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Week 36 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside

British Columbia Specific Information

If you have any questions or concerns about pregnancy, labour and baby care speak with your health care provider or contact HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse anytime of the day or night, any day of the year, or a pharmacist from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

You can also read Baby's Best Chance (PDF 14.88 MB), a parent’s handbook on pregnancy and baby care.

You can also access SmartMom, a Canadian prenatal education program that provides trustworthy educational text messages to help guide you through the weeks of your pregnancy: www.smartmomcanada.ca/.

 

Topic Contents

Topic Overview

As your baby gets bigger, you may be getting more uncomfortable. It may be harder to walk around or to sleep well.

At this point, your baby may be spending a lot of time upside down. This "head-down" position can be more comfortable for your baby because of the pear shape of your uterus. It's also easier to give birth if your baby's head comes out first.

Wondering what your baby looks like now? As you enter the last month of your pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a honeydew melon. Average baby length is 450 mm (18 in.). And average baby weight is 2268 g (5 lb).

How your baby is changing

Here are some of the important facts and developments around 36 weeks.

  • Until week 36 of pregnancy, your fetus is probably still small enough to change position a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will notice more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
  • By the end of this month, the skin is smooth. The arms and legs look chubby.
  • If your baby is born at a healthy weight during this month, chances of healthy survival are very good.

Credits

Adaptation Date: 4/29/2022

Adapted By: HealthLink BC

Adaptation Reviewed By: HealthLink BC