At 35 weeks your baby is about 45.5 cm and 2.4 kg — roughly a honeydew melon — almost fully grown now, with a liver that can process some waste and a brain still developing at a fast pace.
The short answer: baby is nearly full-grown, the liver can now process some waste products, and meconium has been accumulating in the intestines as the first practice for digestion after birth. Space is so tight that instead of big kicks you may feel a knee or elbow poking out and staying there. For you, the group B strep swab is often taken this week, frequent urination is common if baby has dropped lower, and Braxton Hicks contractions often pick up.
Your baby this week
Baby is almost fully grown now. The brain continues developing at an incredibly fast rate, and the liver has become capable of processing some waste products on its own — a real functional milestone, not just growth. A substantial amount of meconium, baby's first dark, tar-like stool, has been accumulating in the intestines, ready for after birth.
Space is so tight now that instead of the active pushes of earlier weeks, you may feel a knee or elbow poking out and staying there for a while rather than a quick jab — still a normal, healthy movement pattern, just a different feel as room runs out.
Your body this week
Frequent urges to urinate are common now, especially if baby has started dropping lower into the pelvis — the head pressing directly on the bladder leaves less room for it to fill. Increased swelling in the legs and arms is also possible as the third trimester continues.
The uterus is genuinely preparing for labour, so Braxton Hicks contractions may become more frequent and noticeable — still irregular and generally painless, unlike the regular, strengthening pattern of real labour. If a growth scan or check suggested baby is measuring large or small, this is also a common point for that conversation to continue.
Tests and appointments
Tests and scans around now: Where group B streptococcus screening is offered routinely, the swab is taken between 35 and 37 weeks.
Exact timing varies by country and by your own care plan — your doctor or midwife will confirm the schedule that applies to you.
Your care provider may also raise perineal massage around now — a technique using natural oils to improve tissue elasticity and reduce the likelihood of tearing during a vaginal birth, which some people choose to start practising in the final weeks.
✅ Worth doing this week
- Ask about the group B strep swab if it has not come up yet — the window is 35 to 37 weeks
- Keep count of daily movements even as their character changes to pokes rather than kicks
- Learn the real signs of labour now, so the pattern is familiar when it starts
- Ask about perineal massage if you are interested in trying it before birth
- Keep the hospital bag fully packed — full term is only two weeks away
When to call your doctor
Call the same day if: movement feels reduced or different from baby's usual pattern, contractions become regular and increasingly close together, your water breaks, or you notice bleeding. Also call for a severe headache with visual disturbance, sudden swelling of the face or hands, or a temperature above 38°C.
FAQ — 35 weeks pregnant
What is the group B strep test, and why does it matter?
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a common bacterium that many people carry without symptoms, but it can occasionally be passed to the baby during birth and cause a serious infection in a newborn. Where routine screening is offered, a simple swab taken between 35 and 37 weeks checks for it; if the result is positive, antibiotics given during labour are highly effective at protecting the baby, and testing positive is common and not something to be worried about ahead of time.
Why am I suddenly urinating so often at 35 weeks?
If baby has started dropping lower into the pelvis — sometimes called lightening — the head can press directly on the bladder, leaving less room for it to fill before you feel the urge to go. This is common from around now, though the exact timing varies widely, and it is a normal sign of the body preparing for birth rather than something to worry about.
Do more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions mean labour is close?
Not necessarily — Braxton Hicks contractions commonly become more frequent and noticeable as the uterus prepares for labour, but they should stay irregular and generally painless. Real labour is marked by contractions that come at increasingly regular intervals, grow stronger and closer together over time, and do not ease with rest or a change in position.
How big is the baby at 35 weeks?
About 45.5 cm and 2.4 kg — roughly a honeydew melon. The brain continues developing at a fast pace, the liver is now capable of processing some waste products, and meconium — baby's first dark, tar-like stool — has been accumulating in the intestines.
Week 35 at a glance
At 35 weeks your baby is about 45.5 cm and 2.4 kg, nearly full-grown, with a liver that can process some waste and meconium accumulating in the intestines. For you, the group B strep swab is often taken this week, frequent urination is common as baby may be dropping lower, and Braxton Hicks contractions often become more noticeable — all typical of the final stretch before full term.
Inside Baby Novum: learn what real labour actually feels like versus Braxton Hicks, so when the moment comes you already know what you're looking at rather than guessing.