Pregnant: What happens in pregnancy week 35

The development of your baby in the 35th week of pregnancy

Own immune system: For several weeks your baby has been increasingly supplied with antibodies from the mother's blood. In the 35th week of pregnancy its immune system now functions independently. However, the immune defense is still relatively vulnerable and even after birth you supply your child with antibodies through breast milk.

Meconium: Your baby practices its swallowing reflex with the amniotic fluid. Although the fluid is completely replaced every two hours, skin and hair cells as well as vernix caseosa float in the fluid, which the fetus swallows. They collect in your child's intestines as meconium or 'mekonium' These accumulate. This sticky and almost black mass slowly increases and is passed by your baby shortly after birth.

The pupils are trained: Only during the course of the first year of life does your baby's full vision develop. However, in the 35th week of pregnancy the pupils already react better to light. They constrict or dilate depending on the lighting conditions. In week 35 your child learns to focus on objects and to bring them into sharp focus.

Energy for the first days: Your baby has gained a lot of weight in recent weeks. In the 35th week of pregnancy it weighs approximately 2.5 kg. This is mainly because the fat pads under the skin have been filled to regulate body temperature. The fetus also needs the reserves as an energy supply for the first days. Through breast milk it will be adequately supplied, but the portions in the first days are still relatively small – matching your baby's stomach.

What can be seen on the ultrasound image?

Compared to the 34th week of pregnancy your child now a whole 300 grams more in weight. So it has now passed the 2.5 kilogram mark and gained a good amount of fat reserves. Currently your baby is about 46 cm long. This roughly corresponds to the size of a honeydew melon. If you were still able to intensely observe your baby's movements on the ultrasound a few weeks ago, the movement patterns are now noticeably weaker. The space in your belly is becoming increasingly limited, so you now feel your baby's reduced gymnastics more through the abdominal wall.

Physical changes – what happens to the mother in week 35?

Pregnancy complaints do not cease even in the 35th week of pregnancy. In addition to the usual symptoms such as shortness of breath and heartburn now the tugging in the lower abdomen in most women increases significantly. Braxton-Hicks contractions are among the usual complaints in the current week of pregnancy. Below you will receive an overview of the various physical changes in week 35 as well as about the types of contractions and how you can tell them apart.

Bladder weakness: Bladder weakness is caused by the increasing pressure of the uterus on the bladder. Due to the occurrence of lightening contractions the uterus and thus your child are pushed more into the pelvis. The pressure on the bladder increases and the volume decreases. Now you have to go to the toilet more often because your bladder fills.

Circulatory problems: The pressure of the uterus on the inferior vena cava, which supplies the heart, can restrict its function. The consequence: temporarily less oxygen and less blood are pumped into the body and your circulation falters.

The different types of contractions

Braxton-Hicks contractions: You are already familiar with these practice contractions. They usually occur from the second trimester and are noticeable by a hardened abdomen. The slight pulling in the lower abdomen is comparable for many women to menstrual cramps. If the pain is more severe, you should clarify this with your gynecologist.
Lightening contractions: Lightening contractions bring your baby into the correct position for birth. They usually occur at irregular intervals – often even unnoticed.
Preterm contractions: This type of contractions sometimes occur before the 35th week of pregnancy and are a sign of preterm birth. Many women find it difficult to distinguish these from Braxton-Hicks contractions. If you experience pain at regular intervals or more frequent bloody or watery discharge, you should contact your midwife or your doctor to get to the bottom of the cause and initiate appropriate measures.
Opening contractions: As the name suggests, opening contractions initiate labor. You recognize them by their occurrence at regular intervals. At first they are about every 10 minutes, later only about every one and a half minutes. Finally they are also significantly more intense than the previously known Braxton-Hicks contractions.
Pushing contractions: Pushing contractions usually follow the opening contractions. With the help of the pushing contractions, the mother manages to push the little miracle out of the birth canal.
Afterpains: The afterpains occur when the placenta is delivered and only happen after your baby has been born. They usually last around 10 to 15 minutes. The pains feel noticeably milder.

For the 36th week of pregnancy