Pregnancy at 34 weeks

It feels like getting closer to my due date has gotten faster and faster. Althoughsometimes it seems like forever waiting for the big day to see my little one. I will be 34 weeks tomorrow and I feel more and more uncomfortable each passing day. My OB visit last Monday went good, I told my OB that I had cramps Saturday night and Sunday morning with diarrhea and I also told him that I thought I had some contractions too. Even though everything looked fine with my blood pressure, weight, baby's heart rate, he went ahead and did fetal monitoring to see if I am really having contractions. Fetal monitor was hooked around my tummy, the baby's heart rate was normal all the time. Baby was moving a lot too during the test and I only have one contraction during the entire session when the fetal monitor was hooked on me for about 30 minutes. My OB said there's nothing to worry about it which gave me and hubby a great relief.

So here's how the baby is growing at 34 Weeks :

"Baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making his rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If preterm labor happens, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies."

How's life changing:

"By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

If you notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well, you may have a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Up to one percent of pregnant women develop PUPPP, which is harmless but can be quite uncomfortable. See your practitioner so she can make sure it's not a more serious problem, provide treatment to make you more comfortable, and refer you to a dermatologist if necessary. Also be sure to call her if you feel intense itchiness all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem."

Babycenter.com