34 weeks pregnant: baby is the size of a cantaloupe

Your baby this week

Your baby's lungs and central nervous system are maturing. The fingernails have reached the fingertips, and the skin is smoother and pinker. Fat is building, and the body is becoming rounder. Your baby is practising the sucking and swallowing that will be needed for feeding.

Babies born at 34 weeks and later usually do well, though some need a stay in a special care unit for feeding or breathing support. Sources differ on the vernix, the waxy coat on the skin. The NHS describes it as disappearing from about 29 weeks, and other sources describe it thickening around now. In either case, some will remain at birth.

How it happens. Sucking, swallowing and breathing must work together, and that coordination is one of the last skills to mature. This is why babies born early may need help with feeding, for example through a small tube.

Your body this week

Your breasts have been getting ready since early pregnancy, with milk ducts growing and glands developing. You may notice they are larger and heavier, and some people see a little colostrum. Others see none, and it does not say anything about how well you will feed.

Your baby may start to move lower into your pelvis in the coming weeks, particularly in a first pregnancy. If you notice you can breathe more easily but need to urinate more often, this may be why.

Colostrum and when milk comes in

Colostrum is the first milk. It is thick and yellow or clear, and it comes in small amounts, only a few millilitres at a time in the first days. A newborn's stomach is tiny, so that is enough. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and protein.

Mature milk typically increases in volume about three to five days after birth. You may notice your breasts feel fuller, firmer and warmer. This can happen a little later after a cesarean birth, a long labour or if your baby is early, and the timing does not predict how well feeding will go.

Newborns feed often, commonly eight to twelve times in 24 hours, including at night. Frequent feeds help to bring in your milk and keep your baby's blood sugar steady. It is normal for the early weeks to feel like constant feeding.

Breastfeeding basics

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months, and continued breastfeeding alongside other foods after that. Many people find it takes time to learn, and it is not always easy at first.

Some things that help:

• Skin-to-skin contact. Holding your baby on your bare chest right after birth, and often in the first days, helps your baby find the breast and helps you both to settle.
• A deep latch. Your baby's mouth should cover more than only the nipple. Pain that does not ease may mean the latch needs adjusting.
• Feeding on cue. Watch for early hunger signs, such as stirring, turning the head and putting hands to the mouth, before crying.
• Comfortable positions. Find one that supports your back and your baby's body.
• Help early. If it hurts, or you are worried about your baby's weight, ask for help in the first days. Do not wait.

Some medicines pass into breast milk. Tell every provider that you are breastfeeding.

Formula feeding, and combining

Not every family breastfeeds, and not every family can. Some parents choose formula from the start, some combine breast milk and formula, and some need to use formula for medical reasons. All can raise a healthy baby. What matters most is that your baby is fed and that you get the information and support you need.

If you plan to use formula, learn how to prepare it safely, since mistakes with water, measuring and cleaning can be harmful. Ask your provider or a nurse to show you.

Getting support

Line up help before the birth:

• Ask your provider or midwife about feeding support at your hospital or in your community.
• Find a lactation consultant or a breastfeeding clinic, and save their number.
• Look for a class or support group, in person or online.
• Talk to your partner about how they can help, for example by burping, changing and settling your baby, and by bringing water and snacks.
• If you have a health condition, or you had breast surgery, ask for advice ahead of time.

Some people are advised to express colostrum by hand before birth, for example if they have diabetes. Guidance varies, so do this only if your provider advises it.