PREGNANCY WEEK 34

This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 19 inches in length and weighs almost 5 pounds this week. Your baby is still growing rapidly. From this time on, your baby has the maturity to adapt to living outside the womb if he or she is born. This is reassuring news, especially since some babies apparently can't wait to leave their cramped quarters! In addition to the immune protection provided by you, your baby is also beginning to develop his or her own immune reaction to mild infections. More below:

Changes in You:

This week marks the end of 8 months of pregnancy. You're heading for the home stretch! At this point, hip pain may be a constant problem. The increased hormones of pregnancy tend to cause the connective tissue in your body to soften and loosen up. One result is that the joints between the bones of your pelvis become more relaxed. This can produce hip pain. It seems that hip pain in late pregnancy usually occurs on one side or the other. The changes in your posture, along with lower back pain, that results from the heavier uterus can add to your discomfort. Warm baths and compresses may be helpful.