avoid the soda!).
Pregnancy Week 31 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
Your uterus is now about four inches above your belly button – so if it feels like all your organs are being crushed or pushed out of place, it’s because they are! Your lungs are even starting to be crowded, so you may find yourself with shortness of breath. But don’t worry, the baby is getting plenty of oxygen from the placenta! You might not have to deal with reduced air capacity all the way up until delivery, though. Many women find themselves breathing easily again once the baby drops down into their pelvis in preparation for birth.
Also, if you’ve managed to maintain a sex life throughout this point of pregnancy, first of all – you’re a stronger woman than I am! I passed out on the recliner every night right after dinner at this point.
Seriously, though, you may be wondering how the baby’s handling your sexy time. If the baby’s moving a lot when you’re finished, it could be excited about the unusual movements of the environment; if the baby’s still, it was probably rocked to sleep by the motion of the ocean. Either one is normal, and the baby has no idea what’s actually happening, so you don’t have to freak out about hurting or traumatizing your unborn child. And you can tell your very worried husband that no, his penis is not going to poke the baby’s head – your cervix creates a barrier between your uterus and your vaginal canal.
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
Pregnancy Week 31 Video
Pregnancy Week 32 Development
How many months pregnant is 32 weeks?
32 weeks equals seven-and-a-half months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 32 weeks?
A breech baby at 32 weeks may become the focus of concern for your doctor, as most babies move head-down by this point. There are some non-invasive ways to encourage your baby to flip, and you may want to seek assistance from an outside source like a chiropractor. Talk to your OBGYN before trying ANY method, because there’s an umbilical cord in there you’ve got to work around!
What does a baby look like at 32 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 32 weeks: 16.5 inches
- Average fetal weight at 32 weeks: 4 pounds
All the organs are fully developed now, except for the lungs. Thanks to the existence of ventilators, the baby is in great shape for surviving outside of the womb now! But while it’s still in there, it’ll keep practicing breathing amniotic fluid to help strengthen its lungs. This week, the baby’s skin has also finally turned from translucent (see-through) to opaque!
Pregnancy Week 32 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
If you haven’t experienced any Braxton-Hicks contractions till now, that’s okay – but you’re much more likely to feel them happening now, and even more so the closer you get to term. One way to tell if they’re real contractions is to change positions (so if you were sitting when they started, stand up and walk around for a bit). If they continue on at regular intervals, call your doctor!
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
Pregnancy Week 32 Video
Pregnancy Week 33 Development
How many months pregnant is 33 weeks?
33 weeks equals seven-and-a-half months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 33 weeks?
Hopefully, the baby is head-down by now. If you feel sharp pain (kicks) near your ribs or see those little footsies anywhere above your belly button, you’re probably fine – but we also eventually want the baby to keep its back to the outside because sunny-side-up births can be PAINFUL.
What does a baby look like at 33 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 33 weeks: 17 inches
- Average fetal weight at 33 weeks: 4.5 pounds
Yes, the baby still inside you looks like an actual tiny person, just like the photo above! So crazy to think about, right?
That soft spot all babies have at the top of their heads is already there. It’s a gap between the pliable bone plates of the skull that allows them to move and mold so the baby’s head can fit through the vaginal canal. The plates will start fusing together, very slowly, after birth – it won’t be completely gone until the baby’s about 15 months old.
Baby’s also packing on about half a pound of fat every week now; that’s like an adult drinking two extra cans of sugary cola every day! And one of the most important systems is forming now – the immune system, which will protect the baby from illness in the outside world. While in the womb, the baby will be getting its first antibodies passed to it from you!
Pregnancy Week 33 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
At this point, there’s more baby in your womb than there is amniotic fluid, so you’re going to start feeling the baby’s movements less frequently, but more forcefully. Most women will see those moving humps as the baby flails its arms and legs or twists its butt side to side.
Even if you’re obese, you should be able to see some clear movement now when you lie on your back (but try to keep your head and shoulders propped up to avoid cutting off circulation). I never saw outlines of fingers and toes like some women, but it did look like I had a gopher running around in my belly!
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
Pregnancy Week 33 Video
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Pregnancy Week 34 Development
How many months pregnant is 34 weeks?
34 weeks equals almost eight months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 34 weeks?
Your uterus is a whopping 5 inches above your belly button. 34 weeks is usually the earliest a baby “drops” from near your rib cage to lower in your pelvis, so if the baby’s still crushing the air out of you, that’s totally normal (unfortunately). Also, if your baby DOES drop this early, plug your ears when you hear old ladies calling out “That baby’s dropped, it’s gonna come out any day now!” because:
- It’s NOT true,
- You DON’T want the baby to come out yet, its lungs still need finishing, and
- The reason they think this is because most of the time you won’t drop till closer to delivery – but not always.
My daughter dropped several weeks before she was born, and my body literally never went into active labor (I never got past 3cm dilated). It felt like I had a bowling ball in my pelvis for WEEKS.
Also, if your OBGYN determines your baby is breech at 34 weeks, it’s not time to give up hope that baby will be head-down for birth just yet… though you may want to prepare for a c-section (and I think every mom should, anyway).
What does a baby look like at 34 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 34 weeks: 17.5 inches
- Average fetal weight at 34 weeks: 5 pounds
Just like you, the baby is now opening its eyes when awake and closing them when asleep (yes, that was something that had to be practiced in the womb!). The cheesy vernix coating is thickening (but it will start to shed soon). If the baby’s a boy, his testicles have probably made their way down to the scrotum (and if they still haven’t by birth, don’t worry – they usually do within the first year of life).
Pregnancy Week 34 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
Some women are already leaking colostrum around now, which is a good sign of being able to feed your baby plenty of breast milk. Colostrum is yellowish in color and thicker and sweeter than regular breast milk, but it’s jam-packed with nutrients and will be more than enough in the baby’s first day of life until your breast milk comes in. If you start leaking, you may want to start wearing nursing pads when you go out.
If you get all the way to delivery without leaking anything, or if you don’t seem to have a lot of colostrum coming out after delivery (even when you squeeze your nipple), it may be a sign you’re one of the few women who can’t produce enough breast milk to exclusively breastfeed. I was one of these women. Despite all of my reading and preparing for my first baby, I never read anything indicating breastfeeding might not be possible for me, which led to a very stressful and heartbreaking first few months of parenthood.
It’s a neglected topic, but this affects 2% of women. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, that adds up to 80,000 women in the U.S. alone every year that are unable to exclusively breastfeed their babies – and may be unintentionally starving them in their desperation to breastfeed. Please read more on primary lactation failure so you can recognize the signs right away!
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
Pregnancy Week 34 Video
Pregnancy Week 35 Development
How many months pregnant is 35 weeks?
35 weeks equals eight months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 35 weeks?
Baby’s just about out of room for moving and grooving, so don’t freak out if kicks and punches seem less frequent or less powerful – they probably are. There’s just not enough room to swing wide anymore.
If the baby is breech but hasn’t dropped, there’s still some time to get things turned around. If the baby has dropped while still breech, you’re probably on the path to a c-section. And if that’s something you’d like to avoid at all costs, discuss safe methods for trying to turn the baby the right way.
What does a baby look like at 35 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 35 weeks: 18 inches
- Average fetal weight at 35 weeks: 5.5 pounds
Nearing the height they will be at birth, the baby’s main job now is to get fatter (just like you – kidding!). But while most of your fat is going to your stomach and thighs, the baby’s is going up higher, to its shoulders. This makes the journey through your vaginal canal just a tiny bit more comfortable for the baby.
Pregnancy Week 35 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
One of your earliest pregnancy symptoms is back with a vengeance – frequent urination! There’s just no avoiding the urge to go when you’ve got the equivalent of a watermelon sitting on top of your bladder. With that constant pressure, you’re going to want to pee every time you stand up, sneeze, or cough.
You might want to start wearing a pad or at least a panty liner because you might not be able to prevent yourself from peeing as soon as you do any of those things. Practicing Kegels can help you keep control over your bladder, but whatever you do, keep drinking plenty of fluids!
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
- leaky breasts
Pregnancy Week 35 Video
Pregnancy Week 36 Development
How many months pregnant is 36 weeks?
36 weeks equals over eight months pregnant!
Where is the baby located at 36 weeks?
If you have a breech baby at 36 weeks, the chance of it turning around depends on whether or not this is your first pregnancy. For your first, the chance is pretty low – around 12.5%. If you’ve had a baby before, your uterus may be a bit stretchier, allowing for more twists and turns – and the chances of the baby turning head-down increase to about 33%. Don’t fret – your doctor can get the baby out safely either way, but you may want to prepare yourself for a c-section.
What does a baby look like at 36 weeks?
- Average fetal length at 36 weeks: 18 inches
- Average fetal weight at 36 weeks: 6 pounds
Your baby is finally looking a lot like those adorable pictures of newborns you see all over TV, with pink skin and chubby little cheeks. Baby’s weight gain will slow down a little bit now because if it’s too chunky, it won’t stand a chance of fitting through your vagina. Such a fun thing to think about, right?
Even with C-sections, chunky babies can be hard to get out of a tiny slit cut in your lower abdomen (I ought to know!). If they have to cut you more than normal, recovery can be even more difficult, so don’t let anyone tell you you’re getting the easy road out with a C-section!
Pregnancy Week 36 Symptoms & Baby Bumps
If this is your first baby (congrats, mama!) you may soon notice the baby “drop” down into your pelvis, closer to the birth canal. Your doctor may refer to this as “lightening” (though you won’t feel lighter, at all – you’ll probably feel the opposite). Coincidentally, about now is when you’ll probably find yourself waddling, rather than walking. It’s because your pelvic bones are nice and loose now, allowing your hips to rotate out farther than normal (widening the birth canal). On the bright side, once baby drops, you should be able to breathe a little better with more room up top for your lungs!
While this is the time you should be resting as much as possible, you may find yourself totally restless, with a desire to finish the baby’s nursery to perfection or deep clean your entire home. This is the nesting instinct striking, and while it’s okay to indulge in a little cleaning and preparation, you should avoid harsh chemicals (like bleach and ammonia), and don’t stay on your feet for too long.
Continuing symptoms:
- food cravings
- heartburn
- gas
- vaginal discharge
- constipation
- dizziness
- increased OR decreased sex drive
- varicose veins
- round ligament pain
- increased mucus and oil production
- sensitive gums
- forgetfulness
- stretch marks
- backaches
- leg cramps
- swelling
- fast-growing hair and nails
- Braxton-Hicks contractions
- skin discoloration
- altered vision
- hemorrhoids
- insomnia
- fatigue
- leaky breasts
- frequent urination
