Five weeks to go. Your baby is crossing 2.4 kilograms and hitting a milestone this week: the kidneys are fully developed and functioning. That's one organ system you can check off the list. The final stretch of pregnancy is often described as the hardest — not because anything is particularly wrong, but because your body is carrying an enormous physical load while you wait. Here's what's happening and what to focus on.
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Your Baby This Week
Size: Honeydew melon — about 46.2 cm (head to toe)
Weight: About 2.4 kilograms
Your baby is gaining roughly 220–250 grams per week. Key developments at 35 weeks:
- Kidneys are fully developed. This week marks a functional milestone: the kidneys have completed their development and are now filtering blood and producing urine at full capacity. The urine is excreted into the amniotic fluid, which your baby swallows and processes — a continuous loop that's been going on for weeks. After birth, the kidneys will be responsible for eliminating waste independently.
- Liver is almost mature. The liver is one of the last organs to fully mature, and it's close. One of its critical early functions is processing bilirubin — the breakdown product of red blood cells. If the liver isn't fully ready at birth, bilirubin accumulates and causes jaundice, which is why late-preterm babies (born 34–36 weeks) commonly need phototherapy.
- Lungs continue to mature. Surfactant production is increasing, and the structural development of the airways is largely complete. Most 35-weekers can breathe with some support, and many can breathe independently.
- Physical space is tight. Your baby is big enough now that the movements feel different — less fluid kicks and more grinding, rolling pressure as there's less room to move freely.
- Head is likely engaged or moving that way. Many babies begin to move into the head-down (vertex) position if they haven't already. If yours is breech or transverse, your provider will discuss what this means for your delivery plan.
- Brain continues developing rapidly. The brain is not done developing at birth — and won't be for years — but the third trimester is a critical window. Babies born at 35 weeks have meaningfully less brain development than those born at 39–40 weeks, which is one of the strongest arguments for avoiding elective early delivery.
Your Body This Week
The third trimester has a way of making every week feel like a small endurance event:
- Fatigue is intense. You're carrying a significant extra weight, sleeping poorly, and your body is working overtime on multiple fronts. This fatigue is legitimate and not something to push through unnecessarily. Rest when you can.
- Pelvic pressure increases. As the baby descends further, the pressure on the pelvis, bladder, and rectum increases. Walking may feel like waddling. This is normal.
- Leg cramps. Nighttime leg cramps — usually in the calves — are extremely common in late pregnancy. Stretching before bed, staying hydrated, and ensuring adequate calcium and magnesium intake can reduce their frequency.
- Carpal tunnel symptoms. Fluid retention in the wrists can compress the median nerve, causing numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and fingers. Wrist splints worn at night often help.
- Hemorrhoids. Pressure from the growing uterus and the straining associated with constipation contribute. Adequate fiber, hydration, and avoiding prolonged sitting on the toilet help prevent worsening.
- Emotional shifts. Many women feel a mix of eager anticipation and significant anxiety in these final weeks. Both are normal. If anxiety is persistent and affecting your ability to function, talk to your provider.
Tips for Week 35
1. Confirm your Group B Strep test timing. GBS testing is typically done between 36–37 weeks. If you're GBS positive, you'll receive IV antibiotics in labor, which dramatically reduces the risk of transmission to your baby. Make sure this appointment is on the schedule.
2. Finalize your birth preferences. If you haven't done this yet, now is the time. Keep it to one page: pain management preferences, who you want in the room, skin-to-skin contact wishes, cord clamping, feeding intentions. Share it with your provider and birth partner.
3. Take stock of your support system. Who is coming to support you in labor? Who will help in the first weeks postpartum? If you don't have family nearby or available, look into postpartum doulas, meal delivery services, or other community support options.
4. Know your hospital route. Sounds basic, but: where do you enter the hospital after hours? Where do you park? How long does it take from home to the labor ward? Running through this logistics at 35 weeks is much less stressful than figuring it out at 2am with contractions.
5. Practice relaxation techniques. Whether it's breathing exercises, hypnobirthing tracks, or simple meditation, practicing now means these tools will be accessible when you actually need them.
6. Monitor your blood pressure. Preeclampsia can develop at any point in the third trimester. If you have a home blood pressure cuff, track your readings. A reading consistently above 140/90 warrants a call to your provider.
When to Call Your Doctor
- Regular contractions before 37 weeks — 4 or more per hour, whether painful or not
- Fluid leaking from the vagina — could be amniotic fluid, and this always needs same-day evaluation
- Decreased fetal movement — fewer than 10 movements in 2 hours during active periods
- Blood pressure reading consistently above 140/90, or symptoms of preeclampsia (severe headache, visual changes, upper right abdominal pain)
- Sudden severe swelling of the face, hands, or feet
- Vaginal bleeding beyond a small amount of spotting
- Any sensation that something is wrong — call; providers would rather reassure you than have you wait
Related Tools & Articles
- Due Date Calculator — Calculate your estimated due date
- Contraction Timer — start learning how to time contractions
- Hospital Bag Checklist — complete packing list
- Pregnancy Week 36 — what's coming next
- Pregnancy Week-by-Week Overview — full timeline