36 weeks pregnant

At 36 weeks pregnant, you’re now well into your third trimester. Your due date is fast approaching, and you’re getting closer to meeting your baby for the very first time.   Remember that there’s always a possibility that your baby will arrive a little sooner or a little later than expected – there's simply no way to know. In fact, only 5% of babies are born on their predicted due date, so be prepared for your baby to come in their own good time¹.

At this point in your third trimester, you may be starting put the finishing touches to your birth plan (if you’ve chosen to make one) and packing your hospital bag ahead of your labour and birth. This can feel like a very exciting time, as you get ready to welcome your baby into the world.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from week 36 of your pregnancy, including some common pregnancy symptoms, your growing baby’s development, and why taking some time to wind down before your baby arrives can really make all the difference.

At 36 weeks pregnant, your baby’s lungs are fully formed, and their digestive system is developed, all ready to feed after birth. The World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding your baby until they’re at least six months old². Breast milk is the perfect first food for your baby, as it’s nutritionally unique to them. It’s very clever and will adapt and change to meet their needs as they grow³. You can learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding here. 

At this point in their foetal development, your baby is approximately 47 cm from their head to their toes⁴. 

At week 36 of your pregnancy, your baby weighs around six pounds⁵. However, all babies are different, and each one will follow their own unique growth curve. There are lots of things that can impact this, including your age, ethnicity, BMI (Body Mass Index), partner and the weight of any babies you’ve had before.

What matters is that your baby is following their own growth curve around the same line/centile that they were on when you had your earlier scans, and that your doctor and midwife are don’t have any concerns.

Gaining some weight during pregnancy is completely normal. Most of this will happen after your 20th week of pregnancy and is down to the baby growing in your womb. The rest is to build the stores you need to make breast milk for your baby once they arrive⁶.

All women, and all pregnancies, are different, and not everybody will gain the same amount of weight during their pregnancy. As long as your baby is growing as they should, they continue to be active, and you feel well, that’s all that matters. Do your best to eat a healthy, balanced diet and if you feel up to it, do some gentle exercise at a level you feel comfortable with. 

Your antenatal appointments a great opportunity for you to ask any questions and get the advice you need. So, don’t hesitate to have a chat with your midwife if you’ve got any concerns at about your pregnancy weight gain. If it’s required, your doctor or midwife may give you additional advice about how to manage your weight gain during pregnancy, if you’re having a multiple birth for example, or have gestational diabetes⁷. 

Read more about weight gain in pregnancy here.

Although your baby bump is still growing, you may actually find that breathing gets easier at 36 weeks pregnant, especially if your baby’s head has already moved deeper into the pelvis⁴. When this happens, it doesn’t mean that birth is imminent (although it’s not too far away!), but you may hear your midwife refer to your baby as being ‘engaged’. 

If your baby is still in the breech position (lying bottom or feet first) at 36 weeks, it’s likely that you’ll be offered something called ‘EVC’, which stands for ‘external cephalic version’. This just means that your midwife or doctor will offer your baby a little encouragement to turn in the right direction for birth and will use their hands to apply gentle pressure to your abdomen⁸.  

Whilst this is successful some of the time, if your baby doesn’t turn, your doctor and midwife will discuss what your options are for your labour, and whether it’s advisable to have a caesarean or vaginal birth⁸.  

Pains on the side of your baby bump (also known as round ligament pains) and backache are very common at this stage in your pregnancy⁴. Wearing a pregnancy belt when you walk can help to help support your growing bump.

Another pregnancy symptom at week 36 is mild swelling in your hands and/or feet, but seek medical advice if this becomes severe, or is accompanied by headaches, blurred vision and tummy pain. This is because these symptoms could be a sign of preeclampsia and/or high blood pressure⁹.

As your pelvic floor muscles are relaxing in preparation for labour, and your baby’s head is moving down in your pelvis, it’s likely that you’ll be going for a wee more often. Having the odd leak of urine when you cough, laugh or exercise isn’t uncommon, and this is where those pelvic floor exercises can really help. Practicing these regularly will help to strengthen the muscles around your bladder, bottom and vagina¹⁰.  

Other pregnancy symptoms at 36 weeks include⁴:

• Braxton Hicks contractions 
• Difficulty sleeping - try to sleep on your side instead of on your back, as this can help with the flow of oxygen to your baby¹¹
• Bloating and constipation 
• Sore and leaking breasts 
• Leg cramps