35th Week of Pregnancy

Baby's Growth and Development When You're 35 Weeks Pregnant

During this 35th week of pregnancy, your baby's growth has been progressing at a remarkable pace as your due date draws near. But the next three weeks could bring your baby's most rapid weight gains.

• Your baby probably continues to gain at least a half a pound a week.
• During the 35th week of pregnancy, she already might be close to her birth length, near 18 inches from head to toe, and she continues to build up necessary fat, especially in her shoulders.
• Within your now-crowded uterus, your baby might shift her movements from kicks and punches to more rolls and wiggles.
• Her brain development continues to advance quickly.
• Your baby already might have settled into a head-down position in your pelvis, if this is your first pregnancy. This is the ideal position for delivery because your baby's head is the biggest part of her body.
• Position refers to your baby's placement in your uterus — whether he is facing right or left or is headfirst or feetfirst. Your baby floats in your uterus and changes positions often throughout early and mid-pregnancy. When you're between 32 and 36 weeks pregnant, your baby usually rotates to a head-down position for labor and delivery.
  • Headfirst position is called the vertex position.
  • Feetfirst position is called a breech position.
  • If your baby is breech but is not too far down into your pelvis, your doctor might try to turn your baby into the proper position a few weeks before your due date.
  • Lying-sideways position is called a transverse position.