Pregnancy Week 34: Nesting and Baby's Development

With only six weeks until your due date you will start to get very busy by pregnancy week thirty-four. You will want to everything perfect when your baby arrives so you start nesting. It won't matter how tired you are, you will be busy preparing the house and nursery for your baby.

Pregnancy Week 34: Baby's Growth

Your baby weighs about five pounds by your thirty-fourth week of pregnancy. Pick up a bag of sugar, carry it around for a day, and it's no wonder you're tired.

Pregnancy Week 34: Baby's Development

If you're having a boy, his testes should be secure in his scrotum by the end of this week. Some boys, around 3%, are born with one or two undescended testicles. Luckily, they can still descend up until he is a year old.

Get the fingernail file ready. Your little one's fingernails now extend to his fingertips so by the time he's born, they'll need a trim. By week 34, your baby has finally shed all of his lanugo. Lanugo is the fine hair all over your baby's body that helps to regulate his temperature. All of your baby's other temperature regulating systems are developed so he no longer needs this hair to keep him warm.

Pregnancy Week 34: Nesting

Your pregnancy symptoms are becoming all encompassing, both physically and mentally by the thirty-fourth week of pregnancy. You will be experiencing varicose veins, frequent bathroom trips, shortness of breath, and leg cramps.

On the flip side, you may also be experiencing a phenomenon known as "nesting". Nesting is the point in pregnancy when you feel the overwhelming need to prepare the house for your little one's arrival.

You may spend days cleaning the floors, windows, and bathrooms. Then you may spend more time setting up the perfect nursery and washing every baby item that you have in the house. You will spend time organizing the clothes in the drawers and place any stuffed animals in their proper positions for your baby's homecoming.

When I experienced nesting during both of pregnancies, I hung wall borders, curtains, pictures, and Disney decals all over the nursery. Decorating the nursery was my favorite part of nesting.

My nesting resulted in making my husband just as prepared. I made my husband put together the stroller, install the car seat, and set up the bassinet. I was only thirty-four weeks pregnant but I was afraid of having the baby early and not being prepared for his arrival. Yes, I drove around with an empty car seat for six weeks before my baby was born, but I felt like I accomplished something.

As you are nesting and making all the preparations for your baby's arrival, do not make yourself crazy by trying to have everything perfect. You still have plenty of time and you may not have the energy to keep up with all the cleaning and preparations. Do not be afraid to ask for help from Dad or other family members.

For more pregnancy weeks and fetal development you can read:
Pregnancy Week 30

Pregnancy Week 31

Pregnancy Week 32

Pregnancy Week 33

Click here to find more information on your pregnancy and baby's development.

Sources:

Personal Experience

Fit Pregnancy (2009). Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved: April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: fitpregnancy.com/calendar/40251887.html

Myers-Gorrie, Trula, Slone-McKinney, Emily, & Smith-Murray, Sharon (1998). Foundations of Maternal-Newborn Nursing (2^nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Company.

What to Expect (2009). Weekly Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved:April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/landing.aspx