Third trimester
34 weeks pregnant
Your baby is about the size of a cantaloupe melon
- First trimester1st trimester weeks 1–12
- Second trimester2nd trimester weeks 13–26
- Third trimester3rd trimester weeks 27–40+
By Clever Mum Parenting · Parenting guides
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How big is the baby at 34 weeks pregnant?
At 34 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a cantaloupe melon, roughly 45cm and around 2100g. The baby's central nervous system and lungs are maturing well. If born now, most babies do well with support. The waxy vernix on their skin thickens. These are typical averages — your midwife's measurements are the ones that matter for your pregnancy.
What might you feel at 34 weeks?
Most people at 34 weeks notice some mix of the symptoms below — and plenty notice none of them. You may notice more pelvic pressure as the baby descends. Swelling, piles and tiredness can peak. Practise your breathing or relaxation techniques. None of this is a diagnosis; contact your midwife if something worries you.
Common symptoms this week
- Pelvic pressure as the baby descends
- Peak swelling and tiredness
- Stronger Braxton Hicks
Symptom lists are typical, never exhaustive — and having none of them is normal too.
What should you do at 34 weeks pregnant?
The useful job this week is practical, not medical. Confirm your plans for getting to hospital and who your birth partner will contact. Keep your maternity notes with you at all times from now. Pair it with the NHS week-by-week guide if you want a second description of the same stage.
Week 34 checklist
- Attend your 34-week appointment
- Confirm the route and parking plan for your maternity unit
- Practise breathing or relaxation techniques from your classes
What antenatal care is due around 34 weeks?
These appointments, vaccines and deadlines fall around this stage. Your maternity team will confirm your own dates.
- Maternity Allowance claims open at 26 weeks. If you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you can apply for Maternity Allowance once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. Maternity leave and pay guide
- RSV vaccine (from 28 weeks). The NHS offers an RSV vaccine from 28 weeks. It helps protect your baby against RSV, the main cause of bronchiolitis, in their first months. Vaccines in pregnancy
- Get ready for labour. From 37 weeks your baby is considered full term. Pack your hospital bag and learn the signs that labour has started, and when to call your maternity unit. Hospital bag checklist
What else is useful at 34 weeks?
Use the week page for size and symptoms; use the guides below for the decisions that actually sit in this window — pay, packing, car seats, labour signs.
34 weeks pregnant: common questions
What should my birth partner know before labour?
Where the notes and hospital bag live, the maternity triage number, the route and parking at the unit, your birth preferences (and where you're flexible), and how you want to be supported — advocacy, silence, snacks, or all three. A 20-minute conversation now beats improvising at 3am.
How big is my baby at 34 weeks pregnant?
At 34 weeks, your baby is approximately the size of a cantaloupe melon, about 45cm and around 2100g. These are approximate averages — every baby grows at its own pace.
What's happening at 34 weeks pregnant?
The baby's central nervous system and lungs are maturing well. If born now, most babies do well with support. The waxy vernix on their skin thickens. For you: you may notice more pelvic pressure as the baby descends. swelling, piles and tiredness can peak. practise your breathing or relaxation techniques.
What appointments or vaccines are due at 34 weeks pregnant?
Around 34 weeks: Maternity Allowance claims open at 26 weeks; RSV vaccine; get ready for labour. Your maternity team will confirm the dates that apply to you.
Which trimester is 34 weeks?
34 weeks pregnant is in the third trimester. The first trimester runs to the end of week 12, the second from weeks 13 to 26, and the third from week 27 to birth.
Sources & further reading
This is general information, not medical advice — every pregnancy is different. For anything that worries you, and for all your antenatal care, speak to your midwife or GP. If your baby's movements ever slow down or change, contact your maternity unit immediately, day or night.