Due to a busy schedule, and that I slacked off last week, you are getting a longer entry this week.

Week 34:

Our baby now weighs about 4.5 pounds and measures about 18 inches long. Our baby is fully developed at this point, but is growing and gaining weight now. Baby’s chances of survival outside of the womb are very good now, with only the lungs needing further development.

The immune system is continuing to mature now and preparing to fight infections.
Because our baby is rapidly building up fat, little dimples are forming at the elbows and knees. Creases are forming around the wrists and neck. Bones are continuing to harden now and the waxy substance covering your baby’s skin, vernix, is thickening.

There are several prenatal tests that our health practitioner may recommend at this point. One that we need to ask for, if our doctor or midwife doesn’t suggest is, is the GBS (or Group B Step) test. This test screens for harmful bacteria that Mary could pass to the baby at birth.

Plagiarized from amazingpregnancy.com

Week 35:

Our baby weighs about 5 pounds now and measures about 18.9 inches long. As you know each baby has a different weight and length at birth, so these measurements are just an average. Now our baby will start it’s most rapid weight gain, adding ½ to ¾ of a pound every week until they are born.

We may be able to distinguish body parts such as a head, hand or foot now that our baby is getting larger and Mary's uterus is getting thinner. Baby’s hearing has completely developed now and the lungs are very close to being complete and ready for birth.

The kidneys are fully developed and the liver is able to process waste products. Fat is continues to accumulate at a rapid pace now, which will help our baby stay warm after they are born.

Since we are not having a home birth, we will be getting our overnight bag packed and ready so that when labor starts we have everything we want and need, ready to go to the hospital.

Plagiarized from amazingpregnancy.com