Pregnancy Calendar Week 36

By pregnancy calendar week 36, your baby is almost ready to enter the world. He/she probably weighs somewhere between 6 and 7 pounds. He/she most likely measures between 19 and 20 inches long. His/her umbilical cord now measures over 2 feet in length.

By pregnancy calendar week 36, your baby’s fat is dimpling on his/her knees and elbows. Creases are beginning to form on his/her neck and wrists. At birth, your baby’s body fat will have increased to approximately 15 percent.

Sometime during pregnancy calendar week 36, most of the lanugo and vernix caseosa will disappear. These substances will be swallowed by your baby and combined with amniotic fluid to form his/her first bowel movement. Also known as meconium, this bowel movement will be a tar-like, greenish-brown substance.

Although your baby is gaining weight at a rapid rate, you will most likely notice that your own weight gain slows after pregnancy calendar week 36. By now, you have probably gained between 25 and 30 pounds. Since your baby needs a massive amount of fuel, you should be consuming approximately 2,400 calories per day. Continuing to eat a well-balanced diet will help you maintain your energy level while ensuring your baby’s proper development.

By pregnancy calendar week 36, many women are anxiously awaiting the first signs of labor. While it’s true that a baby born during this time has an excellent chance of being completely healthy, it is usually best that your baby remain in his/her uterine home until your due date.

During pregnancy calendar week 36, you may be experiencing a wide variety of pregnancy symptoms. You may notice a change in appetite, fatigue, frequent urination, increasing clumsiness, pelvic discomfort, backache, or an itchy abdomen. Some women also have problems with varicose veins, hemorrhoids, insomnia, or bleeding gums. If you have any questions about your pregnancy symptoms, it’s best to discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. By this point in your pregnancy, you will probably have weekly prenatal visits.

During pregnancy calendar week 36, many women notice a sudden increase in Braxton Hick Contractions. These contractions, when combined with other symptoms, can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from real labor. However, there are noticeable differences between false labor pains and real labor contractions.

While real contractions are consistent, false labor contractions are irregular. There is no noticeable pattern between false labor contractions and the contractions can be felt in the back, pelvis, and lower abdomen. You may notice that your baby’s movements seem to intensify during these contractions. In most cases, false labor contractions will subside if you move around or change positions. If you're not sure if these are real contractions, drink some water, and lay down for a while.

Real labor contractions begin at the top of your uterus and spread through your lower back and into the pelvis. They become stronger and more frequent as time passes. While changing position may temporarily take away some of the pain, real labor contractions will continue to progress. Real labor is often accompanied by diarrhea in the beginning of labor.

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• Category:Pregnancy Week by Week
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