Week 35 :: It's getting cramped in here!

Can you say cramped? Your baby is weighing in at over 5 pounds and is nearly 18 inches long this week! Obviously they've got themselves a nice little fatty covering, which will keep them nice 'n' warm when they arrive on the outside. Your doctor or midwife will soon be monitoring your cervix for effacement and you're starting to get the pre-labor jitters for real. Worried about the pain?

Congratulations! You’re now carrying over 5 pounds of baby-goodness - not counting their amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, or the placenta itself.

Developmentally, your wee womb-tenant has the fat-factory running at full tilt while their digestive system puts the finishing touches on critical organs in preparation for their first meal (remember - before birth, all of their nutrition was blood via the umbilical cord).

With their first meal in mind, it's time to look forward to one of the most important things you'll do for your infant - namely, keeping them alive with nothing more than your breasts.

If you're still unsure whether you want to breastfeed, just check out our "Ten Reasons to Breastfeed" in Week 28.

Breastfeeding Bootcamp

The first three months are Breastfeeding Bootcamp as your newborn's tiny new stomach and bumblebee-like metabolism = you breastfeeding at least every two hours of the day and night - often times more.

As a result, you'll both be waking up multiple times in the middle of the night to feed for the first year - this is perfectly normal and your infant's cries should never be ignored (again, the older generations well-intended advice is exactly wrong).

Because a newborn's tummy has never been used, many foods you can eat without issue will cause them painful gas cramps when passed into your breastmilk.

So, for the first three months: eat bland stuff. No onions, no beans, no citrus juices or foods with high acidity, no foods that make YOU fart. Taking these measures will save you from a gassy crying infant who won't be soothed by anything until the pain is gone.

Don't worry about waking your newborn to breastfeed - they'll wake up when they're hungry - unfortunately for your sleep needs.

Sleep whenever your baby sleeps, as sleeping is critical to a healthy postpartum recovery.

If possible - for the first six weeks you should exclusively breastfeed without interference from a pump, bottle, or pacifier to avoid nipple confusion.

Breastfeed "on demand" (aka whenever your infant cries in a dry diaper) and ignore the well-meant advice of older generations who scheduled their infant's meals at set times.

Only your baby knows when he or she is hungry, and your milk supply will thank you for feeding on demand.

The Breastfeeding Bootcamp isn't just about hunger. The non-stop feeding strengthens your infant's suckling reflex and jaw muscles, while soothing them in a world that is otherwise highly disorienting and frightening.

Nothing works quite as well as your "breast-plug" when you want to cease a fussy newborn's cries. Trust us, there's no shame in being a human pacifier!