Week 34

What’s happening this week

You…

• may notice your feet and ankles are swollen, especially towards the end of the day. If your hands and face start to look puffy too, talk to your LMC – it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia
• could be worried about the approaching birth – talk any fears through with your LMC
• could need to wear breastpads to cope with leaky breasts.

Your baby…

• may measure about 46 cm
• may settle head down
• may make fewer big movements but lots of little ones
• may weigh about 41/2 lbs (2 kg).

Preparing for labour can be a tricky balance between rest and exercise. You need to be fit for labour but not worn out! Still at work? We give you a check-list of things to do before your leave…

• Maternity leave – last minute checklist
• Have you done all you need to do before you leave work? Have you:
• checked your maternity package to see what your company offers you?
• talked to your line manager about who will be doing your job while you are away, and organise a handover with your replacement? You might feel a little reluctant to hand over ‘your’ job, but getting to know your cover should lessen your anxiety
• stressed to your boss that you are keen to return? You can change your mind later if you need to
• made some arrangements to meet friends in the first week of your leave so you don’t get lonely?
• made arrangements to stay in touch with colleagues while away?(And promised to come in with the baby once it’s born!)

Are you sitting comfortably?

If you sit down for most of the day, at work or at home:

• Keep your spine well supported. Use cushions if necessary.
• Get up and move around regularly.
• Don’t cross your legs – it can make your feet and ankles swell.
• Put your feet up whenever you can.

Getting ready for labour

The more you know about how your baby will be born, the calmer you are likely to feel about the whole event. It’s well worth doing antenatal classes. These usually cover what happens in labour, and teach you some breathing and relaxation. Practise the skills you learn at classes and make relaxation a part of your everyday life. Use breathing techniques to help you cope with difficult situations – at home, work, or at the clinic.

Relax and breathe out when the LMC checks the position of the baby. It will make it easier for her to feel the baby and you get the chance to practise staying relaxed.

Relaxation:

• conserves energy during labour
• makes contractions more efficient and less painful
• helps you stay in control and enjoy the experience more!

Try to become aware of where the tension in your body accumulates. The neck, shoulders, forehead, and hands are common places leading to aches, pains and stiffness. Check your tension points regularly during the day. If you’re tensing up, take a deep breath and relax the muscles as you breathe out.

Expecting twins?

Twins often arrive a little bit early, so plan well ahead if you are expecting two bundles of joy. Make sure you have plenty of help at home, too, if you can organise it. Just changing and feeding two babies is hard work, so extra pairs of hands are useful.

Balancing act

Try to rest as much as possible during the last few weeks of pregnancy. But don’t give up on exercise – it helps you to feel properly tired when you go to bed and therefore, you’re more likely to sleep well.

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