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Pregnancy week 36

Pregnancy Week 36
Becoming a mother is always an exciting time, no matter how many children you already have. As you get closer to the anticipated due date, it’s understandable that you are becoming more anxious to see and hold your baby. At week 36, you are entering the last month of your pregnancy so the big day is not so far away. Looking back to the day when you first discovered that you are pregnant, now, you may be amazed to realize how your body has changed, and how your baby has grown. What should you expect at week 36 of your pregnancy? Let’s take a look.

The Baby
Measuring an estimated 18 inches in full length, your baby now weighs about 5 pounds. At this stage of the pregnancy, he or she is still gaining weight. One thing which is happening now is the shedding of the waxy white substance known as the vernix caseosa which actually helps to protect and cover your baby’s skin. As well as the vernix caseosa, the downy covering of hair is also going to be shed as your baby prepares for the big day. Obviously, you may be wondering about what’s going to happen to these substances. Well, your baby is going to swallow them, as well as some other secretions, which will be processed into meconium. Now, you may again wonder what’s this meconium? This black mixture is none other than the contents of your baby’s very first bowel movement!

When you come to the end of week 36 of your pregnancy, you will be pleased to know that your baby has reached full-term. Generally, full-term refers to the period from 37 to 42 weeks. In most cases, your baby should have assumed a head-down position. What happens if your baby has not assumed this position? There’s nothing to worry because your practitioner will then try to guide your baby into the head-down position from the outside of your belly. The more illustrious name of this maneuver is known as “external cephalic version” but you know what it means now.

The Body
As your baby grows bigger, you may find it harder to eat a normal portion meal so you may have to eat smaller portion meals, more frequently. On the other hand, you may be happier because you can breathe easier now and suffer from less heartburn because lightening may be taking place. Lightening means that your baby is beginning to “drop” down into the pelvis. This process may open up other discomforts because you may feel the need to pee more than usual and you may feel more uncomfortable when you are walking. At this time, your Braxton Hicks contractions will be occurring more frequently. When you meet your practitioner, make sure that you go through the signs of labor with him or her, and remember the next date.

Some Things to Consider
In anticipation for the baby’s arrival, some mothers are so excited that they go into ultra cleaning mode, taking all the extra steps to make sure that the house is as clean as possible. It’s definitely a good thing to clean the house because you never want your baby to come into a dirty environment but it’s also just as important to ensure that everything is safe. Pay attention to the detergents and cleansers to make sure that they are safe for newborn babies. If you plan on doing the cleaning yourself, remember to protect yourself with rubber gloves and those surgical masks. If you are not sure about using regular detergents and cleansers, you may opt for natural cleansers like lemon, vinegar, and the like. At this time, you should not be climbing too high and working too vigorously. Isn’t it a great idea and time to get the man of the house to help out with some of the household chores?

Relationships
This is a good time to think a little about the person who is going to help bring your baby to the world. Whether you decide to use a midwife or a doctor, it is common courtesy to send the person a card that says “Thank You” after the safe delivery of your child. Sometimes, we can get carried away by the currents of life and when you have a new baby, the current can be a lot stronger, and we can get distracted. Though your midwife or doctor may have delivered hundreds of babies, each baby they help to deliver is special. When they see the photo of your baby and your card, they will surely smile in fond appreciation.

Exercise
It’s quite essential to keep yourself in good physical shape as you prepare for motherhood. Now, you may have been going to gym up to this stage of the pregnancy but you should probably stay at home more. You can do some simple stretching exercises at home. Don’t try anything too strenuous. Here’s a good one. Sit on the floor and make yourself comfortable. Then, bend your left leg and place your right leg to the side. Try to reach for the sky with your left arm over your head. As you are leaning over your right leg, make a big arc and try to touch your right foot. After this, revert to the original position and repeat the exercise for the other side.

Shopping
Shopping is one of the most wonderful activities for expecting mothers. At this point, it will be a great idea to buy a breast pump. Don’t wait until after the delivery to buy one because you may most likely need to use it right after delivery. Along this line, it’s also essential that you buy a few nursing bras. Pack one or two of these bras to bring to the hospital. A nursing bra is quite different than a normal bra so you may want to learn how to unfasten the breast flaps with just one hand because you will be using your other hand to hold your baby.

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