36th week of pregnancy

Congratulations on carrying your baby safely for so many months. It is now the time when you can expect your baby to arrive any day. Here we discuss the 36th week of the gestation period.

Development of the baby:

The baby weighs a little more than 6 pounds now. The weight gain is steady, about an ounce each day.
The baby’s length from head to heels is approximately 18 ½ inches.
The vernix caseosa (whitish waxy substance for protection) that covered the body of your little one might begin to shed now. Along with it, the lanugo (fine hair covering the baby) also shed.
The baby now swallows the amniotic fluid as well as the vernix caseosa as well as the lanugo which constitute the baby’s first bowel movement, a dark substance known as meconium.
By now, the baby must have attained the head down position inside the womb. If not, the doctor may schedule an external cephalic version, to avoid complications during delivery.

Changes in the mother:

Most mothers feel that they have stop expanding now. This is not true. They continue to gain weight, although it is very little.
The expectant mother has become very huge now. Stretch marks are quite visible and extremely itchy and uncomfortable.
As a result of the expanded body, it is a herculean task to do anything small, like picking up the newspaper or tying one’s shoelaces.
With the huge body, it becomes impossible to sleep well. During the last few weeks, the mother has almost no sleep. Also, she is advised to eat well but because of the uterus continually pushing the rib cage, it is almost impossible to have huge meals.
If the baby has dropped by now, breathing becomes quite easy, but the mother urinates lot of times during the day.
Braxton Hicks contractions increase in their frequency and duration. They are only going to increase up till the delivery, making the woman prepared for the actual labor situation. False labor pains can be irritating, but it is advised that the mother goes to the hospital of she feels that the baby is set to enter the world now.

Attachment with the baby:

At this point, most mothers start to think over who she will have to support her during the delivery. As it is the most intimate point in her relation with her baby, she can decide to share it only with her husband or with someone elderly and experienced in the family.
By the 36th week, most women are tired of carrying the baby around and want the baby to be born as soon as possible. She might become moody and upset in some situations, but that does not mean that her love for her little one has lessened even a bit.

Complications & tips:

Getting a full body massage is advisable during this period. One can visit a chiropractor for the same and will surely see a marked improvement in the lower backache, fatigue, discomfort and swelling of feet and hands.
Breech birth is a complication that many women face during delivery. If the baby is not engaged, there may be difficulties in delivering the baby. As the baby is not upside down and there is no space to turn back, it is advised that women have a caesarean section to deliver the baby is such cases.

Tip for the father:

As the baby can arrive any day now, it is best to keep yourself prepared. Make a list of all things that you will need at the hospital, the essentials of the mother as well as the newborn. Purchase all necessities and keep them aside in a bag, so that you do not panic when the moment arrives and you have to rush your partner to the hospital. Some such essentials include a comfortable pair of clothes for you, the baby and the mother. Keep the camera and video recorder ready to capture the once in a lifetime moment.

Diet:

The mother does not take large meals now, owing to her already large size. If the baby has dropped and the mother is taking small meals, the problem of constipation vanishes by now.
Some healthy light meals at this stage include strawberry or banana shake, cheese and salad sandwich, and light snacks like boiled corn and porridge. The key is to maintain the right quantity of essential nutrients in the diet.