36 Weeks Pregnant


Baby

Baby is now fully developed, about 45cm long and weighs 2.5-3kg. Baby’s head diameter is 9 cm. His or her intestines are filled with dark meconium. The movements become less frequent. If the baby moves less than 10 times a day, however, contact a midwife or a doctor just in case.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered “early term.” already. The fetus is considered full-term at the end of the 39th week of gestational age. So you could expect the childbirth to start at any moment!

You

You may feel that your usual menu is too much. Eat more frequently, and in small quantities. Most likely your baby is already head-down and you feel that it is easier to breathe because of the pressure on the lungs is reduced. Intestines and bladder, however, are now more compressed. This causes frequent urination, gases, and constipation. Now you’ve gained approximately 10kg, and the weight gain slows down. The child is, however, growing fast.

Uterine contractions become more frequent. Until these are not regular, do not worry. However, if the pain is recurring every five minutes and at least one hour in a row, it’s time to rush to the hospital. If your water has broken, head to the hospital right away.

During 36-40th weeks of gestation You visit your gynecologist or midwife every two weeks. During the visits weight gain, blood pressure, fundal height will be measured and you will be questioned about the nature of fetal movements, Fetal heart rate will be monitored and fetal position in the womb will be determined. You will also be questioned over the changes in vaginal discharge. In case of complaints, screening will be performed and, when necessary, closer examination of your cervix or vagina.

Before each visit you will be asked to repeat the urinalysis. If necessary, the blood test for hemoglobin assessment will also be repeated. Initial birth plan is also put together.

In case the character of fetal movements is changed, or irregular fetal heartbeats are detected, cardiotocography (CTG) is executed. Cardiotocography (CTG) enables to record the fetal heart rate over time and to detect possible fetal heart rate disorders, indicating the worsening of the fetal condition.

Ideas

  • Four weeks before the expected date of delivery, it is high time to take a maternity leave.
  • Check again the content of your hospital bag.
  • Use whatever maps application to find the most optimal route to the hospital. Think on what kind of transportation you use, and calculate how much time it will take to go to the hospital.