Third Trimester
Week 36: Baby is considered
Here's everything happening with your baby and your body this week.
Your baby is the size of a
Head of romaine lettuce
Length
18.7 in
Weight
2.6 kg
Week
36 / 40
💡 Expert tip
Discuss your preferences for induction, delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin, and feeding in your birth plan with your provider.
🌱 Baby's development this week
- Almost fully developed
- Gaining about 0.5 oz of fat per day
- Sucking reflex strong and fully coordinated
- Immune system receiving final antibody transfers
Science fact
In the final 4 weeks, the fetal brain grows at its fastest rate. Babies born at 37 weeks have 5% less brain matter than those born at 40 weeks —
🤰 Your symptoms this week
Cervical changes
pressure, cramping, or loss of mucus plug; labor may be close or still weeks away
Extreme fatigue
rest is medicine at this stage
Rest when you can — your body is building a placenta. Iron-rich foods (spinach, lentils) help. Short walks boost energy.
Nausea returning
a common but under-discussed sign that labor is approaching
Try ginger tea, crackers before getting up, or vitamin B6 (10mg 3x/day). Small meals every 2 hours help.
💛 Changes in your body
- Appointments now weekly
- Pressure on bladder, hips, and pelvis intense
- Cervix may begin softening and dilating
- Extreme fatigue — rest as much as possible
💙 Mental health this week
The final weeks are intense emotionally — anxiety, excitement, and exhaustion coexist. This is the appropriate emotional cocktail for what
🥗 Nutrition focus
- Continue dates (6/day) — evidence supports shorter labor duration
- Hydration — amniotic fluid must be maintained; low levels can lead to induction
- Light, easily digestible meals — labor can begin at any time from here
📅 Appointment / test
Weekly appointments from now: cervical check if desired, blood pressure, fundal height, baby position confirmation.
✅ This week's checklist
Confirm your care plan with your provider for when labor begins
Rest — this is the most important thing you can do this week
Review the 5-1-1 rule for when to go to hospital: contractions 5 min apart, 1 min long, for 1 hour
Track your pregnancy week by week
Interactive guide · 40 weeks · Fruit size visualizations · Personalized tips
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