Third trimester
35 weeks pregnant
The fetus is around the size of a honeydew melon. Weight gain is rapid, roughly 250g a week, and the brain is developing quickly in these final weeks.
Size of
honeydew melon
Length
45 cm
Weight
2380 g
Your baby at 35 weeks
The brain grows substantially in the last weeks of pregnancy, which is one reason going to term matters even when the lungs are ready.
Kidneys are fully developed and the liver is processing waste. Most physical development is complete; the remaining work is growth and maturation.
The fetus is likely head-down and may begin to engage, dropping into the pelvis.
How you may be feeling
If the baby engages you may find breathing easier but pelvic pressure and urinary frequency worse. This is sometimes called lightening.
Appointments typically become weekly from around now, with closer monitoring of position, growth and blood pressure.
Common symptoms around week 35
- Pelvic pressure increasing
- Easier breathing if the baby has engaged
- Frequent urination
- Braxton Hicks
- Difficulty sleeping
Appointments and tests around now
Group B strep screening is commonly offered between weeks 35 and 37. If positive, antibiotics during labour are usually recommended.
What is normal, and what varies
Engagement timing varies hugely. First babies often engage a few weeks before birth; subsequent babies frequently do not engage until labour. Neither predicts when labour starts.
Worth doing this week
Finish everything this week if you can
Bag, car seat, contact numbers, notes. From here it is reasonable to assume labour could start at any point.
Rest when you can
Energy reserves matter for labour. This is not the week to catch up on projects.
Talk through the plan with whoever is supporting you
They should know what you want and who to call, so you are not directing logistics in labour.
Looking ahead
Next week the baby is nearly term and position becomes clinically important.
Nearby weeks
Not sure which week you are in? The week tracker works it out from the first day of your last period, and the due date calculator gives you an estimated due date.