Week 34: The nesting urge

Your baby — about the size of a rockmelon — is coated in thickening vernix, has well-established sleep-wake cycles, and a nearly-mature nervous system and lungs. Most babies are head-down by now; your midwife can confirm the position.

That sudden, powerful urge to clean, organise and prepare? That’s the nesting instinct, and it’s a great thing to channel into practical jobs — batch-cooking and freezing meals, setting up the cot or bassinet, washing tiny clothes, assembling baby gear while you still can.

Channel that nesting energy wisely — it’s lovely to get the practical jobs done, but resist the urge to scrub the house at 11pm or haul furniture around; let others do the heavy lifting. A realistic “ready” list is small: a safe sleep space, some nappies and wipes, a handful of onesies and wraps, your feeding gear, and the car seat fitted. Everything else can wait. And if you find yourself anxious rather than energised, that’s common too as the big day draws near.

Try to balance the doing with some genuine rest — the nesting urge is great for ticking jobs off, but your body is also working hard, and banked sleep and downtime are just as important as a stocked freezer. Delegate the heavy and high jobs, and let people help; accepting offers now sets you up well for the newborn weeks, when you’ll want that support even more.

Your antenatal visits are now usually every two weeks. If you have Rh-negative blood, your second Anti-D injection is typically given around 34 weeks.

Coming up, between weeks 35 and 37, you’ll usually be offered a Group B Strep (GBS) swab — a simple, quick test. If it’s positive it just means you’ll be offered antibiotics during labour to protect your baby; your provider will explain it all clearly.