Mandate Health Checklist

8th Month

Routine Prenatal Checkup once in every two weeks

Gestational Diabetics Check

Know Yourself

Body Changes

Week 31

You might experience hemorrhoids. 

Week 32

You may have trouble breathing and suffer from increased heartburn.  

Week 33

Good nutrition and massage can help avoid any need for episiotomy (a surgical incision to enlarge the vaginal opening).

Week 34

Your belly button might become an “outie” or extremely sensitive. You can use a Band-Aid to cover it. 

Week 35

Get informed about immunizations.

Time to buy a nursing bra.

Nutrition

As you start approaching the final weeks of your pregnancy, there are a lot of things that you must add to your diet.

Vitamin K to help with blood clots

• kale

• spinach

• green leaf lettuce

• Swiss chard

• broccoli

• cauliflower

• cabbage

Calcium and magnesium for stronger bones

• milk

• cheese

• legumes

• avocado

• banana

• raspberries


Selenium for healthy lung function

• brazil nuts

• eggs

• brown rice

Sleep

In the third trimester — from the 28th week of pregnancy onward — sleeping on the back puts pressure on the main blood vessels that deliver blood to the uterus. This pressure may decrease the oxygen supply to the fetus. It can also increase unpleasant symptoms, such as dizziness and heartburn, in you.

Know Your Baby

Week 31

Fetal Heart Rate

120-180 bpm

Weight

3.31 lb

Length

16.18 in

Head to toe

Size of

coconut


A layer of fat continues to develop under the skin.

Baby will begin to put on even more weight.

Week 32

Fetal Heart Rate

120-180 bpm

Weight

3.75 lb

Length

16.69 in

Head to toe

Size of

Bunch of grapes


The toenails and fingernails have formed.

The lungs mature.

The bones are still very soft and pliable.

Week 33

Fetal Heart Rate

120-180 bpm

Weight

4.19-4.41 lb

Length

17.24 in

Head to toe

Size of

pineapple


Your baby’s skin is beginning to look less red and wrinkled.

The bones are hardening except for the skull (it needs to stay pliable for delivery).

Week 34

Fetal Heart Rate

120-180 bpm

Weight

4.74 lb

Length

17.72 in

Head to toe

Size of

cantaloupe


The lungs are well-developed.

Baby would stand a chance of surviving if born during this week.

Week 35

Fetal Heart Rate

120-180 bpm

Weight

5.25-5.29 lb

Length

18.23 in

Head to toe

Size of

Honeydew melon


Kidneys are completely developed.

Liver begins to process waste.

Consult your OB/GYN about a good pediatrician. 

Stay Happy & Positive

Week 31

Pack that hospital bag.

Prenatal massage can be a great stress reliever. See if anyone in your area specializes in it and book one as a third trimester treat.

Make a few freezer meals to have once the baby is born. (Not only dinners—a few loaves of banana bread might make perfect morning snacks.)

Week 32

If you’re going to try to breastfeed, read that breastfeeding book to get ready and make sure your pumping attachments fit properly.

Enjoy your baby shower if you’re having one! It’s probably happening right around now.

Week 33

Embrace your inner penguin. It’s okay to waddle!

Figure out your childcare situation. Daycare? Nanny? Nanny share? Family? It doesn’t matter what you choose as long as it works for you.

Start packing your hospital bag if you haven’t already. Try to have it completely ready to grab by week 36, just in case!

Week 34

Write and send thank you cards for your shower.

Make sure everything is lined up at work for your leave. Your files and notes should be easily accessible for your fill-in. If your baby comes early, you don’t want to worry about having to brief anyone on project status or anything like that.

Throw a few more things in your hospital bag. You should really have everything you need inside it by 36 weeks. Remember, that 37 weeks is considered “early term”—meaning, even though it’s not a full-term birth, plenty of babies make their debut then.

Week 35

Wash a fitted crib sheet and all your baby clothes in newborn and 0 to 3 month sizes, so they’re ready for baby’s arrival. 

Revisit your list of baby names. If you already made a choice, do you still love it? If you still have a list of a few possibilities, can you narrow it down some more?

Things To Buy

Stroller

Baby carrier

Play mat

Diaper bag

Travel changing pad

Softcover books

Optional: Highchair, if you’re thinking ahead

Grab them now!