 |
| 35 Weeks Pregnant |
In this article
- Pregnancy Week 35: All About You
- Pregnancy Week 35: All About Baby
- How Big Is Baby?
- Most Common Pregnancy Questions
- Multiple Madness
- For Your Partner
- Fun Fact
- Follow The Chronicles of a Real-Life Pregnancy
- Join Your Due Date Club
Will you nurse your baby?
If so, brush up on your breastfeeding basics with these tips.You'll be visiting the doctor more frequently now and should be tested for Group B strep soon. You may also have non-stress tests and manual checks for cervical effacement (thinning) and dilation.
What will happen after baby is born?
Plan for support perhaps hire a doula, or enlist a friend or family member to help you and your partner cook, clean, and tend to your recovery in the initial few days. Begin stocking the freezer with food and catch up on your sleep. You're going to need it!
Pregnancy Week 35: All About You
As your baby-to-be keeps growing, you may find even your maternity clothes fit tightly. Clothes aren't the only things getting tighter—your body's internal organs are running out of room, too. You'll have to take more breaths since your lungs have less space. Plan on smaller, more frequent meals too, since your stomach doesn't have room to expand. Remember, only a few more weeks to go! You may notice a tightening of your abdomen at times, especially if you've been on your feet all day. These false contractions, called Braxton Hicks, are normal.
Breastfeeding Basics
Breast milk provides your baby with the perfect food. Not only is breast milk filled with all your baby's nutritional needs such as disease-fighting antibodies, but it also comes at the ideal temperature and there's no measuring required. But just because breast milk is best for your baby, doesn't mean you or your baby will know how to nurse at first.
"Women should understand that breastfeeding is work," says Dr. Joanne Motino Bailey, PhD, and a certified nurse midwife. "Just because the body is made to [breastfeed] doesn't mean it doesn't involve some practice."
Babies and nursing: Babies love to suck. This sucking reflex is so strong that even if your baby's not hungry, you'll notice her smacking her lips. Before long you'll learn when your baby is sucking for practice and when she's ready to eat.
It will take you a few days to get into a feeding rhythm with your baby. Expect to feed him every two to three hours since your baby digests breast milk easily.
Preparing your body for nursing: Before your baby arrives, talk to your healthcare provider about your desire to nurse. Your provider can examine your breasts to make sure you're ready. Some women have flat or inverted nipples that can be difficult for the baby to suck, but with some guidance, your provider can help you overcome these problems.
Your body readies itself for nursing by increasing the amount of breast tissue throughout your pregnancy. This tissue houses the milk production factory your body becomes to feed your baby. You'll notice your breasts leaking, especially in the last few weeks. This clear to whitish fluid, called colostrum, or foremilk, is packed with antibodies and will provide your baby with nourishment for the first few days of his life until your milk comes in.
Getting Started: Most hospitals have a lactation consultant on staff who can guide you through nursing. If you hope to breastfeed, a lactation consultant can help you get on track so you and Baby nurse soon after birth. Breastfeeding doesn't always go according to plan, though. Some women experience troubles (such as engorgement, infection, or nipple irritation) and some just can't seem to get it to work. Know that if you do have troubles nursing, it isn't your fault and you're not alone.
During nursing, your nipple and areola (the pigmented circle around the nipple) should be inside your baby's mouth. If your baby only sucks on the end of your nipple, your nipple will quickly become sore and nursing will be painful. At first getting this much of your breast into your newborn's mouth may seem awkward, but with practice both you and your baby will become pros.
There are several ways to hold your infant while she's feeding, including the classic cradle hold where her head rests at the crook of your elbow for support and her body is turned toward you. Your lactation consultant can explain several other positions until you find what's most comfortable to you.
Dr. Bailey suggests expectant women take a breastfeeding class before delivery day. If you have any questions about nursing, ask your healthcare provider or call your hospital's lactation consultant.
Pregnancy Week 35: All About Baby
At 35 weeks, your baby is considered full-term and she looks developed, however, The March of Dimes considers babies born up to 36 weeks as "late preterm" babies born before 38 weeks are at a higher risk for feeding difficulty and other issues. It is important for you and your baby to be monitored closely by your pediatrician and/or lactation consultant. The soft, fuzzy hairs that once covered her body begin to disappear. She continues to add fat layers, which will help her stay warm once she's out of the womb. During these last weeks, your baby is developed sleeping patterns (and they often have little to do with night and day!)
How Big Is Baby?
Your baby weighs in a little over 5 pounds and stretches to around 18 inches (crown to heel).
Most Common Pregnancy Questions
I think my nipples are inverted. Will I still be able to breastfeed?
Yes, you should be able to breastfeed. In some cases it may require a bit of work and assistance from a lactation consultant, but it can be done! In my career as a nurse and lactation consultant, I have seen many variations of breasts and nipples. Luckily, there are many tricks and tools we have to help moms whose nipples are inverted.
What are inverted nipples? An inverted nipple is one that does not stand out on its own. Some moms may have flat nipples and some may have truly inverted nipples. (You can do a pinch test during pregnancy or meet with a lactation consultant if you have questions about the status of your own nipples.) Using your thumb and index finger, hold onto your areola about an inch from your nipple and gently squeeze. Your nipple will do one of three things: stand out, remain flat or become inverted—kind of like belly button! When a woman's nipples are inverted, it is usually as a result of adhesions (acting much like a rubber band) holding the nipple back or pulling it in. Depending on how inverted the nipple is and how well your baby can latch will determine your ability to nurse. Many times after a baby gets started with nursing, the nipple will improve and stand out more easily.
Some of the strategies that may be used to assist you if you do have inverted nipples include:
- Using breast shell periodically during pregnancy and also 30 minutes before you nurse to help your nipples stand out and loosen adhesions.
- Manual stimulation before feedings to help the nipple "stand out" (rolling or gently tugging on nipple just prior to latching your baby can help).
- Using a breast pump for a few minutes prior to nursing to help coax the nipple out.
- Using a breast shield. This is different from a breast shell and is a thin, silicone nipple that fits over your own nipple. It has holes in the end to allow your milk to come through. This should be used with the guidance and support of a lactation consultant. (If not used properly it may affect how efficiently your baby removes milk form your breast and in turn decrease your ability to produce enough milk.
Still worried? Here's one of our favorite success stories:
My grandmother told me she had inverted nipples and was unable to nurse her children, realizing mine were inverted, I obsessed about it for the entire nine months of my first pregnancy. I read every book and watched every video I could find. I stuck plastic cups inside my bra to try and draw out my nipples in advance of giving birth; and I yanked and tugged every chance I got. When my son was born, I was in a panic; he would not latch on at first, but with a little help, he did it! I nursed two babies for more than 12 months each. Neither of them ever tasted formula. And I still have inverted nipples.
Good luck!
Multiple Madness
Will You Have an Open Door Policy?
Nothing excites people like the arrival of new babies. Friends and family can't wait to spoil them with love, affection, and adorable clothing. But it's important to think through how best these folks can help you during those first post-birth weeks.
Keep in mind that, even though you might want to bolt the front door permanently, with two babies to care for it may benefit you to let others in—provided some rules are followed.
- Make sure the visitors are healthy; newborn (possibly premature) babies don't need germs floating around.
- Help visitors understand that they are there to help you, which doesn't necessarily mean that they rock babies while you cook lunch (for them). During this time, visitors need to be there in a helping capacity.
- It also may be a good idea to let people know that visits in the early days and weeks are a bit of a trade off: bringing a meal or some diapers gets you a few moments with the precious new ones! Some families post a no-visitor policy for the first week after the babies are born. I know people who had a family-only policy for a few days. And I know people who let everyone in, including the mailman, to greet, hold, and love the babies. The right approach is the one that works for you. It's important to identify what you believe might work for you and set some guidelines based on that.
There will be plenty of time to do the things you want to do and have tons of visitors later. Babies grow up fast, but not that fast. Take care of you, and these experiences will be ones to remember—in a good way.
For Your Partner
Preparing Your Children for a New Baby
Having a baby is an experience like no other. No matter if this is your first child or an addition to your growing family, there are several things you can do to help your family prepare for the new arrival.
When broaching the subject of the baby-to-be, you don't need to dwell on what a new baby will mean to your family. What you should do, however, is be honest and create an environment where your older children feel comfortable to talk and share their concerns and anxieties about having a newborn in the house.
When younger children find out about the arrival of a new sibling, they will sometimes question your love for them during the pregnancy or wonder if you'll still be their parents, too. One way to help younger children adjust is to give them a doll or stuffed animal they can care for. Talk with them about all that they are doing for their new "baby". Help them understand they'll be an integral part of not only the family, but in helping the family's new baby feel special and welcome in your family. Remind soon-to-be siblings that they can do a lot for the coming baby, whether it is handing you a diaper when Baby needs to be changed or sharing a hug when Baby is crying.
After a new sibling is born, be sure to tell your child often that you love him and that you know that a lot has changed. Make it clear that what hasn't changed is how you feel about him. Every minute you stop to tussle his hair or tickle him is a reminder that he is just as important to you as he was before the birth of his sibling.
Set aside time both now and after Baby's arrival with your older children. It is essential for your kids, but also for you—it reminds you that you've done this before (and you've done a pretty good job so far!).
Fun Fact
Breastfeeding is on the rise in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 1999 around 68 percent of women breastfed their babies for their first few months of life. In 2004, the figure rose to almost 74 percent. At six months, about 33 percent of women were still nursing their babies in 1999; that same figure grew to around 42 percent in 2004 and in 2006 was at 43.4 percent.
|
Respected Readers:
|
0 comments on "35 Weeks Pregnant: Breastfeeding Basics"
Post a Comment