← Back to All Weeks
🌳Third Trimester•Weeks 28-40
Week 36 of Pregnancy
Your baby is the size of romaine lettuce
📏
Length
18.7 inches
⚖️
Weight
5.8 pounds
🍎
Size Comparison
Romaine lettuce
👶 Baby Development
- •Baby is gaining approximately one ounce per day now
- •Skin is becoming smooth and losing wrinkles as fat fills out
- •Gums are rigid and strong
- •Circulatory and immune systems are complete and functioning
- •Baby is officially considered "early term" at 37 weeks
- •Most lanugo has disappeared
- •Baby's body is becoming more rounded and plump
💭 Common Symptoms
- •Significantly increased Braxton Hicks contractions that may take your breath away
- •Pelvic pressure intensifies as baby descends into birth position
- •Possible "lightning" - sudden dropping of baby into pelvis
- •Even more frequent bathroom trips, possibly every hour
- •Difficulty walking and waddling gait
- •Possible loss of mucus plug (can regenerate)
- •Extreme fatigue and exhaustion
🥗 Nutrition Tips
- •Eat foods rich in vitamin K (90-120 mcg daily) for blood clotting during delivery
- •Include iron-rich foods to prevent postpartum anemia
- •Stay hydrated despite constant urination
- •Eat small, frequent, easily digestible meals
- •Include foods rich in vitamin C
- •Focus on protein for tissue repair
- •Eat dates if planning natural labor - studies show they may help cervical ripening
✅ To-Do This Week
- •Attend weekly prenatal checkups where provider will check cervical dilation
- •Know the signs of active labor including regular contractions 5 minutes apart
- •Finalize every detail of your birth plan
- •Rest as much as physically possible
- •Complete Group B strep test if not done
- •Ensure car seat is installed correctly
- •Have emergency contacts list visible
💡
Did You Know?
Your baby is considered "early term" this week! Babies born at 36 weeks generally do very well, though full term (37+ weeks) is ideal for lung maturity.