Week 36 of Pregnancy

You have reached 36 weeks pregnant, officially the start of month 9, and your baby could arrive at any time. Most babies have gotten into position for birth by now, facing your spine with their head down. Continue reading the blog to learn more –

Pregnancy Developments and symptoms at 36 Weeks Pregnant:

  • Change in your body shape:
    • If your baby’s head has started to engage or settle into the pelvis, your bump will appear to be lying lower. This can sometimes cause a change in your body shape. Sometimes this is referred to as ‘started to drop’.
    • This does not mean that you are about to go into labor. You may still have a few weeks to go.
  • Vaginal discharge:
    • Your vaginal discharge may start looking different as labor approaches, so it’s worth keeping an eye on. A thick glob of discharge could be your mucus plug dislodging, which is a sign of early labor. The mucus could be clear, pinkish, brownish, or tinged with a bit of blood.
    • If you lose your mucus plug, you may also see darker, bloody discharge called “bloody show.” Stay alert for other early signs of labor, and call your provider if you have any worrisome symptoms.
  • Cramping:
    • Mild cramping throughout pregnancy is normal and usually harmless. Cramping can be caused by issues like bloating, constipation, and round ligament pain. At this point in pregnancy, you may have cramping from Braxton Hicks, or false labor contractions, as well.
    • Cramping can also be an early sign of labor. Call your provider if:
      • You feel contractions accompanied by lower back pain.
      • You feel more than six contractions an hour (even if they don’t hurt).
      • The contractions are coming at regular intervals.
      • You also have vaginal discharge or bleeding.
  • Leaking urine: Don’t worry if you find yourself leaking a bit of pee when you cough or laugh. Don’t worry, this is normal. It can help to work on toning up your pelvic floor muscles.
  • Pelvic pain:
    • Pelvic pain is often a sharp pain deep in your hips or groin, though it can also feel like soreness, stinging, or burning. Pregnancy hormones that loosen your ligaments are a major cause; these relaxed ligaments can stretch too far and allow bones to shift and put pressure on nearby muscles. Weight gain and a changing center of gravity also contribute to pelvic pain.
    • You have a number of options if you’re hurting. Pregnancy bands and belts can help stabilize your pelvis, and physical therapy, acupuncture, and Tylenol can reduce pain.
  • If you think your waters have broken:
    • Preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) is when your waters break before 37 weeks of pregnancy. If this happens, you will need to get medical help right away.
    • Your waters breaking may feel like a mild popping sensation, followed by a trickle or gush of fluid that you can’t stop, unlike when you wee. The amount of fluid you lose may vary.

Baby Development:

  • Your baby weighs an impressive 6 pounds (2.7 kg)—give or take—and is about the size of a large cabbage.
  • Your baby is getting ready to take their first gasp of air when they’re born– their lungs are now developed and ready to go. Until they take their first breath of air, their lungs stay deflated, and they get oxygen through the placenta.
  • The fine downy hair (lanugo) that has covered your baby’s skin is beginning to disappear, along with the vernix caseosa. Vernix caseosa is the thick, creamy substance that has protected your baby’s skin while submerged in amniotic fluid. Your baby will swallow both of these, along with some amniotic fluid, which combines together to form meconium, your baby’s first bowel movement.
  • Fetal skull and bones:
    • When you’re 36 weeks pregnant, your baby’s skull bones are not fused together yet so the head can easily (well, relatively easily) maneuver through the birth canal.
    • Your baby’s skull isn’t the only soft structure in her little body. Most of their bones and cartilage are quite soft as well, allowing for an easier journey into the world during delivery. But don’t worry—they’ll harden over the first few years of her life.
  • Baby’s digestion still needs to catch up:
    • Your little ones digestion system won’t be fully mature until sometime after birth.
    • Why? Inside her little gestational cocoon, your baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system, though developed, hasn’t been operational. It will take the first year or two to bring it up to speed.
  • By now, many of your baby’s systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms, and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected, and your baby’s immune system has developed enough to protect your little one from infections outside the womb.

36 Weeks Pregnant: What you should be preparing for

  • When you have your appointment this week, you should be prepared for:
    • Cervical cultures, specifically Group B Strep
    • Discussion of External Cephalic Version (ECV) if your baby is in a breech presentation
    • Discussion regarding the possibility of a cesarean or VBAC
  • Sleeping position: When you reach your third trimester, the advice is to go to sleep on your side because research has shown that going to sleep on your back is linked to an increased risk of stillbirth. This advice includes daytime napping and night sleeping. Read more about safe sleep positions in pregnancy.
  • Try massaging your perineum:
    • The perineum is the area between the vagina and the anus. If you are planning a vaginal birth, massaging this area in the weeks coming up to the birth can reduce the chances of having an episiotomy (cutting the perineum) during birth or having a perineal tear.
    • To massage the perineum, put one or two fingers into the vagina and massage downwards towards the perineum.
  • Note movement changes:
    • Don’t be alarmed if your baby’s movements have changed from sharp kicks to larger lurches. After all, your little one isn’t quite so little anymore, and has less room for calisthenics.
    • You should still keep track of your baby’s movements every day, though. Look for 10 movements within a two-hour period, or in the normal amount of time it takes to count 10 of your baby’s movements.
    • If you notice a decrease in fetal movement frequency or an unusual change in the pattern of baby’s movements, call your doctor or go to the hospital maternity ward. Your provider may want to check your baby with a nonstress test or biophysical profile.

Conclusion

Always consult with healthcare professionals for guidance tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Enroll in our free lactation webinar to understand more about pain suffered during breastfeeding, possible causes, and solutions for the same.