Baby by Week
Week 36

Your week 36 guide

Facial muscles, sucking skills, circulation, and immunity are close to newborn readiness.
Trimester

3

Month

9

Weeks left

4

Size at a glance

Comparison
Leek
Length
51 cm head to heel
Weight
6 lb
Measurements are approximate. Healthy babies grow at different rates.

Baby development

Fuller cheek muscles support feeding after birth.
Circulatory and immune development are advanced.
Digestion will begin functioning more fully only after feeding starts outside the womb.

Your body

The baby may drop lower, easing breathing but increasing pelvic and bladder pressure.
Braxton Hicks contractions, insomnia, swelling, and nesting energy can increase.
The mucus plug may pass, but this alone does not predict exactly when labor will begin.

This week's checklist

Confirm the baby's position and discuss options if not head-down.
Put final essentials in your hospital bag.
Avoid ladders, heavy lifting, and harsh cleaning chemicals while nesting.

Call your care team

Contact maternity care immediately for reduced movement, bright-red bleeding, fluid leakage, or regular painful contractions.
Seek urgent help for severe headache with vision changes, face or hand swelling, chest pain, fainting, severe abdominal pain, or major breathing changes.

Medical information, not medical advice

Every pregnancy is different. Use this guide for general education and follow the advice of your own maternity care team. Do not delay urgent care because of something you read here.