34 weeks pregnant: the stages of labour and packing your bag

At 34 weeks pregnant, labour is close enough to plan for in detail. KKH's planner walks through it in three stages, and it's slower than TV makes it look. This is also the week of the second anti-D injection if you're rhesus negative, and a good week to pack your hospital bag.

The three stages of labour

First stage: your cervix opens. This takes longest, especially with a first baby, and is usually quicker if you've given birth before. Doctors or midwives check how far you've dilated about every 4 hours, more often later on. After 4cm you're in active labour and dilate about 1cm an hour, KKH says, so roughly 6 more hours to reach 10cm. That's only a guide; some women go much faster.

Second stage: your baby is born. At full dilation you'll feel an urge to bear down, like needing to poo. KKH says long, steady pushes work better than screaming, which uses up energy, and help stop your baby slipping back.

Third stage: the placenta comes out. You'll get an injection of oxytocin in your thigh to help your womb contract and push it out. If you've torn or needed a small cut (an episiotomy), it's repaired with stitches that dissolve.

What your baby does in labour

As your cervix opens, your baby moves down towards the birth canal, which is why backache often gets worse. Your baby's skull bones haven't fused yet, KKH explains, so they can shift as your baby turns on the way out. After birth, the lungs fill with air with the first breath, and a natural hole in the heart closes.

Packing your bag

KKH asks you to pack two weeks in advance. NUH suggests a few weeks ahead. Here's what each hospital lists:

KKH also says you'll probably spend your first few hours in the Delivery Suite, so leave the bag with your family unless your spouse is with you. Our hospital bag checklist has a printable list.

If you're rhesus negative

The second anti-D injection is due at 34 weeks, after the first at 28 weeks, and there's another after delivery, HealthHub says. Check it's booked.

What's due in Singapore at 34 weeks

When to go to the hospital

Regular contractions, leaking fluid, bleeding, fewer movements or pre-eclampsia signs need the hospital now.

From 22 weeks, KKH asks you to go straight to its Delivery Suite, at Level 2 of the Women's Tower, for water-bag leakage, vaginal bleeding or signs of labour. At NUH, the Delivery Suite is Ward 22, on Level 2 of the Main Building. Booked somewhere else? Go to your own hospital's delivery suite, or call its O&G clinic if you're unsure.

Frequently asked questions

How long does labour take with a first baby?

The first stage is the longest. KKH says that after 4cm you dilate about 1cm an hour, so about 6 hours to 10cm, but every labour is different.

When should I pack my hospital bag?

KKH asks you to pack two weeks in advance; NUH suggests a few weeks before.

Do I need a car seat to leave the hospital?

KKH lists a rear-facing car seat, even if you're going home by taxi or Grab.

34 weeks pregnant is how many months?

Nearly eight months, counted from the first day of your last period.

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