34 Weeks Pregnant With Twins or Multiples – Symptoms, Ultrasound, & Care Tips

At 34 weeks pregnant with twins or multiples, you’re in the final stretch, but your pregnancy still needs close monitoring because multiple pregnancies have a higher risk of preterm birth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), babies born before 37 completed weeks are considered preterm, and multiple pregnancy is a recognised risk factor for preterm birth (1).

With just a few weeks to go, you may be feeling the physical demands of carrying two or more babies more strongly. Fatigue, pelvic pressure, backache, and frequent contractions can become more noticeable, making it important to know what’s normal and what isn’t. Here’s what to expect from your symptoms, ultrasound, baby development, and care at 34 weeks.

The Growth of Twin/Multiple Babies at 34 Weeks of Pregnancy

The growth of the babies inside your womb will be gauged with the help of ultrasound images. Your doctor will check for the development of the babies, and signs of birth defects if any. The chances of premature delivery are high at 34 weeks (1). Therefore, ensuring that your babies have put on the requisite amount of weight and are developing normally is highly essential.

Furthermore, the doctor will keep a constant check on the position of the babies inside the womb. An ideal position would make it fine for you to go ahead with normal delivery. However, if they are not in an ideal position, the doctor might suggest for caesarean (c-section) delivery.

At 34 weeks, there will be a considerable improvement in the babies’ senses. Although they cannot see, they can hear better. So, ensure you talk, sing or read to them (2). Sometimes babies would also kick. It is their way of responding to you or communicating with you.

However, the frequency of kicks might start dropping, or their intensity might reduce during this week. It mostly happens because of the increasing size of the babies and space constraint inside the womb. Expect kicks to reduce, but not stop altogether (3). Some mothers encourage them to move by gently rubbing their tummy.

What Is the Size of the Babies at 34 Weeks?

A nice ripe squash fruit is how big your twins or triplets will be inside your womb by now. Their fat amount keeps on increasing, which reflects in their weight as well. Most twins weight at 34 weeks is close to 2 kilograms, which leads to difficulty in carrying them around. Their length is approximately 30-45 centimetres; hence they do not have much space in the uterus (4).

Symptoms/Changes at 34 Weeks of Pregnancy

Here are 34 weeks pregnant with twins symptoms that your body undergoes during this time.

1. Blurred Vision May Occur

By the time you complete 34 weeks of pregnancy, you’d have some ongoing symptoms and some new ones. At 34 weeks of pregnancy, your vision might start getting blurred. Quite frankly, there is no conclusive reasoning behind this symptom, but many women have mentioned that this condition does exist. The latter months of the pregnancy tend to make this condition stronger. Since your hormones are all over the place and various nerves are being numbed, this symptom does have a possibility of occurring (5).

2. Swollen Feet and Leg Discomfort

Right from the initial stage of pregnancy, your feet may be bearing all the increasing weight of you and your twins or multiples in all its glory. Walking will get difficult because of the swelling, and you might find balancing difficult. You might also experience pain in your legs and your feet too (6).

3. Increased Tiredness and Exhaustion

You will be feeling more tired or exhausted as the pregnancy progresses. This is majorly due to the immense changes your body has been adapting to. You may even feel stressed just by the thought of taking care of your babies. However, your energy will return once you deliver the children.

4. Constipation and Haemorrhoids

Despite numerous suggestions, there will always be times when you fail to adhere to a proper diet or stick to a meal plan that is good for you. The increasing weight of your babies would add pressure on your intestines and lead to constipation and re-emergence of haemorrhoids. To combat these symptoms, increase your fluid and fibre intake (7).

5. Breathing May Become Easier

The 34th week of pregnancy can inevitably make most women feel like taking in a new breath of life, quite literally. At 34 weeks, your twins or triplets may descend lower towards the pelvis. The moment babies have their heads turned towards your canal, the upper portion of the uterus reduces in size. This reduction instantly makes way for the lungs and the diaphragm to take up that space, causing them to return closer to their normal state. And as a result, your breathing would improve and can be a welcome change for many.

6. Braxton Hicks Contractions May Increase

As you approach your due date, you might experience Braxton Hicks contractions, which is a common symptom at 34 weeks (8). The contractions can come out of nowhere and cause unnecessary panic.

Twin/Multiple Pregnancy – Belly at 34 Weeks

The weight of the twins at week 34 of pregnancy will be extremely evident, given the fact that your belly will have a highly rounded and expanded shape in the region below your navel. Because your babies move in the womb, and by the 34th week, they have grown in in size, you could also experience acidity frequently.

Twin/Multiple Pregnancy – Ultrasound at 34 Weeks

A 34 weeks pregnant with twins ultrasound is conducted to check the health of the babies and ensure safe delivery. With the help of ultrasound images, your gynaecologist would take several decisions regarding the birthing process. Numerous tests would be conducted, with advanced ultrasounds, to observe your twins or multiples closely and confirm their development.

34 Weeks Pregnant With Twins/Multiples – What to Eat

Your meal plan should continue just as it is going on at 34 weeks with twins, with a good focus on fibrous foods and high protein diet. In case your weight gain is beyond the healthy level, your doctor or your dietician may make specific alterations in your diet to help you control your weight quickly. This needs to be done while keeping the nutritive requirements of your babies in mind.

34 Weeks Pregnancy Care Tips

With your pregnancy term coming close to completion, some quick tips can make the entire period easier for you (9).

Dos

• Try and get the registration done to preserve baby’s stem cells.
• Make a contingency plan to handle your delivery if any unforeseen consequences arise.
• Refer books on delivering twins/multiples if you haven’t been able to read any.
• Avoid stress and meditate.

Dont’s

• Avoid drinking coffee or tea along with your meals since they interfere with iron absorption.
• Don’t wear clothes that make it difficult for you to move around.

Things You Need to Shop for in the 34th Week of Pregnancy

By week 34, you must have already bought most of the things you’ll need after the babies are born. Here’s a list of some items that are missed by many mothers-to-be:

• A nice maternity gown.
• Breast pump to store your first milk.
• Nursing Bra.
• Diapers – lots and lots of them for your twins/multiples.
• Sets of baby clothing.
• Baby tissues – you’re gonna need a lot of these too.

What to Expect Next?

As you get closer to delivery, here are some of the key things you can expect:

• More frequent prenatal checkups: Your doctor may monitor your blood pressure, symptoms, and babies’ growth more closely.
• Continued baby growth and development: Your twins or multiples will continue gaining weight and maturing as they prepare for birth.
• Delivery planning: Your babies’ positions, growth, and overall health may help your healthcare team determine the safest approach to delivery.
• Signs of labour: Increasing contractions, pelvic pressure, fluid leakage, or vaginal bleeding may indicate that you need prompt medical attention.

When to See a Doctor?

Seek medical advice promptly if you experience:

• Regular or painful contractions that become stronger, longer, or closer together.
• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leakage, which may indicate a problem or that your waters have broken.
• Reduced or noticeably changed fetal movements compared with your babies’ usual pattern.
• Severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, or severe abdominal pain, which can require urgent assessment.

FAQs

1. Do twins born at 34 weeks need NICU stay?

The majority of babies who are born at 34 weeks do well outside the womb and require little medical assistance. However, if your infants were born this week, they would probably spend at least a brief amount of time in the NICU.

2. What are the 34 weeks pregnant with twins signs of labor?

Signs that labor may be starting include regular contractions that become stronger and closer together, leaking fluid, vaginal bleeding, increasing pelvic pressure, or persistent lower back pain. If you experience these symptoms at 34 weeks, contact your healthcare provider promptly.

3. What should I expect at 34 weeks pregnant with triplets?

At 34 weeks pregnant with triplets, you may experience greater fatigue, pelvic pressure, backache, swelling, and difficulty moving comfortably as your babies continue to grow. Your healthcare team will likely keep a close watch on your health and the babies’ growth, position, and well-being, while also discussing delivery plans and signs of labour.

Although each mother-to-be would have a different experience, at 34 weeks twin pregnancy, everyone would focus on the development and health of the babies. Eat well, rest enough and try to cheerful for the arrival of your little ones.

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Sources References

1. World Health Organization – Preterm birth

2. UNICEF parenting – How music affects your baby’s brain: Mini Parenting Master Class

3. Cleveland Clinic – Kick Counts

4. Nemours KidsHealth – Pregnancy Calendar: Week 34

5. Cleveland Clinic – Blurry Vision While Pregnant

6. NHS – Swollen ankles, feet and fingers in pregnancy

7. Cleveland Clinic – Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

8. Cleveland Clinic – Braxton Hicks Contractions

9. NHS – Week 34