Pregnancy › Week by Week › Week 36
At 36 weeks your baby is about the size of a head of romaine and gaining fat fast. This is when the Group B strep test happens and you start watching for the early signs of labor.
Size
A head of romaine
head to heel
Length
18.7 in
about 47.4 cm
Weight
5.8 lb
about 2.6 kg
Your baby at 36 weeks
Plumping up and getting into position. Most of the building is done, and now it is about gaining weight.
Your baby is filling out, shedding most of the fine lanugo hair and the waxy vernix that protected the skin, and swallowing both along with amniotic fluid. That becomes the first stool, meconium, after birth.
Getting ready. By now most babies have settled head down in preparation for birth. If yours has not, there is still a little time to turn, and your provider will keep an eye on position at your visits.
Nearly there. The lungs and brain are among the last to finish maturing, which is why every week still counts. Next week, at 37 weeks, your baby is considered early term.
How big is your baby at 36 weeks?
About 18.7 inches head to heel and roughly 5.8 pounds.
Your baby is measured head to heel now and is putting on around an ounce a day, mostly as fat that will help with warmth and feeding after birth. There is less room to move, so movements feel more like rolls, squirms, and pushes than big kicks, but they should still be regular.
Your body at 36 weeks
Your baby may drop this week, easing your breathing but adding pelvic pressure.
Many people notice lightening around now, when the baby drops lower into the pelvis. Breathing and heartburn can ease as the pressure comes off your ribs and stomach, while pressure low down, more frequent bathroom trips, and a waddle set in. Braxton Hicks tightenings often pick up, and you may lose the mucus plug, a thick discharge sometimes tinged with a little blood, which can happen days or weeks before labor.
What is normal, and when to call your provider
Practice contractions are normal now, but call your provider or go in for any of these:
- Contractions that become regular, longer, stronger, and closer together (time your contractions to see the trend), or your provider’s specific go-in instructions
- Your water breaking, whether a gush or a steady trickle
- Any bright red vaginal bleeding
- A clear drop in your baby’s movements
- A severe headache, vision changes, pain under your ribs, or sudden swelling, which can signal preeclampsia
Your week 36 checklist
- Have your hospital bag packed, including a few postpartum recovery comforts for after
- Expect your Group B strep swab at this week’s visit
- Install and get the infant car seat checked so it is ready to go
- Learn the difference between practice contractions and true labor, and your provider’s when-to-come-in rule
- Keep noting your baby’s movements and rest whenever you can
Appointments and tests around 36 weeks
The Group B strep test happens around now, and visits move to weekly.
Between 36 and 37 weeks, your provider does a quick swab of the vagina and rectum to check for Group B streptococcus (GBS), a common bacterium that is harmless to you but can be passed to your baby during birth. If the result is positive, you will simply be given antibiotics through an IV during labor to protect your baby. From now on your visits are usually weekly, and your provider will check your baby’s position and growth and may talk about your birth preferences.
A few things worth having on hand now
A note for your partner
Now is the time to know the plan: where you are going, the route, who to call, and where the bag lives. Take over the heavy lifting and the car seat install, keep your phone charged and on, and help sort the difference between practice contractions and the real thing so no one panics at the first tightening.
Almost there
The last few weeks can feel long, heavy, and full of anticipation all at once. Whether your baby arrives a bit early or takes the full time, you are nearly at the finish line, and everything you are feeling right now is normal.
36 weeks pregnant, common questions
What is the Group B strep test?
A quick, painless swab of the vagina and rectum, usually at 36 to 37 weeks, that checks for a common bacterium. If it is positive, you are given antibiotics through an IV during labor to protect your baby. It does not change anything else about your birth.
How do I know if it is real labor?
True labor contractions get longer, stronger, and closer together over time and do not ease when you move or rest. Braxton Hicks are irregular, stay mild, and settle down. When in doubt, time them and call your provider.
What does it feel like when the baby drops?
You may suddenly breathe more easily and get less heartburn, while feeling more pressure low in your pelvis, needing to pee more, and moving with a waddle. Some babies drop weeks before labor, others not until it starts.
When should I go to the hospital?
Follow your provider’s specific instructions, often the 5-1-1 guide: contractions about five minutes apart, lasting a minute, for an hour. Go in sooner if your water breaks, you have bright red bleeding, or your baby’s movements drop.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Group B strep, late-pregnancy, and labor guidance.
- Mayo Clinic, Fetal development: the 3rd trimester.
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH), Fetal development and prenatal care.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for information and education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. Always follow the guidance of your doctor, midwife, or qualified provider, and contact them with any concerns.