1. 35th week of pregnancy - what happens in week 35
2. How your baby develops in the 35th week of pregnancy
3. This is how you feel
4. 35th week of pregnancy - symptoms and complaints
5. What you should look out for in week 35 of pregnancy

35th week of pregnancy - what happens in week 35

Final spurt - you have now reached the last few weeks of your pregnancy. If you are working, this week marks the start of your maternity leave. You can now shift down a gear, give yourself plenty of breaks and mentally recharge your batteries. prepare for the forthcoming birth. In this part of our pregnancy calendar, you will find out which complaints can occur in this last phase of pregnancy and how you can prepare your body for the birth with the right nutrition.

How your baby develops in the 35th week of pregnancy

Towards the end of the 35th week of pregnancy, your little lodger weighs around 2500 grams and is about 45 centimetres long. Both its central nervous system and digestive organs are now almost fully developed. From now on, more and more meconium will accumulate in your baby's bowel. This first stool of your child has a greenish-black colour and is excreted after birth.

The immune system works independently

During pregnancy, you have strengthened your baby's immune system by transferring maternal antibodies to the child via the placenta. These antibodies will continue to protect it from infectious diseases after birth. The child's immune system has now developed to such an extent that it can work independently. Nevertheless, you can still provide your baby with special protection in the coming weeks in various ways. Firstly, there is the birth. During a vaginal delivery, your little one comes into contact with the bacteria in the vaginal flora. This allows the newborn to quickly build up a healthy intestinal flora that protects it from illness. Your baby then receives the second natural "vaccination" at Breastfeeding. This is because colostrum and mature breast milk contain lots of immunoglobulins, leucocytes and other substances that support the baby's immune defence.

A small person with big dreams

Would you have thought that your baby can dream while still in the womb? Researchers have actually discovered that even unborn babies have a REM phase during sleep, in which they dream very intensively. REM means "rapid eye movement". This term comes from the fact that we make very rapid eye movements with our eyelids closed during this phase. Your baby also uses sleep and its dreams to process its experiences. After all, your little belly dweller learns something new every day, can hear your voice, recognise glimmers of light and feel with its little hands.

Good chances of development in the event of premature birth

If a premature birth is announced in week 35, the chances are good that your child will not require intensive care. Most of these late preterm babies can already breathe on their own. Your baby is now almost fully developed and by the beginning of the 37th week of pregnancy, it no longer counts as a premature baby. Nevertheless, it is of course desirable for your little one to enjoy the protective environment of the womb for as long as possible.

Practical help for you:
Emergency service midwife Katharina explains the most important things about the maternity pass online.

How you feel in the 35th week of pregnancy

Your belly continues to grow with every week and your circulation is working at full speed. Many women feel that they quickly get out of breath. That's not surprising. After all, your uterus has grown almost to your ribcage. When your baby stretches, you will probably feel as if your feet are kicking directly into your stomach. Provided that your baby's head is already in the cephalic position. In any case, your lungs have been pushed upwards by the uterus and the heart has moved to the side. No wonder that even going to the supermarket or bakery round the corner is now an arduous walk. Take enough time for your planned activities and allow yourself to rest in between.

35th week of pregnancy - symptoms and complaints

Restless legs syndrome

Are you sometimes plagued by tingling or stinging in your legs at night? Restless legs syndrome (RLS) occurs in around 10 to 30 % of women in the last trimester of pregnancy. Some have the feeling that thousands of ants are crawling over their skin, others think they feel fine electric shocks in their lower legs. First of all, the good news: this is not a dangerous disease. Nevertheless, RLS can be very unpleasant and disturb your well-earned night's sleep.

The cause of the symptoms has not yet been fully clarified. Restless legs syndrome may be linked to pregnancy hormones. There also appears to be a Iron deficiency cause RLS. Iron supplements can help in this case. In addition, the symptoms can be alleviated through exercise and good positioning with the help of a nursing pillow. Unfortunately, most medications that are usually taken for RLS are problematic during pregnancy and should only be used in very severe cases after a risk assessment. Another piece of good news: the symptoms usually disappear on their own after the birth.

Slipped disc during pregnancy

Around 30 % of mums-to-be suffer from back pain during pregnancy. One reason for this is the increasingly heavy baby bump. In addition, the hormone relaxin causes the ligaments to loosen, which puts more strain on the spine. In most cases, back pain is harmless, but rarely does it lead to a slipped disc. You should therefore not take back pain lightly. The following symptoms are typical of a slipped disc during pregnancy:

- Pain in the lower back: This can radiate into the thigh and increases when you walk and carry heavy things. Sneezing and coughing also trigger pain in this area.
- Tingling and numbness in the legs.
- Sometimes there are even slight signs of paralysis.

How can the symptoms be alleviated?
In any case, you should consult your doctor if you have severe back pain. If a slipped disc is diagnosed, your doctor may prescribe certain painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen after assessing the risks. Heat and cold treatments as well as physiotherapy and massages are also helpful in alleviating discomfort. Only in very severe cases does a slipped disc during pregnancy require surgery.

Can I give birth normally after a slipped disc?
In many cases, a natural birth is possible despite a slipped disc. However, you should first clarify with your gynaecologist and anaesthetist whether an epidural is possible. This type of epidural anaesthesia can temporarily "switch off" the pain. Sometimes, however, it may be advisable to perform a caesarean section. Seek comprehensive advice from your doctor and midwife before making this decision.

What you should look out for in week 35 of pregnancy

Maternity leave begins

Time to shift down a gear! Six weeks before the expected date of delivery, the labour period begins in Germany. Maternity protection. It ends eight weeks after birth at the earliest. In the case of multiple births and if your baby is born prematurely, this period is extended to twelve weeks.

For working pregnant women, this means that they are released from work from the 35th week of pregnancy. If you wish, you can continue to work before the birth. However, it is generally advisable to concentrate fully on yourself and your baby and the forthcoming birth in these last weeks before the birth. You can now relax and make the final preparations, the Pack your hospital bag and organise everything you need for the postpartum period. Cook your favourite dishes in advance and freeze them. With a nursing baby in your arms, you'll be happy to have delicious meals on hand that you just need to heat up. There will probably still be some formalities to take care of and you may also feel like decorating the baby's room. In any case, don't overwork yourself. Use the time for cosy walks with your friends and relaxing evenings on the sofa.

Pay attention to your diet - for an easier birth

Did you know that you can influence the course of the birth with your diet? The "Louwen diet" is ideal for preparing for labour. This is by no means a diet for losing weight, as the name might suggest. With this type of diet, pregnant women should avoid foods with a high glycaemic index as much as possible in the last six weeks of pregnancy. These are mainly sugar and other simple carbohydrates, such as those found in pasta, bread, potatoes and sweets. More complex carbohydrates such as pulses, fruit such as apples, pears, berries and oranges, nuts, brown and wild rice and unsweetened dairy products, on the other hand, can be consumed to your heart's content. At the same time, however, the proportion of protein and fat in your diet should be increased. As you can see, it's not about reducing calories, but about perfect preparation for the marathon of childbirth. Endurance athletes also follow this type of diet.

But how can a low-carb diet make childbirth easier?
This is where prostaglandin comes into play. At the end of pregnancy, this hormone ensures that the cervix shortens and the cervix opens. It also stimulates the uterine muscles and, together with the hormone oxytocin, is responsible for triggering labour. The prostaglandin is released by your baby, whereupon your body forms suitable receptors to which the hormone can dock.

So far so good. But how does this relate to carbohydrates? After a meal rich in sugar and carbohydrates, your pancreas produces insulin. The problem is that insulin can dock onto exactly the same receptors as prostaglandin. If too many receptors are occupied by insulin, the prostaglandin no longer finds a place and cannot fulfil its birth-preparatory function.

This can result in labour not being induced, the cervix not opening and the baby being transferred. Often a artificial discharge necessary after the birth. Our tip: In our Labour induction workshop you will find out how you can support the normal start of labour.

If you stick to a low-carbohydrate diet, the prostaglandins can dock to the receptors in large quantities and thus prepare your uterus perfectly for labour. This gives you the chance of a faster, less complicated and less painful labour. Afraid of pain during labour? Then take a look at our Online workshop on labour pain to.