35 Weeks, 2 Days - The 36th Week

My Symptoms
I'm calling this my ninth month now. I've got about a month left, give or take, and I'm ready. Overall, I guess I still feel pretty good, but I am noticing the little things. I can't sit or stand for too long without getting a back ache. I'm pretty sure the "relaxin" has kicked in as I definately waddle, especially after I get up after sitting for a while. It's weird. I just feel like my hips don't work properly, almost like they are out of socket. I can't see it, but I feel like the baby is dropping at least a little. I notice a lot more "pressure" down below. Again, especially if I sit for a while, I need to stand up and walk around. She still moves alot and I just figured out that if I put my hand where her butt is when she's poking her feet out my side, and push her feet back in, I can feel her butt move. It's kind of cool. It probably annoys her. I'm thinking I may have a little bit of the dark line down my belly. I don't see it when I look directly at my belly, but do notice a bit of a line when I look in the mirror. I still have an appetite, but notice now that I get full very fast. I can actually feel full and hungry at the same time. It just means that I try to eat more frequently, since I have to eat less. I can't think of much else. No noticible swelling or puffiness, my belly button is still in, the stretch marks don't seem to have gotten darker or multiplied. I'm just ready for her to come out. Two more weeks and I'll be considered "full term." That sounds nice.

The Baby
By this week, your baby weighs about 6 pounds. Its crown-to-rump length is over 13.5 inches and total length is 20.7 inches.

It’s getting cramped in there! Kicking and shoving have replaced the early swooping and rolling -- there’s simply no more room! He is about 17 inches long and weighs about five pounds. From now on his growth will be slow and steady as he continues to put on weight and fill out.

Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if she isn't in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

The baby continues to grow and snuggle down into your pelvis. The benefit of this is that you can breathe more easily, however, you also have to urinate more often. Your practitioner will probably not stop your labor if you were to start having regular contractions now. Baby weighs about five pounds two ounces (2.3 kilograms) and measures 45 cms or 17.8 inches. Although here at the end there is a larger margin of difference among babies. Ask your practitioner to palpate (feel through your abdomen) to guesstimate the weight. Remember it is just a guess, although some are better than others.

The Mom
Measuring from the pubic symphysis, it's about 14.5 inches (36cm) to the top of your uterus. If you measure from your bellybutton, it's more than 5.5 inches to the top of your uterus. You may feel as though you've run out of room! Your uterus has grown bigger in the past few weeks as the baby has grown inside of it. Now the uterus is probably up under your ribs. You only have 4 to 5 weeks to go until your due date. It's easy to get anxious for your baby to be delivered. However, don't ask your doctor to induce labor at this point. You may have gained 25 to 30 pounds, and you still have a month to go. It isn't unusual for your weight to stay the same at each of your weekly visits after this point.

Having odd dreams? That’s common! So is "nesting" behavior, though this tends to kick in strongest right before labor begins. Watch out! If you have a sudden, unbearable urge to scrub the grease from behind the stove, you may be heading for the hospital soon! Ah! At last! At some point during the last month of most first pregnancies, the fetus will "drop" into the pelvis, and once again you’ll be able to breathe! You’ve probably gained between 25-30 pounds (though that’s just the average, and many women gain less or more).

While your baby continues to grow and crowd your internal organs, you may find that you're not as hungry as you were a few weeks ago. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to drop down lower in your pelvis. This dropping — called lightening or engagement — is more likely to happen before labor if this is your first baby. When it does, though, you may feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, making walking increasingly uncomfortable. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs, or as if the baby is going to fall out. (Don't worry, she won't!) You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are a little more frequent now. Be sure to review with your practitioner exactly when and where to call her when you think your labor has started. As a general rule, you should call when you start having regular contractions coming every five minutes for about an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you're not yet 37 weeks and have signs of preterm labor. You should also call without delay if your water breaks (or if you even think you're leaking amniotic fluid), if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, severe headaches, abdominal pain, or changes in your vision. Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying during your final month, when you're more likely to go into labor. In fact, many airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within seven or sometimes 30 days of the flight.

You will probably start to see your practitioner every week until you give birth. Most babies will be in a head down position at this point. However, about 4% of the babies will be breech. Do not panic! There are plenty of things that you can do to encourage the baby to turn, including special exercises. If the exercises do not work, your practitioner may want to attempt an external cephalic version (ECV). The ECV is a manual turning of the baby.