OB Appointment Weeks 34 - 35

You are in the home stretch! You may spend much of these final weeks in some form of labor. You may begin to experience Braxton Hicks contractions, which are thought to tone your uterine muscles and prepare your body for true labor. Although the labor you experience will not be as powerful as true labor, your doctor or midwife will observe all theses changes as your body and your baby prepare for delivery. Your appointments will be every week now and some may be very short while others may be longer as your doctor or midwife discusses what you should expect between visits and common symptoms of the onset of true labor.

In addition to all the physical checks you and your baby have had in the previous weeks, your doctor or midwife will palpate your uterus to determine your baby's position, perform an internal exam, and possibly an ultrasound to determine the size and position of your baby. You may begin to dilate at any time and your doctor or midwife will track this indicator to help pinpoint when labor may begin. If you have had a positive Group B strep (GBS) vaginal culture at any past appointments, you will be retested and, if GBS is found, put on a round of antibiotics.

If your partner has not been able to attend any of your prenatal appointments yet, now is good time to make this a priority. An expecting father will feel more comfortable at the time of delivery if he has met your doctor or midwife before the big day.