35 Weeks Pregnant – Baby Very Active: What It Means and What You Should Do!!!

When it comes to babies, you cannot but be very careful, right? Well, this also applies to the situation when your baby is in your womb. For example, if your baby starts moving too much or becomes super active in the uterus, you might get worried.

Thus, the question arises in our mind Why do my 35 weeks pregnant baby very active: What should I do? it is very common on the internet forums. If you are a parent, and also have questions such as these, you just came to the right place.

Here, I have explained everything about babies in their 35-week phase in the womb. In short, a 35-week baby will make enormous movements and be extremely active. And, it’s nothing to be worried about.

Mind you, you need to make proper preparations to have healthy labor very soon. And, that’s what we have further explained here. So, stay tuned till the end!!

35 Weeks Pregnant Baby Very Active: Is It Normal?

At the 35-week phase, the baby is likely to be about 2.5 kg (or 5.5 lb). It is right about the weight that babies normally have when they are born after the 37th week. 

Due to the body growth, even small movements from the baby can seem like your baby is extremely active. Besides, you will experience pregnancy bump as long as the baby is growing inside your womb

At this stage, all the major body parts of your baby, including legs, hands, shoulders, waist, and brain, have fully developed. As a result, the baby might make certain movements to relax the reflexes.

However, it’s to be noted that all these activities are perfectly normal. And, if your baby is doing these activities, you’ve got nothing to be worried about. 

Instead of getting worried over the activeness of your baby in the womb, you should be happy that your baby is energetic and healthy enough to make these movements.

Also, remember that the activeness doesn’t indicate any abnormality. Rather, it goes on to show that your baby has grown perfectly and can’t wait to jump on the face of the earth.

Normal Behavior Of A Baby At 35 Week Stage

If your baby is moving too much or getting very active, this is a primary indication that it is growing bigger and getting stronger in your uterus. 

So, as your baby is growing, it’s normal for your baby to show changes in behavior as mentioned below (according to a 2016 research):

• Excessive increase in consecutive movements
• Increased intensity of the movements
• Extended duration of the movements
• Change in the nature of the movements

As you can see, you are bound to notice some increased activity when the baby is at the 35-week stage. 

Hence, any extreme movement by your baby is likely to be a perfectly positive sign rather than a negative one.

Why 35 weeks pregnant baby more active than usual?

When your baby is making excessive movements in your belly, you should understand that it’s the result of healthy bone and joint growth. 

More specifically, as your baby reaches the 35-week stage, it is likely to completely develop limbs, bones, and joints. 

Now, just like adults, babies also need to stretch their limbs once in a while in the uterus.

That’s why the excessive movement you are noticing is an indicator that your baby is doing some “exercise”. And, this is the main reason why most babies move a lot at the 35-week stage.

What’s more, since you are nearing the last month of your pregnancy, your baby has probably grown enough to be birthed. And, it is indicating that it needs to see the face of the earth ASAP.

When Does The Baby Move Too Much At The 35 Week Stage?

Just like an adult human being, babies also go to sleep and partially wake up from slumber from time to time (in the uterus). 

That’s why mothers might feel that babies are moving too much right after they wake up from sleep in the morning. 

It’s because, like adults, babies in the uterus also yawn and stretch their limbs to wake up from deep slumber.

Plus, babies can perfectly sense if the mother is hungry or had a meal. So, when the mother has a fulfilling meal, the baby will make some joyful movements as well.

Moreover, it is also perfectly normal to see babies kicking or moving a lot when the mother is enjoying some soothing entertainment. 

For example, if the mother is listening to a heart soothing song or watching a favorite movie, the baby might feel joyful as well. Consequently, the baby might make too much movement at that time.

35 Weeks Pregnant Baby Very Active: Does It Occur In Every Pregnancy?

Well, pregnancy is very different in a lot of aspects for every person. It is scientifically proven that different women feel the pressure of pregnancy differently at different stages of life. 

Therefore, we can’t say for sure that babies will be very active at the 35-week stage the case for every mother.

We cannot also say that not being active is a sign of the poor health of the baby. Rather, it’s perfectly fine for a fully healthy baby to not be active as well.

Why? As we have mentioned above, every pregnancy has its own characteristics.  

Now, you might hear your friends and families telling you that it’s something usual for the baby to be hyperactive in the womb. 

Or, they might tell you that it’s not normal for your baby to be less active as well. However, these urban legends are completely unfounded. 

Rather, you should only pay heed to what your doctor says. And, bear in mind that a lot of women give a healthy birth with their babies being hyperactive at the 35-week stage. 

On the other hand, there are countless cases as well where babies got a normal and healthy birth even when they were less active during the 35-week stage. 

How Strong Should The Kicks From Your Baby Normally Be At The 35 Week Stage?

When your baby has started kicking, you might be excited to see that a new life is developing inside you. But, mind you, the kicks from the baby can sometimes be a bit painful. 

While gentle kicks from your baby will only feel like a stomach ache, forceful kicks will be as strong as a kick from a toddler. 

To put in scale how strong a kick will be, you can imagine a 1L water bottle falling on your belly from the kitchen counters. Yes, that’s how strong the kicks from the baby can be. 

However, all these behaviors from your child are perfectly normal, and you should not be worried about it.

Count The Kicks From Your Baby?

We know it’s painful when your baby kicks a lot in your belly. If you want to turn it into something adventurous and fun, you can count the number of kicks your baby makes from time to time. 

That way, you can find a pattern of when the baby in your uterus will be more active during the day and when it will be sleeping.

Plus, if you make a habit of counting the kicks, you’ll be easily able to foretell if any abnormal behavior is shown by your baby.

Normally speaking, an average baby will make up to 5 kicks or 10 movements under 2 hours in a consecutive manner.

After kicking 3 to 5 times, your baby will likely get tired and go to slumber again. 

So, if you notice that your baby is kicking more than the normal number, you should understand that your baby has gotten agitated. That’s interesting, huh?

If this is the case for you, you should go for a gentle walk into the park to relax your mind and body. Surely, this will put the baby in relaxed slumber again. 

35 weeks pregnant and baby’s movements have slowed down

In case you have been counting the kicks from your baby, you’ll immediately be able to tell if your baby has gone less active. 

For instance, if your baby makes 10 to 15 kicks every day but suddenly stops kicking at all, you should call the doctor immediately.

That said, in the meantime, you should never be too worried or tense over this phenomenon. It’s because whether it’s a false alarm or not, getting tensed will have a negative impact on your baby. 

Therefore, you should hope for the best while calling the doctor to check if the decreased activity is indeed normal (in your case) or not.

How You Should Be Feeling At The 35 Week Stage

When your baby is in the 35 week phase in your uterus, you’re likely to be very heavy and tired all the time. Plus, it’s normal to see symptoms like backache and waist pain. 

However, you should remember that these are all temporary side effects of pregnancy. These symptoms will go away as soon as you give birth.

Now, in terms of activity from your baby, you will feel the baby kicking and moving even until the day the child is born. Needless to say, your physical pain will be even more intensified as you near the day of labor.

What You Should Do At The 35 Week Stage

When your baby is highly active at the 35 week stage, we suggest you do a few things:

• Talk About What You And Your Birth Partner Will Be Doing On Labor Day

Right from the 35 week stage of your pregnancy, you should be planning and talking with your partner about what you are going to do at the time of childbirth. 

Make sure your partner is by your side while you are going into childbirth labor. Or, if it’s not possible for some reason, you must keep a close relative or friend nearby when you are giving birth.

Now, you should note that a baby born at the 35-week stage is bound to be a premature child. Therefore, if your labor starts at the 35 week stage, your baby will likely need special care from the hospital. 

So, if you have to indeed go into labor at the 35-week stage, you should be mentally prepared for this type of scenario.

• Talk About What Items The Baby Will Need When It Is Born; 

The first thing that your baby will get from you is its name. The first duty that a parent has to conduct after having a child is to give the child a proper name. 

So, think about what the name of your child is going to be when it’s born.

Plus, you also have to plan out which type of clothing you’re going to use to hold the baby. 

Also, at the stage of 35 week after pregnancy, you must decide whether you’re going to breastfeed your child yourself or not. You can consult your doctor to make a decision on that. 

• Try To Get Mental Preparation For A Probable Cesarean Birth

Sometimes a normal birth cannot be conducted due to any unexpected difficulties during childbirth. In a case such as that, your doctor will direct you towards Cesarean childbirth. 

As you may already know, Cesarean childbirth is practically an operation that involves cutting into the skin over your uterus and bringing the baby out.

Now, due to the complexity of this operation, it’s understandable that you might be tensed over whether to take it or not (when the need arises). 

So, you should speak to your doctor and decide how prepared you are to take cesarean childbirth if it is necessary to do so. 

• Getting Prepared For The TENS Machine:

A common machine that is used during childbirth labor to reduce pain is the TENS machine. This machine is a small device that is attached to your back while you go into childbirth labor. 

 The job of this machine is to block the signals from your body to the brain. As a result, the pain you feel during childbirth labor is decreased massively. 

Now, as this is a machine that you’re going to be using for the first time during childbirth, it’s better to have some prior preparation for using it. 

That’s why I suggest that you buy a TENS machine for your home and try using it a few times while you are at the 35 week phase. 

• Sleep On Your Side :

When your baby is 35 week old in your uterus, it will wear down your body a lot. That’s why lying on the bed on your back is not a good idea. Rather, you should sleep on your side all the time.

The "SOS" (sleep on your side) is the best sleeping position during pregnancy.

I especially recommend sleeping on your right side while you are going through the 35 week stage of your pregnancy. 

It’s because sleeping on the right side puts less strain on your heart. As a result, you’ll get a smooth and uninterrupted sleep.

More Physical Symptoms During Pregnancy:

In addition to general headaches, backaches, and waist pains, you’re likely to encounter many more symptoms such as below:

• Swollen Breasts:

As you are nearing the date of labor, your breast will grow larger and larger. It’s due to the fact that your body needs to accommodate the facility to lactate breast milk for your child in the near future. 

Hence, you might need to readjust the size of your bra at this point. On top of that, you should be thinking about buying breastfeeding bras as well.

• Rib Pains:

Remember, your baby will slowly and steadily get oriented into a vertical position, where the head will be oriented downwards, and the legs will be oriented upwards. 

Because of this position, whenever your baby kicks, you will feel slight pain in your ribs.

This is why, at the stage of 35 weeks of pregnancy, it’s natural to feel sore ribs. But, do not worry about it too much because things will get easier for you as the child is nearing the date of birth. 

As the date of labor is coming near, the child will slowly move downwards into the pelvis area of your body. Due to that, your rib pain and soreness will go away as well.

• Lots Of Bad Dreams:

Nightmares and bad dreams are common for pregnant women. It’s all the more prominent for those pregnant women who are going to be a mother for the very first time. 

But, remember that nightmares mainly occur from the fear of the first-time experience of childbirth. 

Plus, most pregnant women tend to be a bit tensed and worried thinking about how the childbirth experience is going to be in general. 

However, having bad dreams at this stage is nothing wrong. They only occur due to extreme worry or tension. 

Therefore, always ask for help from your partner to keep you relaxed and joyful all the time. This way, you might be able to get rid of nightmares and bad dreams during the 35 weeks phase. 

• Occasional Gum Bleeding:

Due to hormonal imbalance at the time of pregnancy, it’s natural to feel that your gums have gone tender. And, to prevent tenderness in gums, you should eat as much vitamin-C-rich food as you can. 

Vitamin-c massively helps to regenerate gum tissue and strengthen your teeth. So, you should boost up the VITAMIN-C intact as much as you can at the 35 week stage. 

For instance, you can add berries, tomatoes, lemons, etc to your food items at least one time a day.

• Abdominal Tightening Or Braxton Hicks:

If you are going through the 35 week stage of pregnancy, your body will slowly and steadily make preparation for “the real thing”. 

That’s why you would occasionally feel some abdominal tightening and contraction. This is called Braxton Hicks.

Now, you should understand that this is a perfectly normal phenomenon to face this symptom, especially for the first time would-be mother. 

So, never be worried if you are going through Branston Hicks. Rather, choose to take ample relaxation and gentle exercises to reduce this occurrence.

• Varicose Veins:

Varicose Veins are a symptom/phenomenon when your leg veins get swollen and are clearly visible. This phenomenon is predominant for those women who are carrying a heavy and healthy child. 

Varicose Veins are a natural symptom, so you need to worry about it said American Pregnancy Association.

But why does it occur? Well, this occurrence takes place because your body is trying to cope with the increased weight over the past few days. For instance, when your baby is at the 35-week stage, your body is 10 to 15 lb heavier than normal. 

At that stage, your legs will be working hard to keep balance while carrying the extra weight on your belly.

Due to this, your veins will pump a huge amount of blood, which will cause the Varicose veins to be noticed.

Self-care Tips At The 35 Week Stage

The pregnancy experience is never the same if you know how to properly take care of yourself. That’s why we have listed down a few self-care tips for you. 

You can follow these while you’re going through the 35 week stage of your pregnancy:

• Think About Pain Options:

Childbirth labor can be less or more painful depending on which course of action you take. 

For instance, for those who take anesthesia during the time of childbirth labor, the pain is less but the aftereffect is longer (you have to keep taking medications for a long time). 

On the other hand, for those who go through childbirth labor in a completely natural way, the momentary pain might be high but the aftereffect is very minimal.

So, at the 35 week stage of your pregnancy, you should decide which pain option suits you best. In order to make a decisive choice, you should consult your doctor at this stage.

• Use Nasal Strips To Stay Relieved:

When you are going through the 35 week stage, the presence of estrogen and progesterone hormone in your body will likely make your nose membranes swollen. Due to this, you might feel difficulty in breathing.

To avoid this problem, I suggest that you use nasal strips to reduce congestion in your nasal passage. Plus, if your nostrils feel a bit dry, you should use petroleum jelly on the nostrils to stay relieved.

• Stay Away From Insomnia During Pregnancy:

Lack of sleep (or insomnia) is pretty predominant in pregnant women. In order to combat this, you can follow a strict routine of sleep every day. You should try to go to sleep at a particular time every day.

For instance, if you make a routine for going to bed at 10:30 PM every day, your body will get a natural signal to get asleep at 10:30. 

Plus, you should create a sleep-friendly ambiance in your room while you are going to sleep. For example, you should stop using electronic devices at night that emit blue light. 

Also, you should turn off the room lights at a particular time every night to force your body to follow the sleep routine you made for yourself.

• Combat Heartburns:

Heartburns are another side effect of pregnancy that most pregnant women face. In order to combat this, we suggest that you sit upright while you are eating. 

Plus, you should stay in an upright sitting position for an hour after you have your meal.

In addition, you should always eat slowly and steadily while you’re at the 35 week stage of your pregnancy. So, make sure that you chew your food very well before you swallow it.

On top of that, while you are bending down to grab any object from the floor, he should sit with your knees rather than your waist. 

This will prevent the gastric juice in your stomach from traveling upwards. As a result, you’ll not get frequent heartburns. 

• Go To The Gym Routinely:

Some people are reluctant to do pregnancy exercises during pregnancy because they think doing exercises will impact the baby negatively. But, this could not be any further from the truth.

The truth is that your baby will stay more relaxed if you go through slow and steady exercises every day. So, don’t forget to hit the gym on a daily basis and workout as much as you’re comfortable to do so.

• Maintain Blood Sugar And Control Sugar Intake:

Blood sugar can go high during the time of pregnancy (it’s a very normal phenomenon). But, you need to be careful in such scenarios for the sake of your baby. 

You should eat in small quantities over the day, so your blood sugar doesn’t spike high all of a sudden.

Furthermore, I recommend that you stay away from raw sugar as much as you can. Food items that are high in raw sugar such as chocolate, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, etc can trigger high spikes in blood sugar. As a result, you can get headaches. So, try to avoid these. 

However, having a minimal amount of sugar once in a day is perfectly fine. But, consult your doctor to know how much sugar is safe for you to take.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Takeaway:

The final verdict of this discussion is that, if your baby is very active when you are 35 weeks pregnant, it is perfectly normal. 

So, you shouldn’t get worked up if your baby is kicking and moving too much in your belly when you’re going through the 35 weeks phase.

However, you should always keep company while you’re going through this stage so that proper care can be taken if you unexpectedly go into labor. 

Plus, you should keep frequent contact with your hospital as well, so they’re ready to take you in any time. Best of luck to you!! 

Sources:

Linde A, Georgsson S, Pettersson K, Holmström S, Norberg E, Rådestad I. Fetal movement in late pregnancy – a content analysis of women’s experiences of how their unborn baby moved less or differently. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2016 Jun 1;16(1):127. doi: 10.1186/s12884-016-0922-z. PMID: 27245990; PMCID: PMC4888620.