Week 34: UFO - but no aliens involved!
Image: @valentinetwintime
Welcome to week 34 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
What are UFO positions and how can they help me?
Research shows that by keeping upright, forward and open (UFO) as much as possible from 34 weeks of pregnancy and during birth helps to increase the space in your pelvis by up to 28% - helping your baby get into the most streamlined position to be born.
If you are planning a vaginal birth, this can lead to a shorter and more comfortable labour.
Some positions you can try are:
On all 4s (hands & knees)
Take the pressure off your back and encourage your baby to move to the front of your bump.
Top tip: Use cushions under your knees to keep you more comfortable.
Standing
Let gravity help you. You can use your birth partner or a wall for support and if you feel able to you could try walking around a little.
Top tip: Gentle walking in early labour can help to speed up the birth.
Sitting
Sitting on a birthing ball or a chair with your feet flat on the ground and your knees apart can help to get the baby to move lower into the pelvis. You can gently sway, rock, bounce if this feels more comfortable for you.
Top tip: If you’re feeling tired, sit on a chair backwards and use the back of the chair to rest the upper part of your body.
Squatting
This is especially useful in the later stages of labour to shorten the pushing stage. Gravity is helping your baby to move down ready to be birthed. If you find squatting is hard on your legs you could use a birthing stool or sit on a toilet seat.
Top tip: Performing squats when past your due date can help to get labour started.
Kneeling
Kneeling with your body upright and upper half leant over a birthing ball/back of a chair/bed can help to give you a rest but remain in a UFO position.
Top tip: Massage when in this position can be a great addition.
Your baby’s development in week 34
Size of a pineapple
Weighs on average 2.1kg
Around 45cm long
Your little one’s bones are continuing to harden, with the exception of their skull bones.
These stay soft and separated to make the journey down the birth canal easier. It means the plates can move gently over each other so the head can squeeze through without any damage being caused to the brain.
If your baby is a boy it is around this stage that the testicles usually start to descend into the scrotum.
Their fingernails will also have grown to the fingertips now. You might be surprised by how long their fingernails are when you first meet your baby!
Week 34 Checklist
You might like to:
Prepare some freezer meals. Finding the energy to cook when you have a newborn can be difficult at times, so you will be so grateful to your pregnant self for having the foresight to cook and freeze some meals.
Wash and organise baby clothes. Newborns have sensitive skin so dermatologists recommend washing baby clothes and blankets with a gentle non-bio detergent.
Spotlight on: Leaky boobs
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Leaky boobs
Your breasts and nipples may have gone through many changes during pregnancy, including your boobs growing bigger and nipples darkening. You may have also found that your breasts have started to leak.
The liquid is colostrum which is the first milk your breasts produce for your baby.
This leaking is completely normal so don’t worry. If you’re finding it uncomfortable and the dampness is annoying you, you can place a breast pad inside your bra to absorb the milk.
If your breasts aren’t leaking, this is also nothing to worry about. Many women don’t start to notice milk being produced until after their baby is born.
Birth story of the week
This week we catch up with Emily and Paul from our Stratford and Forest Gate courses who share the positive birth of their baby Joseph.
“I actually look back at labour and birth with fond memories. I started my contractions four days before the due date at 1am. I didn’t realise they were contractions at first but when they carried on every five minutes for about a minute, I figured this must be it. I decided to let my husband sleep so I got up, downloaded a counting contractions app and started playing my birthing playlist. At 3am I woke Paul up and said I was in labour. At 6am we decided to walk to Homerton hospital. It took an hour and a half (usually 40 minutes). I stopped for every contraction and threw up once along the way but overall it was a pleasant walk! When we got there they said I was only 2 cm dilated so they monitored me for an hour and then sent me home. They said to come back in 4 hours. We took a cab home and then I got in the bath. 4 hours later I felt like I was about to push a baby out so I got out of the bath. As I stood up, another contraction came so I sat on the toilet and POP! My waters exploded everywhere!
“We called a cab and went back to the hospital. It was a brutal ride because the contractions were so strong. As soon as we arrived I was taken to a birthing room and they said I was 9 cm dilated. Then it was time for pushing. I pushed and pushed for 4 hours and still he didn’t come out. They decided to give me an episiotomy and ventouse and out he came at 4:59 pm! It turned out his umbilical cord was so short he kept getting sucked back in after every push. We didn’t know the sex so seeing for myself what we were having was the best surprise.”
Welcome to the world Joseph!
Treat of the week
If you are looking to spend more time UFO (upright, forward and open) then a birthing ball will naturally guide your body into this position.
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
Happy Parents Happy Baby is here to support you through every step of your pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Connect with other parents-to-be and learn everything you need to know, by joining our award-winning antenatal classes.
That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts.
Coming up
next week
Will you give perineal massage a try?
Spotlight on: wee accidents
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