Pregnancy Week 36

Your Baby's Growth and Development

By pregnancy week 36 your baby can't wait to meet you! Your baby now weighs close to six pounds and is probably just over 20 inches long at 36 weeks pregnant. You might as well consider your baby a heavyweight at this point!

Your baby is still concentrating mostly on adding weight this week. While this doesn't seem especially interesting, it is very important your baby add weight prior to delivery.

Besides, your baby can put on weight now with wild abandon, so why not encourage them on!

Changes In Your Body

You are probably wondering if you will go into labor soon. Scientists are not exactly sure what triggers labor in women. Many believe that your baby's brain may send a signal to the rest of his body indicating he is ready for delivery. Still others suggest the baby's adrenal glands start emitting a special hormone that may alter the levels of estrogen and progesterone in mom, triggering labor.

You just never know! While you should probably stay pregnant for at least another week or two, some women will be surprised by a slightly early delivery. Most babies born at 36 weeks do just fine in the outside world.

Consider yourself round, ripe and beautiful by this point in time! Your uterus won't grow much more in the upcoming weeks. By now you are getting ready to deliver your baby. You may be feeling a bit large and cumbersome, but keep in mind you only have a few short weeks left until you deliver your baby.

The best tool for a round, ripe and beautiful goddess like you is nothing more than a supportive pregnancy pillow. Our personal favorite is the Maternity and Baby Shop’s Snoozer Full Body Pregnancy Pillow. If you think it is too late to celebrate your womanhood, think again. Pregnancy pillows are wonderful during pregnancy. But after pregnancy, they are invaluable, at least if you invest in Snoozer pregnancy pillows.

These remarkably soft full body support pillows easily convert into a supportive cradle you can use to support and comfort your baby while nursing. You can tuck one behind your back or share one with your partner in the wee hours of the night while each of you searches for comfort and sleep in between baby’s cries of hunger. And, given the flexibility of these pillows, keep in mind a full body pillow of any kind is a luxury to have, whether you have a baby or not! It’s never too late to invest in your health AND your comfort.

If your baby is not positioned correctly for birth during pregnancy week 36, your doctor may recommend you try an external cephalic version. Some women and doctors prefer to take a wait and see approach, and perform a c-section if their baby doesn't turn to a head down position during labor and delivery.

For others, the possibility of avoiding a cesarean section makes a version more appealing. The version is a process where your doctor may try to turn your baby using ultrasound to guide their movement. During this procedure your baby is closely monitored to ensure their safety. If your baby shows signs of fetal distress, the procedure is stopped.

For some women, an external cephalic version may lead to complications including an emergency c-section. You have to carefully weigh your risks and the potential benefits before considering this procedure.

During my third pregnancy, my baby was transverse lying. I decided to undergo a version, which only took a couple of seconds. My baby turned easily and I actually started labor right after. However, keep in mind I had three pregnancies very closely spaced together. Things working in my favor included my extremely lax uterus and a high volume of amniotic fluid that made turning my baby very easy.

My doctor did tell me that this procedure actually usually results in a lot of pain and is not often successful. I consider myself lucky. I simply wanted to avoid a cesarean section, which I did. Be sure you talk to your doctor about your choices and alternatives. For some women, a cesarean section may seem less risky. If you plan it, at least you can avoid an emergency cesarean. The choice is yours.

There are also some natural ways you can try to turn your baby, including through acupuncture, chiropractic care and moxibustion. These did not work for me, but they do work for many women with breech or side lying babies.