Getting bigger and bigger, mum! At 34 weeks pregnant, is around a whole 5 inches above your navel now. If you're nervous that labour might start early, you’ll feel assured knowing that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks do fine.The survival rate of a baby at 34 weeks is greater than 99%, and the risk of major disabilities associated with prematurity is as low as 5%. Leaking urine? Here is a tip: cross your legs when you cough, sneeze, or laugh! If the baby is in breech position (head is not towards the cervix, your doctor may suggest external cephalic version (ECV), also called a hands-to-belly procedure, to get the baby in the optimal position. This is generally offered for breech babies between week 32 and week 37.

Garbha Vriddhi

अष्टमे अस्थिरी भवति ओजः। तत्र जातश्चेन्न जीवेत निरोजस्त्वात नैरॄत भागत्वाच्च । (सुश्रुत शारीरस्थान)

Ayurveda says that the body of the foetus is fully developed but due to lack of ojas (immunity) if delivery takes place then life becomes doubtful.

Your Baby's Development

Nervous system

By this week, your baby’s central nervous system is developed. From now till birth, the brain power will increase as the brain deepens its furrows.

Breathing practice

The baby will spend these last few weeks inside the womb to practice strengthening its respiratory system. The lungs continue to grow and mature. Inhaling amniotic fluid helps in breathing practice. That is why infants can learn swimming pretty fast.

Sleep Pattern

Now, sleep time is with proper eye-shut and opening. When those eyelids open, it denotes wakey-time. It is how sleep will be in the world out there, baby is learning,

Thickening of skin

This week, the protective vernix caseosa (that cheese-like, white, waxy coating that's keeping her skin safe) begins to thicken, ensuring that her passage through the birth canal keeps her skin smooth. Your baby will likely arrive covered in the stuff, especially in the folds under her arms, behind her ears, and in the crotch area.

Poking through

Your belly may not always look round and smooth, Little hands and feet will be poking out now and then, which is so fascinating.

Testicles descending

If your baby is a boy, then this week the testicles are making their way down from the abdomen to the scrotum. Some full-term baby boys — roughly 3 to 4 percent — are born with undescended testicles, but they usually make the trip down sometime before the first birthday. About 30 percent of preterm boys are born with undescended testicles, too.

Tiny fingernails and toenails

Your baby’s tiny nails have grown to reach beyond the finger and toe pads. Babies grow nails really quickly and since they can’t control their actions, they end up scratching themselves. You can clip nails at birth.

Amniotic Fluid

At 34 weeks, your amniotic fluid volume has peaked. There are about 1 1/2 pints (800 milliliters) of fluid surrounding the baby, and the baby is moving in the amniotic fluid, swallowing it, and also inhaling it in. He is peeing in it, too! This fluid is so important for the development of the baby's muscles and bones, digestive system, and lungs.

Red colour spotted!

The first colour that your baby can spot is red. And, that development happens this week. That's the color of the inside of your uterus, so the cone cells for red develop first.

Your Pregnancy Symptoms

Frequent Urination

Frequent urination returns toward the end of pregnancy when your baby and belly are at their biggest and putting extra pressure on your bladder. You may find yourself using the restroom more often, especially at night.

Leaking Urine

Close to 40% of pregnant women have to cope with a trickle of urine escaping when they cough, sneeze, laugh, or engage in any physical activity. It is because of the huge belly putting pressure on the bladder and is called stress incontinence.

Vision changes

Your pregnancy hormones not only mess with your ligaments, but also with your vision! You could have blurry vision and also dry eyes because of a decrease in tear production.

What's more, an increase in fluid behind your eyes’ lenses can temporarily change their shape, making some women more nearsighted or farsighted than usual. You may find wearing glasses rather than contact lenses to be more comfortable.

Bloating and gas

The hormones and the bulging belly give your bloating. It could also be anxiety! When you are taking shallow breaths, you swallow air into your tummy. So, make time every hour to breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth for 90 seconds at a time.

Constipation

This may continue to be a bother. But, please don’t take any laxatives without consulting your doctor. Have lots of water and eat fruits and fibre-rich vegetables.

Fast-growing hair

You are likely loving your shining, thick hair. But, this excess hair growth can appear on your cheeks, chin and back. Ouch, that could be irritating. But, please don’t use any chemical hair-removing products.

Insomnia

It could be just your awkward size, or just the hormones. A warm shower helps. And, choose to read or listen to soothing music on the iMumz App rather than watching TV or surfing the internet.

Leaking colostrum

Your breasts may leak colostrum — yellowish pre-milk that will be your baby’s first drink. It’s not more than a few drops, though. An interesting trivia is that one study found that the right breast produces more milk in 76% of lactating mothers!

Itchy rash?

Red bumps on your belly, and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well can leave you sore with scratching. It could be a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Put coconut oil and try not to scratch.

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iMumz Wellness Tip

1. It eases the “ring of fire” so often experienced while the baby's head is crowning. The idea is that gently stretching the perineum regularly will allow it to stretch more easily when the baby is crowning, causing less pain and helps the baby's head come out easier and faster.
2. Helps to avoid episiotomy, that is the cut made for vaginal delivery.
3. Perineal massage before birth reduces the incidences of perineal trauma requiring suturing in first-time moms.

Your Pregnancy check-ups

Check the baby's position‍

Your Growth Scan or biophysical profile (BPP) could be done in this week.This is a combination of an ultrasound done at 34 weeks pregnant and a special nonstress test. The special non stress test is done to measure the baby's heart rate over a period of time. With this, the doctor can see whether the baby is reacting well to stress and thriving or not.

Questions you can ask your doctor are:

• What position is your baby in?
• If your baby is breech, what are the chances he’ll move into a head-down position?
• If your baby is breech closer to the due date, what would you recommend?
• What exercises or stretches can you do to help relieve the pressure on your lower back?

In some cases, the doctor may recommend a  B strep test. Group B streptococcus is a bacterial infection that is found in a pregnant woman’s vagina or rectum. The mother can pass the bacteria to her baby during delivery. Because of this, your doctor will ask you to do this testing as a part of prenatal care.

A urine test may also be done to check for sugar and protein. These can be signs of gestational diabetes or infection. Protein in your urine may also be a sign of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a condition that can develop during week 20 or later of your pregnancy. It causes high blood pressure, and it can cause problems with your kidneys and other organs.

A Tdap vaccine may be given if not given yet.

Fundal height is a measurement of your uterus and will be done as routine.

What should you eat in this week of pregnancy?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that's stored in the liver. It helps in the development of the baby’s heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and bones as well as the circulatory, respiratory, and central nervous system. Not only does it helps your baby’s bones grow stronger, it also helps build skin and vision. Now that the baby is detecting light, it’s even more important to keep getting this vitamin. Vitamin A is particularly essential for women who are about to give birth because it helps with postpartum tissue repair. It also helps maintain normal vision, fights infections, supports your immune system, and helps with fat metabolism. As per some significant studies, the diet and the nutritional status of vitamin A during pregnancy improved its condition in maternal milk. This led to a good intake of vitamin A by the newborn. Let’s get to a yummy recipe packed with this vitamin.

You can have it with steamed rice or chapati or just as filling in a sandwich or a millet-roti roll!‍
Ingredients:

1. Carrot:3 medium sized, diced
2. Moong dal/split green gram: ¼ cup (soaked for 30 minutes)
3. Spinach: a small bunch finely chopped
4. Oil: 1 tablespoon
5. Cumin: 1 teaspoon
6. Garlic: 5 to 6 cloves finely chopped
7. Ginger: 1 inch finely chopped
8. Onion: 1 medium sized finely chopped
9. Green chilli: 2 to 3 finely chopped
10. Curry leaves: few leaves
11. Salt: ½ teaspoon(according to taste)
12. Cumin powder: ½ teaspoon
13. Coriander powder: ½ teaspoon
14. Turmeric: ¼ teaspoon
15. Grated coconut: ¼ cup (optional)
16. Coriander leaves: few leaves finely chopped

METHOD

1. When the pan is hot, add cumin seeds and garlic.Let cumin crackle.
2. Then, add the ginger and stir till the rawness of the ginger goes.
3. Add onions , finely chopped green chillies and saute for a minute.
4. Add carrot pieces and moong dal along with  water and stir.
5. Add salt, turmeric and saute. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 to 10  minutes on low flame.
6. When the carrots are tender, add finely chopped spinach ,grated coconut, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, coriander powder and mix properly.  
7. Add coriander leaves. You can add a dash of lemon and some more grated coconut if you like! How about some roasted peanuts?